This stand showed up last weekend at the farmers market, but I was hot and had my hands full, so I didn't stop. This week, with a cool breeze blowing and a limited shopping list, I was more inclined to give it a try. Especially when I saw the sign for poutine. I'd heard about this Canadian treat, but never had a chance to eat it before.
First you cook up some gravy with fresh cheese curds.
Then you serve up some fresh, well-salted twice-cooked fries.
Then pour the gooey cheesy gravy over. Heart attack on a plate!Normally the fries (which are stellar on their own, too) are served in a paper cone, but that seemed like a recipe for disaster with Sophie in tow, so I opted for a dish instead.
These are so very very good, and probably very very bad for you.
I compensated a little with a stop at the Hmong farmers' booth. They always have some interesting greens to play with. I got some yu choy to serve sautéed with pasta. And some bread to go with my fennel soup for dinner tonight. I was kicking myself for not making no-knead bread this weekend, but I'll get a loaf in this week.P.S. Turns out there's a website devoted entirely to Belgian fries, complete with recipes and shop locations. Love the Internet!
Did you run for at least an hour after eating that?! Oh my God, it looks so good!
ReplyDeletehey, which Farmer's Market is this? Amy the Soap Crone is at the Old South Pearl Street one on Sundays. I love her soaps. Stop by and at least smell her soaps, if it is the Pearl Street FM!
Those fries look so good - yum!
ReplyDeleteManisha, it is the Pearl Street market. I've seen the booth and will stop next time. I love nice soaps, but I have to be careful because I seem to accumulate them faster than I can use them.
ReplyDeleteI think if you ran after eating poutine you would have a heart attack.
Kris, they are indeed yum.
I don't get the twice cooked part. Fried and then sauteed in a pan? Is that what they mean? Quite an interesting thing.
ReplyDeleteMeresy, they are fried twice,once to cook them through, and then after they cool down, again to crisp them.
ReplyDeleteThere's a recipe here on a website devoted entirely to Belgian fries. Now that's devotion.
Why is it that so much of what is very, very good is very bad for you? Dag.
ReplyDeleteI don't need to worry about poutine though since my entire experience with them has been second hand via the internet. And that might be a good thing because of all those other very, very good things which are bad for you which I do know first hand.
Any idea whatever happened to The Belgian Fry Co?
ReplyDeleteI've just met a woman who's pining for poutine in Denver, and thought of this old post of yours!
Unspelt, I have not seen them since I posted this. Someone else contacted me about them last year, too. You maybe could see if the Pearl Street Market organizers have contact info.
ReplyDeleteHey, very intriguing, however (speaking as a native of the homeland of poutine), the technique described here isn't francais authentique!
ReplyDeleteIn my guide (ode) to Poutine, I've linked to a great online guide to making poutine, montreal style.
http://www.guidespot.com/guides/spotting_poutine
Two principles are different: 1) it's GOT to be fresh cheese curds. The cheese has to squeak! 2) you layer the final step, not mix the cheese and gravy. Fries, then curds, then gravy.
All in the spirit of spreading the love and cholesterol! Glad to see a little street food from the homeland hitting close to home!
Perry