Poutine Nation traces the evolution of poutine from its origins in rural Quebec to its status as a global phenomenon. Though it was once dismissed as lowbrow junk food, poutine has now earned a place in fine dining, fast food chains, and global pop culture.
Through a mix of history, cultural analysis, and personal anecdotes, Poutine Nation examines the social and economic forces behind food trends, exploring why some dishes fade into obscurity while others, like poutine, become beloved worldwide.
With a keen eye for detail and a touch of humour, leading food scientist Dr. Sylvain Charlebois investigates poutine’s role in Quebec’s cultural identity, its place in Canada’s culinary landscape, and the politics surrounding its success. He also explores the evolution of food trends, the psychology of taste, and the ways in which poutine’s global popularity reflects broader changes in how we eat and connect through food.
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
1. My First Taste of Poutine, Farnham, Quebec
2. Poutine?!
3. What Is Poutine, Really?
3.1 Cheese Curds and Their Squeakiness: The Butterfly of Cheese
3.2 Fries: Poutines Bedrock
3.3 Gravy and Innovation: A Fusion of Bliss
3.4 Poutine Varieties
4. Why the First Time You Eat Poutine Matters
4.1 The First Time
Part One: The Bedrock
5. With Poutine, History Matters
5.1 Canadas Dark History
5.2 Quebecs Political Context
6. Cooking, Religion, and History
6.1 Agriculture and Textiles
6.2 The Industrial Revolution, Fast Food, and the Death of Cooking 6.3 The
Shrinking Kitchen
6.4 From Poutine Prohibition to Adulation
7. What Makes a Food Trend?
7.1 A Social Phenomenon, Food Traditions, and Poutine
Part Two: The Invention and Spread
8. Creators, Ambassadors, and Franchises
8.1 Facts
8.2 Jean-Paul Roy: Inventor of the Modern Poutine
8.3 Poutines Godfather and Ambassadors
8.4 Poutine: Whats in the Name?
9. Poutine: Canadas Pizza
9.1 How is Poutine Iconic?
9.2 A Dish and Social Identity
9.3 Is Poutine Part of Canadas National Identity?
9.4 Is Poutine Part of Canadas Food Identity?
9.5 Pride and Poutine
Part Three: The Distinction
10.Is the Mighty Poutine
10.1 Comfort food?
10.2 A National Brand?
10.3 An Event Magnet?
10.4 The Ultimate Shareable Dish?
10.5 A Side Dish or a Meal?
10.6 A Pricey Dish?
Part Four: The Pilgrimage
11. Following the Poutine: A Pilgrimage
11.1 Visiting the Location(s) Where it Started
11.2 Drummondville and Warwick: Poutines Ground Zero
11.3 The Father of Poutine
11.4 Drummondville and Le Roy Jucep
11.5 Ambassador: Meeting the Godfather of Poutine
12. The Poutine Pilgrimage, Continued Around the World
12.1 Poutine in Toronto
12.2 Poutine in Cleveland
12.3 Poutine in the Big Easy, New Orleans
12.4 Poutine in the Land Down Under
12.5 Poutine in France
13.The Future of Poutine
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Endnotes
Sylvain Charlebois is a professor of management and the director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. He is a co-host of The Food Professor podcast.
