St. Pierre and Miquelon Cuisine

Overview of St Pierre and Miquelon Cuisine History[]

Saint Pierre and Miguel is a sum of 9 distinctive islands in the Northern Atlantic. Due to the very low temperatures, there are no plantations on these territories, although fishing is very intensive and fish are mostly used for the industry of fish cans. The island belongs to France, so the regional cuisine represents very efficiently the French culinary culture, including various delicacies, light breads, salads and cheese, which are especially prepared for the numerous tourists that are found in Saint Pierre and Miquelon all year long.

Fish is a staple ingredient in the St. Pierre and Miquelon cuisine, as various species of fish (including some rare ones) can be found in the surrounding waters. Fish are consumed in many ways: from raw and fresh, to complexly cooked and served with local dips and vegetables. Fish roes are also consumed and, combined with the French aliments, they are a real delicacy.

Cuisines of St Pierre and Miquelon[]

Map of St Pierre and Miquelon - Click to enlarge

In the centre of the regions, Saint Pierre, there are various local restaurants and international cuisines, especially for the large amounts of tourists. Still, the most important cuisine remains the French one, but various International dishes can also be found, mostly from the Chinese, Italian, Latina and Indian culture. In this town, the most consumed dishes are the fish fillets or the grilled fish, the seafood salads with local herbs and the sea trout, served with fritters or steamed veggies. In the busy towns and areas, the seafood delicacies are a great attraction for the numerous tourists, like the Scallops in pastry with liquor sauce and blueberries or the salmon filet with sauce. The local desserts include the famous French cheese: the bake apple cheesecake or cheese pies are the best examples. The rum is one highly popular drink and it used both for cooking and as a beverage – the rum punch.

Preparation Methods for St Pierre and Miquelon Cooking[]

While there are no specific or unique preparation methods for St. Pierre and Miquelon cooking, we should point out that attention to detail is important in the St. Pierre and Miquelon cuisine. St. Pierre and Miquelon cuisine uses elements from various cooking traditions borrowed from their neighbors and developed from their own traditional dishes. Using the right amount of spices for example is essential – either for spicing up the taste or for coloring the dish. Each traditional dish has a special cooking method, which is more or less general in all of St. Pierre and Miquelon’s regions. Meat is one of the main elements of most St. Pierre and Miquelon dishes and cured and smoked hams are often parts of delicious dishes. The diversity of vegetables and cereals found in St. Pierre and Miquelon is also noticed in the delicious dishes belonging to their cuisine. The visual attractiveness of the dish is also important, and a balance between colors and proportion differentiates.

Special Equipment for St Pierre and Miquelon Cooking[]

From cake pans, can openers, colanders, egg rings, poachers and holders, food dishers & portioners, food pans & food containers to other kitchen utensils, such as food scales, food scoops and fryer baskets & accessories, the St. Pierre and Miquelon cuisine needs a diverse cooking equipment set in order to produce the most sophisticated St. Pierre and Miquelon dishes. You should consider insulated food carriers if you are transporting the food and a full set of kitchen linens and uniforms if you wish to look like a pro. Here are a few other items that will come handy while cooking St. Pierre and Miquelon food: juicers, kitchen knives, kitchen slicers, kitchen thermometers, measuring cups & measuring spoons, miscellaneous utensils, mixing bowls and skimmers & strainers. Essential utensils like serving spoons, spatulas, forks, turners, scrapers and tongs should also be part of your cooking "arsenal".

St Pierre and Miquelon Food Traditions and Festivals[]

Most of the inhabitants of Saint Pierre and Miquelon are Catholics and religion is a very important part of their life and culture. That is why the people from the island celebrate Christmas and Easter with large family gatherings and traditional meals, like the poultry dishes: Duck filets with wild berry sauce and the ostrich medallion with maple syrup sauce – meals that can be found in France, too. The variety of cakes and fruit tarts, combined with liquors and rum represent the specific taste of the St Pierre and Miquelon holidays, which are enjoyed by both the local people and the tourists.