Question 1

True or false: Authentic poutine traditionally uses shredded mozzarella cheese, not cheese curds.

Accepted Answer

False. Real poutine uses fresh, squeaky cheese curds. Mozzarella is a common American substitute but is not traditional—purists insist on curds for the texture.

Question 2

True or false: Poutine was banned in the United States for several years due to unpasteurized cheese curds.

Accepted Answer

False. No such ban existed. Pasteurized curds are widely available in the US, and poutine has been sold across the country for decades without legal issues.

Question 3

True or false: The gravy in classic poutine is typically a light chicken or veal stock, not beef gravy.

Accepted Answer

True. Traditional Québécois poutine uses a thin, salty chicken or veal-based brown gravy, not the thick beef gravy found in many American versions.

Question 4

True or false: Poutine was originally served as a breakfast item with eggs and bacon mixed in.

Accepted Answer

False. Poutine started as a simple late-night snack of fries, curds, and gravy. Breakfast poutines with eggs are a modern twist, not the original recipe.

Question 5

True or false: Poutine festivals in Quebec often feature gourmet versions with foie gras, lobster, or truffle oil.

Accepted Answer

True. Quebec's many poutine festivals (like Montréal's Poutine Week) encourage chefs to create upscale variations, including luxurious ingredients like foie gras and truffles.

Question 6

True or false: Poutine is the official national dish of Canada, recognized by an act of Parliament in 2015.

Accepted Answer

False. Canada has no official national dish. Poutine is strongly associated with Quebec and Canada, but no parliamentary act has ever declared it the national dish.

Question 7

True or false: Cheese curds for poutine must be less than 24 hours old to make a proper 'squeak' when eaten.

Accepted Answer

True. Fresh curds squeak against your teeth due to elastic protein strands. After about 24 hours, they lose moisture and the squeak fades, making them less ideal for poutine.

Question 8

True or false: Poutine was invented in the 1950s by a Quebec diner owner who mis-sliced his cheese curds.

Accepted Answer

True. Most accounts credit the 1957 invention at Le Lutin Qui Rit in Warwick, Quebec, when a diner owner accidentally cut curds too large and mixed them with fries and gravy.

Poutine Trivia Questions