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Uramaki, California roll, or upside-down sushi is a unique sushi variety which has its origins disputed between Los Angeles and Vancouver, although most people claim that it was invented in California in the 1960s by a Japanese chef named Ichiro Mashita.
This sushi roll is prepared with sushi rice, nori, fish (mostly tuna or salmon), avocado, and cucumber. It differs from other sushi types because the rice is on the exterior, wrapped around nori seaweed that is in the inner part and surrounds the filling.
VARIATIONS OF Uramaki
MOST ICONIC Uramaki
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Even though its name stems from the French boudin—a word that usually refers to the pudding-like fillings of sausages—this soppy treat originating from the French Canadian province of Quebec consists of french fries drowned in a thick, brown gravy dotted with clumps of pale, soft, semi-creamy cheese curds.
The potatoes are more coarsely cut than regular fries, and they are sometimes even fried twice so that the exterior remains crispy while the interior remains soft, whereas the cheese does not melt but just softens, adding that special squeakiness to the dish, and the gravy is made with either beef or chicken stock with the addition of vinegar.
MOST ICONIC Poutine
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Pancakes are traditionally consumed across North America and Canada, made from a starchy batter, eggs, milk, and butter. Their origin is probably German, with the traditional Pfannkuchen recipe being brought by German immigrants who settled in the United States in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The pancake has a similar appearance and flavor as the French crêpe but differs in diameter (5 to 10 cm) and thickness. The thickness is achieved by the use of a leavening agent, either baking soda or nutritional yeast. American and Canadian pancakes are typically served for breakfast, in a pile, topped with maple syrup and butter.
MOST ICONIC Pancakes with maple syrup
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Cedar-plank salmon is a fish delicacy that involves cooking salmon on cedar planks, a unique method of cooking which is believed to have been originally practiced by the Native Americans who mostly used Western red cedar (a type of cypress). The wood planks, which must be free from any surface coatings or chemicals, are typically immersed in water into which coarse salt, fruit juice, or wine can be added.
Once dried and heated on the grill, the planks are topped with salmon fillets that can either be left with their skin intact or skinned. Salmon is typically marinated in oil, seasonings, and fresh aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme, dill, oregano, parsley, juniper berries, or even fir needles.
MOST ICONIC Cedar-plank salmon
Sushi pizza is an unusual spin on sushi that is popular throughout Canada, especially in Toronto. It consists of a fried rice patty topped with salmon, tuna, or crab, avocado slices, spicy mayonnaise, and soy-wasabi sauce. It is believed that the dish was invented by a Japanese chef Kaoru Ohsada in a restaurant named Nami.
Originally, he made the dish by frying sushi rice, topping it with salmon, and garnishing it with tobiko fish roe and chopped onions. Today, sushi pizza is often accompanied by soy sauce or pickled ginger on the side. This food trend has also crossed national borders, so you can occasionally find it in poké restaurants in the United States.
MOST ICONIC Sushi pizza
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B. C. roll is a type of makizushi made with sushi rice, barbecued salmon (or barbecued salmon skin), and cucumbers. The name B. C. roll refers to British Columbia, well-known for wild Pacific salmon. This Canadian delicacy was invented in Vancouver in 1974 by a Japanese chef named Hidekazu Tojo.
MOST ICONIC B.C. roll
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Despite its name, Hawaiian pizza is a Canadian invention, a classic American-style pie topped with cheese, ham, and pineapple chunks. It was originally created by Sam Panopoulos in Chatham, Ontario in the mid-1960s, when he added pineapple to the dish and started serving it to the customers of his Satellite Restaurant.
The customers loved it, and Hawaiian pizza soon made its way to the rest of Canada and the United States of America.
MOST ICONIC Hawaiian pizza
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Nanaimo bars are creamy, chocolatey dessert treats originating from Nanaimo, a city "so beautiful it's alright to stare". The same can be said for Nanaimo bars, layered cookies that don't need to be baked, consisting of a mixture of crushed graham crackers, coconut, and nuts acting as a base that is topped with a creamy, vanilla-buttery middle layer and finished with a layer of glistening, semi-sweet chocolate.
Their origin is shrouded in a veil of mystery, and the only thing known about them is that they originate from Nanaimo, where the locals held a contest to find the best Nanaimo bar recipe. As to who chose to crush the biscuits and top them off with creamy custard and chocolate is still unknown.