Canadian health officials require poutine—a Canadian dish of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy—to be heated to 140 to 165 degrees for health reasons, a temperature somewhat that below of hot coffee. Alas, this is a temperature that can cause second-degree burns if a consumer happens to suffer an epileptic fit and fall face-first into their poutine, as happened to an Ontario teenager dining alone at a local KFC. No lawsuit appears to be planned, though her father seems to be demanding warnings of some sort. (Don Peat, “Teen burned in KFC poutine mishap”, canoe.ca, Jan. 19 (h/t Bumper)). Of course, given that warnings cannot deter epileptic seizures, it’s not clear why this would have made a difference. And as the Mocking Words blog points out:
What if instead she ended up falling down and hitting her head on the concrete floor? Are you going to go around warning people that concrete is a very solid material and that people should be aware that if you fall and hit your head on the floor that it’s going to hurt and is possibly going to injure you?
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More poutine for me!
Sorry, the stuff is disgusting in theory, but it tastes great in fact.
Warning labels for poutine because it’s hot? That’s like putting warning labels on 1000 calorie cheeseburgers because of the risk of dripping ketchup on your shirt. Poutine consists of deep-fried french fries, drenched in melted cheese curds and gravy, often served with an equally fatty topping like ground beef or bacon or pulled pork. It’s a deadly (and delicious) assault on your cardiovascular system. And someone’s worried because it’s hot?
(Don’t get me wrong – I love the stuff and consider it one of the great triumphs of Quebecois cuisine).
1. “. . . and fall face-first into their poutine”.
And, there’s something unusual about this occurrence?
2. “the stuff is disgusting in theory, but it tastes great in fact.”
Personally, wouldn’t know. My experience with poutine has been post-Molsen’s in signficant quantities.
[…] Invented closer to home, though not exactly nearby, is another British Columbian favourite: poutine. A Quebecois creation, this cheese curd, french fry, and gravy delight can be enjoyed locally at most Burger Kings and Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants. Apparently, it’s now also entered New York cuisine as “disco fries.” But be warned: it can be dangerous, and not just for one’s arteries, especially if you fall face first into it. […]