The Chicago Files

– photo courtesy of http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets

It’s Friday, and it’s the 13th. This date combination means either you are happy the weekend is here, and/or your superstitious side has appeared for the duration of the day.

That’s okay on both accounts, for I am merely taking the number of the day and repackaging it to present you with a lovely little list of, ‘lucky 7’ Canadian treats found only north of the 49th parallel. I promise you the only thing scary in this list is the caloric content! While living in Chicago I’ve been asked on many occasions if there are any, ‘uniquely’ Canadian foods. After a bit of a hesitation I usually (but ever so politely) remark that although we do not have a lot of foods we can clearly call our own, we do fulfill the ‘comfort food’ category quite nicely.

In the above photo, I’ve begun our Canadian fare with one of my favs: ketchup chips! Oh how I miss these, ‘tomatoesque’ tantalizers!

– photo courtesy of http://alwaysinfo.co.uk

The second selection is also a crunchy number. The comparison I can make to these chips is that of an, ‘everything’ bagel, if that means anything (note the vinegar, pepper, and onion on the bag).

Let’s leave the chip aisle and head to the bakery section for number 3 on our list:

– photo courtesy of http://www.cookingclassy.com

Nanaimo bars! I don’t think I’ve been to too many Canadian events where these treats did not make an appearance!

At number 4, this is a superlative Canuck treat:

– photo courtesy of cdn.cottagelife.com.s3

Oh my goodness, behold the classic, Canadian BUTTERTART! These tantalizing tarts are another Canadian staple on the entertaining circuit.

At number 5 we have my personal, all-time favo(U)rite chocolate bar (that’s what Canadians call, “candy bars”):

– photo courtesy of http://dworkins.com/

Ah, the Crispy Crunch chocolate bar! I can’t explain the taste; rather funny that I love them and can’t explain them! Well perhaps a metaphor for life, don’t you think?

At number 6, I am sure some of my wonderful readers might know, “Smarties” as one of these treats, but not both:

– photo courtesy of http://whatsdifferentincanada.tumblr.com/

The candy on the left is American (we call the equivalent in Canada, “Rockets”; a very popular treat at Halloween); the candy on the right is extremely familiar to Canucks. Let me demonstrate the words from a Smarties commercial that I know off by heart (a Canadian, classic commercial, to be sure):

When you eat your Smarties do you eat the red ones last,

Do you suck them very slowly, or crunch them very fast,

Eat that candy coated chocolate, but tell me when I ask,

When you eat your Smarties do you eat the red ones last?

Oh my, right now I am both embarrassed and amused at myself!

Rounding our lucky 7 on this most superstitious day, I bring you this Canadian staple:

– photo courtesy of http://thelapine.ca

For those of you who have been following The Chicago Files for a while, you know my sheer and utter joy of Tim Hortons coffee, donuts, and yes, the illustrious, “TimBit”. They are often referred to as, “donut holes” in the US, but don’t try to call a TimBit a mere, “donut hole” unless you wish to experience the rarity of impoliteness shown for such sensitive situations.

Lest you think Canadians are not a classy lot, look what we can do with a BIG box of TimBits: