Canadian Cuisine

Canadian cuisine varies widely from depending on the regions of the nation. The former Canadian prime minister Joe Clark has been paraphrased to have noted: "Canada has a cuisine of cuisines. Not a stew pot, but a smorgasbord."
The three earliest cuisines of Canada have First Nations, English, and French roots, with the traditional cuisine of English Canada closely related to British and American cuisine, while the traditional cuisine of French Canada has evolved from French cuisine and the winter provisions of fur traders. With subsequent waves of immigration in the 18th and 19th century from Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe, and also from China, the regional cuisines were subsequently augmented.

Canada is a country of immigrants. With the exception of the Aboriginal Peoples, all Canadians are from or are descended from peoples of other lands. Consequently, Canadian cuisine is an eclectic mix of many cultures. Canada was home to the first culinary society in the New World, the Order of Good Cheer founded by Champlain in early 17th century Nova Scotia. Popular ethnic cuisines include the omnipresent Italian and Chinese restaurants. In larger communities, you'll likely find Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, German, middle eastern, and Greek cuisine. In the cosmopolitan hubs of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, you'll find anything and everything under the sun. One interesting difference between Canada and its American neighbor is Mexican restaurants. Though plentiful south of the border, they are considered more of a specialized cuisine here (with the exception of Taco Bell).