Vercelli's Pasta and Pizza, Krum, Texas

WE ALL SCREAM FOR POUTINE!

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Earlier this week we bid a sad adieu to the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, British Columbia. Some of us will miss duking it out with our northern neighbor, but I, for one, found myself rooting for the Canadians as well. Not only did they snag most the gold medals won at any Winter Olympic Games, they were true sportsmen and women, and good-humored, gracious hosts. Canada has lots of reasons to be proud.

For the Denton Record-Chronicle/Scott Sackett

Authentic poutine is on the menu at Vercelli’s Pasta and Pizza in downtown Krum, Texas. 

In their honor, I say we chow down on a Canadian favorite: poutine — French fries topped with white cheese curds, covered in a beef-based brown gravy. Its origins aren’t precisely known; however, most agree the poutine craze began in Quebec in the 1960s. Now it’s served up in greasy spoons and fast-food chains throughout the country. Even women’s figuring skating bronze medalist Joannie Rochette is known to indulge. Canada’s quintessential comfort food is also referred to as one of Canada’s guiltiest pleasures — and is another source of national pride.

Fortunately, we don’t have to travel to the Great White North to find it — in fact, we don’t even have to cross the county line. Authentic poutine is on the menu at Vercelli’s Pasta and Pizza in downtown Krum.

Why is a French-Canadian dish available at an Italian restaurant in a small North Texas town? Jane Flores, who owns the restaurant with her mother is originally from Quebec, and they brought the recipe with them.

Their basic poutine is made from hand-cut French fries. The poutine gravy is imported from Quebec and the white cheddar cheese curds are shipped overnight from Wisconsin. The rubbery cheese has to be squeaky. (Squeaky? That’s the sound the curds make when you bite into them. It means they are extremely fresh.)

Vercelli’s also offers an Italian poutine, which substitutes a rich, tomatoey meat sauce for the gravy. You can also try frites sauce or frites italienne, versions of the two recipes without the cheese. (But then it’s not really poutine.)

By the way, while you’re at Vercelli’s, don’t forget to congratulate the Italians. They might not have won big at the Olympics, but they sure take the prize for lasagna.

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Vercelli’s Pasta and Pizza, 208 W. McCart St., Krum, TX 940-482-6051.

A version was originally published in Denton Record-Chronicle, March 4, 2010