More Than Poutine: Favourite Foods from My Home and Native Land

Mike Myers has been quoted as saying “There is no one more Canadian than a Canadian who no longer lives in Canada”.

In Marie Porter’s experience – 10 years of living away – that quote is not only true in the general sense, it’s especially true when is comes to Canadian foods.

Canadian expats may be divided by politics, geography, or even regional culture … But post a photo of a hideous “poutine” you found in an American restaurant to a Canadian Expat group, and you will find 100% agreement that it’s an abomination. Post about buttertarts, or peameal bacon, and you’re guaranteed a long, wistful discussion about the many foods we miss from the motherland. Canadian food is the great equalizer, a very popular topic of discussion, and a bonding experience.

When it comes to Canadian cookbooks, there are many out there. There are books about specific regions, there are books that encompass most/all regions. There are books that focus on specific ingredients, books that tell stories, and more. There are many, many buttertart recipes out there, and even more recipes for making tourtiere… but there have been no books that focus on Canadians that are not living in Canada…until now.

Marie Porter’s “More Than Poutine” is a unique cookbook: Canadian food, presented from the view and experience of a Canadian living away.

Developed as a 150th birthday present and love letter to her homeland and its people, “More Than Poutine” explores the
many ways that the land, people, and cultural mosaic have influenced Canadian food.  It covers all of the national and regional favourites - both traditional and modern - while also providing recipes for accurate homemade versions of many sauces, snacks, treats, and other convenience foods unique to our country.

The foods craved by those living away are now much more accessible, wherever they may be living! This is a book for you.
 
For those who not only crave our tourtière and buttertarts, but would give anything to do shots of Chalet Sauce again.

For those who die a little inside when we see what is sold as “Canadian Bacon” – anemic little rounds of ham, not the robust deliciousness of the back bacon we once knew.

For those who have given up on ordering “poutine” abroad, knowing full well that there’s a chance that whatever ends up being presented will end up with a fried egg – or some other nonsense – on top.

For those who have caved to craving and paid $4+ for a Wunderbar, shipped from Amazon.

For those who have tried to explain to friends that Sweet and Sour sauce is NOT the same as what we were used to back home.

This is a book for all Canadians: Not only those who are living away and want a taste of home, but those living at home and wanting to learn more about Canadian food, and those wanting gluten-free alternatives to their favourite traditional and retail Canadian food items.  It’s also for those who aren’t Canadian, but are looking to expand their culinary horizons, and those who love a Canadian expat and want to surprise them with food!

Recipes in “More Than Poutine” span many different styles and techniques - baking, candy making, canning, cooking, curing, smoking, wine making, and more - mirroring the diversity of our great country!  

The recipes are easy to make, with simple, straightforward instructions. Measurements are provided in both US and metric units. This cookbook includes more than 120 recipes, and features gorgeous full colour photography for each recipe.  Most of the 120+ recipes in this book are inherently gluten-free, and gluten-free variations are provided for most of those that are not.

Marie Porter is an Aspergian polymath, which is just a fancy way of saying that she knows a lot of stuff - and does even more stuff - with a brain that runs on a different operating system than most. Because of that OS, her career has spanned across many facets: She's a trained mixologist, competitive cake artist, professional costumer, and - last but not least - author. As of 2016, her written works include 6 cookbooks, 6 specialty sewing manuals, and a tornado memoir. Her work has graced magazines and blogs around the world, she has costumed for Olympians and professional wrestlers, has baked for brides, celebrities, and even Klingons. Marie is now proud to share her wealth of multi-disciplinary knowledge and experience with cooks and seamstresses around the world.

Michael Porter (Who goes by "Porter") is a food and commercial photographer located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Porter's work has appeared in local, national, and international magazines, in catalogs, corporate websites, and as well as in many online media outlets. He is responsible for the vast majority of photos on the Celebration Generation blog, as well as all of the photography in Celebration Generation books. In addition to being an awesome husband and photographer to Marie, Porter is Celebration Generation's "Chief Engineering Officer", responsible for all custom builds, equipment repairs, and warp engine emergencies. His most recent large scale project is rebuilding the Porter house kitchen after the tornado... using lumber milled from the 100+ year old black walnut tree that landed on the house! In his spare time, Porter is an avid homebrewer and is pursuing a degree in engineering, while "in training" to become Canadian!