Poutine Week in Quebec

You’d think we have enough to deal with considering the way this week has unfolded thus far: More allegations of widespread corruption before the Charbonneau inquiry, bursting water mains that turn downtown Montreal into a lake in mid-winter and quietly increasing parking taxes. But considering the story we’re about to publish in Wednesday’s edition of The Gazette, it looks like things just took a turn for the worse.This Friday marks the start of Poutine Week, an event that falls somewhere between a competition and a sacrilege as 30 Quebec restaurants try to re-think a culinary classic of this province rather than do the right thing and leave well enough alone. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen the standard issue poutine serving enhanced by chopped hot dogs, smoked meat strips and, in one case, slices of barbecued chicken. But scattered flower petals on top of the sauce? Stilton instead of squeaky curd cheese? Red wine and foie gras in the gravy? Don’t pinch yourself, you’re not having a waking nightmare, this is actually happening.