A Canadian Inspired Superbowl Sunday

Every year Superbowl Sunday is watched by millions of people around the world, and of course, no Superbowl Sunday is complete without food! This year, in honour of The Weeknd headlining the half-time show, we decided to theme our menu in honour of this occasion. The Weeknd is the first Canadian performer to ever headline the Superbowl half-time show, so it was only fitting to celebrate the day with some Canadian favourite dishes and drinks!

I swear this had nothing to do with the fact I am Canadian!

First, the tailgate – every Superbowl must begin with the drink menu!

The most popular cocktail in Canada is the Caesar. Originating in Calgary, this satisfying red drink is a (better) version of a Bloody Mary and packs a punch depending on how spicy you can handle it. It is made with ice and a mixture of vodka, clamato juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a spice blend. The glass is rimmed with celery salt and topped off with a celery stalk and/or a wedge of lime.

Of course, no football game is complete without beer! Our menu includes Molson Canadian or Moosehead, not forgetting that Canadian beers typically have a greater alcohol content.

But we can have the Canada-USA beer debate later.

Now onto the food!

Naturally, before the main course, we need snacks! On the snack menu are some favourites exclusive to Canada - including Ketchup chips. These chips taste exactly like they sound having been dusted with tomato powder, onion, garlic and other spices. Successfully infusing a salty, smoky, sweet taste with a tart bite like you would imagine a crunchy ketchup experience would provide.

For the sweet tooth lovers, we have the Canadian exclusive Coffee Crisp. Similar to the Kit Kat, but with a twist, this chocolate bar is made up of alternating layers of vanilla and coffee flavoured wafers dipped in chocolate. This treat satisfies a craving for chocolate and coffee at the same time and continues to be a country favourite.

Next, we have our main course! You can probably guess what is on the menu…

Poutine! Poutine is a classic Canadian dish that originated out of the province of Quebec. It is a dish consisting of a bed of french fries topped with cheese curds (yes, curds specifically) and brown gravy – in that order. The heat of the gravy melts the cheese curds to produce a delicious and heavily satisfying meal!

Moving onto dessert, we have two classic Canadian options…First the Nanaimo bar (one of my personal favourites!). Getting its name from the city where it emerged from Nanaimo British Columbia, this treat is scrumptiously sweet and requires absolutely no baking! The dish consists of three layers: a base consisting of coconut crumb, nut, and wafer, a middle layer consisting of custard, and a top layer of chocolate ganache. As delicious as they are they must be refrigerated, so a word of caution: Do not leave them out at room temperature for too long!

I learned that the hard way...

Lastly, we have the butter tart! These little tarts are made up of a shell pastry that contains a filling made with butter, egg, syrup, sugar, and (typically) pecans or raisins. They are then baked until the filling is semi-hard and the top is crunchy.

Although this year we all had to celebrate the Superbowl from the comforts of our homes, it was still nice to be able to share some hometown favourite foods with family and enjoy the game. The Weeknd provided a fantastic performance making Toronto, and all of Canada, proud. Even though football is “America’s Game”, it is great that so many from around the globe can tune in and enjoy the same fun experience.