Traditional Cuisine
Quebec is most famous for its tourtières (meat pies), pea soup, baked beans, cretons, ham dishes, maple desserts such as Grand-Pères and molasses treats such as "tire Ste-Catherine" (St. Catherine's taffy). The strongest influences on traditional Quebec cuisine come from the cuisines of France and Ireland, as the two largest ethnic groups in the province are French and Irish, although many aspects of Canadian aboriginal cuisine have also had a significant impact on Quebec cuisine.
The sugar season (temps des sucres) is one of the oldest of Quebec culinary traditions. During springtime, many Quebecers go to sugar shacks (cabanes à sucre) for a traditional meal that features eggs, baked beans, ham, oreilles de crisse, and bacon, which they then cover in maple syrup. Associated activities are a horse-drawn sleigh ride in the woods and sugar on snow (tire sur la neige) — boiled maple tree sap dribbled over snow, which then hardens, and is eaten as a treat.
Many traditional dishes are intrinsic to holidays. Réveillon, the Christmas Eve (or New Year's Eve) feast, usually features items like a bûche de Noël (Yule log) and tourtière.
Spruce beer is a traditional beverage.
Read more about this topic: Cuisine Of Quebec
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