Globe & Mail says “American ignorance extends to Montreal smoked meat”
The Canadian media seems to take a perverse pride in pointing out how Americans are ignorant of, or at least oblivious to, Canadian culture.
A recent video feature in the Globe & Mail — “American ignorance extends to Montreal smoked meat” — is no exception.
In these humorous video interviews, New Yorkers profess both their love of pastrami and their unfamiliarity with Montreal’s most famous deli product.
If you’re new to Canada and haven’t yet encountered Montreal smoked meat, the Globe & Mail also provides this comparison: New York pastrami v. Montreal smoked meat. Both pastrami and smoked meat are made from beef brisket, but the difference is in the preparation process:
Pastrami is dry-cured, meaning the meat is lathered with sugar and salt until absorbed, then seasoned with spices and smoked. Montreal smoked meat is also dry-cured, but then soaked (like corned beef) to desalinate it before seasoning and smoking. Montreal smoked meat smokes a bit longer than pastrami, capturing more of the flavouring.
The classic spot for sampling Montreal smoked meat is Schwartz’s Hebrew Delicatessen, which has been serving up smoked meat sandwiches and platters since 1928. It’s at 3895 Boulevard Saint-Laurent just north of downtown Montreal.
Montrealers are also justly proud of their bagels, particularly those from Fairmount or St.-Viateur. The Globe & Mail compared Montreal bagels and their New York counterparts as well, and we wrote about Canadian bagels in this earlier post: Not a vast frozen-bagel wasteland.
Happy eating!
Photo ©Carolyn B. Heller
