Celebrating Poutine Week… in Washington, D.C.

I think I may have mentioned it a few times on this blog, I used to live in Montreal, Quebec. For 4 years. You’d think this would mean I’d be able to weather this cold snowy winter like a champ, right? Well, not quite. But it means I have learned to appreciate Quebec delicacies like shish taouk and poutine (and Molson beer… let’s be honest). Montreal has changed a lot since I lived there. It’s still cold. But it now has macaron shops and poutine week. POUTINE WEEK!!! Are you kidding me!?!?

It’s basically like our Restaurant Week except between February 1st and February 7th, there are 30 restaurants that offer special poutines for $10. Do you have any idea how all over that I would have been when I was a college student? (hint: a lot all over). Ok, I don’t know if I would have been all over the Poutine au Phoque at Au Cinquième Péché… but otherwise, yes, all over that. Check out all the poutines on Thrillist and drool with me….

But now I live in the United States… and yes, we have the Canadian Embassy here in Washington, D.C. It’s got great views of the U.S. capitol and, occasionally, I have had poutine there. But most of the most time, it’s really hard to find poutine in the District. Well, apparently it’s not that hard according to this recent WaPo article but may I remind you, I used to live in the land of poutine, ChurchKey‘s Disco Fries and A&D Poutine Potato Chips aren’t gonna cut it. It’s even hard to find cheese curds to try and make your own poutine at home 🙁

So when I heard that Trader Joe’s started selling poutine (thanks for the tip, Eater), I was, at the risk of repeating myself,  ALL OVER that. I mean, who needs poutine week… when I can basically pour myself a glass of Sleeman Honey Brown, stream Starbuck on Netflix and de-freeze some Trader Joes‘ Poutine?

Ok, while Starbuck is a great movie, the poutine from Trader Joe‘s is only OK. There wasn’t enough gravy, the fries were too soft and the curds tasted almost like mozzarella. So yeah, maybe I do need Poutine Week. Le sigh.