Newcomers to Canada have a lot to learn about the cold winter in the Great White North, and everything from choosing the proper winter boots to picking the right jacket can be overwhelming. But once the initial shock is over, gloomy months don't have to be daunting.
There are many things to do and see in Canada from December to March that make the season more enjoyable. During Canada's festive season, Christmas trees are lit up, Starbucks' holiday menu is in full force, and the holiday jingles are played on repeat.
Besides indulging in decadent hot chocolate or building a gingerbread house, Canada has a lot of unique food and drinks that make for the perfect winter experience.
We've compiled a list of six very Canadian food and drink items that every newcomer has to try to have a cozy winter.
BeaverTails
BeaverTails are one of Canada's most popular pastries. They are enjoyed all year round but taste particularly good in the winter because they are warm and comforting, two things that are important when it's -20 degrees outside.
Whether you're grabbing BeaverTails at Blue Mountain or enjoying one on an afternoon walk, the pastries will guarantee cold-weather happiness.
You can choose to top your beaver tail-shaped pastry with cinnamon and sugar, chocolate hazelnut, apple pie filling, brownies, maple and so much more.
If you find it hard to choose one off the menu, buy two and share them.
Butter Tarts
Butter tarts are a Canadian specialty. The sweet-tart pastry is filled with butter, sugar, syrup, and egg. The shells are baked until the pastry's filling is semi-solid with a crunchy outer layer.
According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, the first butter tart recipe was documented in The Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook in 1900 in Barrie, Ontario.
However, the tarts were believed to have been created in Québec long before this date. European women were adapting their traditional recipes to the supplies they had in Canada. They came up with the now famous butter tart, likely to be a sugar pie variation.
Nowadays, the butter tart is increasingly popular in Ontario. You can even go on a Butter Tart Tour in Kawarthas Northumberland to learn more about the dessert or attend a butter tart taste‐off.
They do taste better in the winter when it's gloomy and cold outside, especially if you eat a fresh and warm batch.
Maple Taffy
@goldengully Replying to @samuelbergeron2 #mapletaffy #snowstorm #candy #maplesyrup 🎵Musicality
It's not a Canadian winter without maple syrup or snow, and it turns out the combination creates a taffy that Canucks absolutely love.
Maple taffy, also known as tire d'érable (sugar on snow) in some parts of Canada, is made when hot maple syrup is poured onto clean snow, which hardens onto a stick and is enjoyed immediately. It's basically maple syrup on a stick.
The Canadian treat can be made at home after a snowstorm or can be found at winter events, like The Distillery Winter Village in Toronto.
You can only get these during the winter, so make sure to try it before the snow season ends.
If you love taffy, you will definitely like this.
Eggnog
Eggnog is a very festive beverage that can be bought from Canadian grocery stores or made at home.
The store-bought ones can be enjoyed as is or jazzed up to include alcohol and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to make the beverage even more cozy.
Also known as milk punch, eggnog is usually enjoyed around the holiday season in Canada and, as the name states, has eggs as a main ingredient.
Eggnog typically consists of milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and whipped egg whites.
Alcohols like brandy, rum, whisky or bourbon can be added to the dairy beverage to make it a little jollier.
And even though the beverage is usually served cold, it can also be consumed warm, especially during cold winter nights.
Tourtière
This French-Canadian meat pie originated in Quebec and is the perfect hearty and warm meal a family would indulge in during the cold winter months.
Even though poutine typically outshines this Quebecoise dish, the tourtière is quite popular in French households too.
The tourtière is a pie stuffed with minced pork, veal or beef and potatoes and is enjoyed during special occasions like Christmas or New Year's Eve dinners.
People can even elevate the pie by including rabbit meat instead.
But this dish is even better during winter because of its aromas. Ingredients like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves make it smell delicious.
Poutine
Poutine is a national dish in Canada, and if you haven't tried it already, what are you waiting for?
Poutine consists of french fries and cheese curds topped with brown gravy. Even though the dish originated in Quebec, it is a meal that is enjoyed across the country.
You can find poutine at many local restaurants, but it's also a menu item at various fast-food chains in Canada.
Narcity's Sarah Rohoman ranked six poutines from fast food chains in Canada and said Pizza Pizza had the best one.
This famous Canadian comfort food tastes even better when it's cold outside.
Hazelnut chocolate spreads from Canadian grocery stores.
