Gourmet basket
There's nothing like a gourmet souvenir to remind you of the great flavors of the country you're visiting. Eastern Canada, and Quebec in particular, is a benchmark for maple syrup production. Maple products come in many forms, from syrup and taffy to butter, sugar, flakes and jelly. Maple is also used in liqueurs and alcoholic creams, and in the brewing of certain artisanal beers. But beyond the lord of syrups, Canada has earned a fine reputation in the cheese world, garnering awards and recognition at home and abroad. And we can't fail to mention the famous butter tarts, a specialty created north of Toronto and which even benefits from an official gourmet route in the Kawarthas Northumberland region, succulent Nanaimo bars, a chocolate dessert originating in British Columbia, or vacuum-smoked fish from the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, particularly salmon, which is very popular in the country.
As for alcohol, Canada is becoming a master in the art of distillation, creating gins, vodkas and other delicious artisanal spirits. Craft beers, too, are now ubiquitous across the country. The reputation of Canadian brewers is well established, and they don't hesitate to incorporate the terroir into their tasty nectars. Another of the country's flagship products is wine, particularly ice wine, for which the Niagara Peninsula (Ontario) and Okanagan (British Columbia) regions are renowned. To kill two birds with one stone, take advantage of a visit to the winemaker to discover the best vintages.
Art & design
Still very much alive today, Canadian craftsmanship is that of a rural society that favors woodworking and metalwork to create utilitarian objects. It has since diversified to include other materials, notably recycled ones, to create decorative objects, jewelry and more. Also, from the earliest days of colonization, the need to protect oneself from the cold of winter contributed to the development of weaving and embroidery, for quilted bedspreads (an assembly of bits of fabric in various colors), shawls, wool scarves, mittens, tuques and slippers.
Aboriginals are renowned for their traditional crafts, working with bone beads, stones, shells, animal hair and skins, porcupine quills, bark and wood - in short, anything found in nature. Dreamcatchers, sinew snowshoes, jewelry, bags, suede and leather jackets, traditional clothing and accessories of all kinds, indoor and outdoor moccasins, traditional incense, works of art and more can be purchased in native communities and specialized boutiques. There is also contemporary Inuit art, mainly represented by sculptures in soapstone, green serpentine, dolomite or quartz. Modern sculptures, which can reach impressive sizes, almost always depict the wildlife and people of the Far North. Inuit also practice caribou antler carving, stone engraving and embroidery. Not to be missed: the native art of the Pacific Northwest, in particular that of the Haida, highly regarded the world over for its style and originality.
Of course, there arealso many Canadian artists specializing in visual arts, design and more. Areas such as Vancouver's Granville Island, Toronto's Distillery Historic District and Old Montreal in Quebec's metropolis, as well as the many art centers dedicated to different disciplines, showcase them. If you like painting, there's nothing more essential than a canvas by one of the Group of Seven, Emily Carr or Alex Colville. When it comes to fashion, Greta Constantine, Maram, Lucian Matis and UNTTLD are all essential haute couture designers. Young local labels are also worth discovering, and are particularly prolific in Toronto and Montreal.
Readings
If you like to read, there are a number of books we recommend: National Geographic's Guide to Canada's National Parks, to discover the country's natural splendors; Testé et approuvé : le Québec en plus de 100 expériences extraordinaires, a collective work to make you dream; Le Garde-manger boréal by Jean-Luc Boulay and Arnaud Marchand, a collection of 80 seasonal recipes with the aromas of the boreal forest; In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven by Jim and Sue Waddington, the culmination of 36 years' work tracing the places that inspired this famous group of Ontario artists; Histoire(s) et vérité(s): aboriginal Stories by Thomas King, a reflection on the relationship between Canadians and Aboriginal peoples; Canada-Québec 1534-2018 by Jacques Lacoursière, Jean Provencher and Denis Vaugeois, an unprecedented look at the country's history since colonization; Paul à Montréal and Paul à Québec, comic strips by Michel Rabagliati that caused a sensation when they were first published; Toronto Architecture: A City Guide by Patricia McHugh and Alex Bozikovic, with some thirty itineraries for discovering Toronto's architecture through the ages.
Team spirit
With a world-famous national sport and two teams that rank1st and2nd in the number of championships won (24 Stanley Cups for the Montreal Canadiens and 13 for the Toronto Maple Leafs), there's no need to mention that merchandise bearing the effigy of these two field hockey clubs sells like hotcakes. The country boasts five other member teams of the National Hockey League (NHL), not to mention professional teams in other sports such as baseball, basketball, soccer and soccer. The stadiums and arenas these teams call home always have an official store, but many sports stores also sell the merchandise of Canadian and American professional teams in all sports.
