Up here in Canuckistan we’ve long since had our Thanksgiving (we have to get it over with before the weather changes and the only people on the roads are Ice Truckers) and it generally features a simple roast turkey, generally stuffed with bread cubes, celery, brandy-soaked raisins, old doll parts, Monopoly dice, and anything else Mom finds in the bottom of the junk drawer. It’s quite a fun tradition, really: if you get the Barbie head, or roll snake eyes, you get to make a wish on the moose antlers. After the meal and the ritual round of butter tarts, the whole family compliments the cook and then sneaks out the back way to Timmy’s, where they can at least get good coffee.

moose antlers are a badassCanuck wishbone substitute
In Yankistan, I understand things work a little differently. Not only do you wait till nearly mid-winter to express your gratitude for the existence of pumpkin pie, but apparently you people like to celebrate the holiday by making turkey pickles, then deep-frying them.
This confused me until I watched the following video, and now it all makes sense. I, too, like to celebrate special occasions by having a few firefighters over to the Global HQ, and this looks like the best way to guarantee they’ll actually show up.
via TheAwl
via TheAwl
Mmm…butter tarts. The Stonecutter makes those every Christmas.
Comment by La Petite Acadienne — November 6, 2010 @ 2:09 pm
A man who makes butter tarts? Can you clone him for me?
Comment by raincoaster — November 7, 2010 @ 9:22 pm
I always forget how much I like butter tarts–they are way better desserts than pumpkin or apple pie (plus at our house we get the pumpkin out of the way with the first course…it’s in the homemade ravioli, let’s move on). Do you think a real butter tart should have flaky pastry made with butter (not Crisco, ugh)? Raisins? Be raisin free? Include pecans? Be served with a dollop (or on a bed of) whipped cream sweetened with maple syrup? Striped with melted dark chocolate?
Also: Timmy’s is an American company now. Has been for over a decade.
Comment by aurumgirl — November 10, 2010 @ 7:35 am
I like raisins but no pecans. Once you put pecans in it, it becomes a pecan tart. Definitely yes on the flaky pastry, yes on the maple-spiked whipped cream, negitory on the chocolate; it just doesn’t go well with the caramel and raisin flavours, in my experience.
Timmys got bought back and is now Canadian again; has been for just over a year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Hortons
Besides, the brand loyalties in my family were decided on forty years ago and nobody is interested in stirring up that Starbucks versus Mohawk gas station coffee can of worms.
Comment by raincoaster — November 10, 2010 @ 6:25 pm