CNN - Canada's national dish: 740 calories - and worth every bite?
Bob Rutledge is on a quest to spread the word about poutine. The high-calorie concoction -- a messy combination of fries, gravy and cheddar cheese curds - is not for the faint of heart, or for that matter, those seeking to protect their heart. But Rutledge says this carb-heavy, high-fat combination holds a very special appeal.
"This dish is so overwhelmingly delicious it is so difficult to not be a fan," the founder of the website Montreal Poutine enthused recently… If there's one food that is eaten and made everywhere in Canada it is poutine, according to Rutledge, who - when he's not sampling poutine - researches neutron stars as an astrophysicist at 9IÖÆ×÷³§Ãâ·Ñ. "All that separates it from being national food is some sort of parliamentary declaration," he said. "But the people have already declared it a national food."