Observations from a Quebecois supermarket

1. There are numerous butter choices in the butter section, most in generous (ie. huge) foil-wrapped portions. This speaks well of local culinary tastes.
2. Cans of gravy are displayed next to bags of frozen French fries. These are two of the three ingredients needed to make the comfort dish of poutine, which I still am not sure how to pronounce. Last night, I said pou-teen, and I think the server girl said back to me pou-tin. There are no cheese curds - the third ingredient - anywhere in the supermarket though, and I know because I looked hi and lo and even considered accosting an innocent shopper to find out. Turns out it's because cheese curds are very perishable, and need to be eaten within a day of being made. And so this squeaky, mild-tasting delicacy is not only hard to find in such a place as a supermarket, but it is also apparently only to be had in cheese-making towns.
3. Another Quebecois delicacy: cretons. This has been variously translated as potted pork; a breakfast spread made of pork; a food similar to the French rillettes; and the very helpful "cretons."
4. Paté of all kinds is very cheap here. Like $1.50 for a nice-sized chunk. This also speaks well of the Quebecois table.