This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Rather than opting for a sad gas station sandwich or a meal in a fast food chain, why not treat yourself to a gourmet snack on the go from regional producers? Summer and winter alike, it is very pleasant (and easy!) to punctuate your road trip on the roads of the province with stops at local artisans.
Whether to have a bite to eat during a long journey or to bring back some food to enjoy once at your destination, let’s think about the many local businesses on the road. Quebec abounds with cheese shops, fishmongers and bakeries, including its microbreweries, vineyards, cider houses and distilleries, or small farms and roadside kiosks overflowing with fresh vegetables and fruits.
Depending on the time you have, you can stop at the restaurant area of these places to enjoy a meal with local flavors. If you are in a hurry, most of these establishments will offer dishes prepared on site in their shop, such as sandwiches, salads and pastries. There are also processed regional products that can be consumed quickly on site or from the comfort of your vehicle.
These stops are also an opportunity to stock up on snacks that are good to eat while driving, such as cheese curds, sausages and freshly baked biscuits.
This snack is accompanied by apple juice, local carbonated water or kombucha. This way, we will have a full stomach to swallow the last kilometers of our journey.
The importance of eating local
Sophie Tremblay-Parent, co-founder of Bon Appétit QC, which offers private gourmet tours in certain regions of Quebec, is categorical on the subject: “In my opinion, the consumer should get into the habit of choosing local producers instead of multinational for eating on the road. Buying their products is important for the sustainable, social and economic development of their region and their business,” she argues.
This is why she and her colleague Emmy Lapointe created the Bon App digital passport. This tool includes ten tastings or products to take home (if you are in a hurry) from a vast selection of participating artisans throughout the province.
“A burger from a fast food chain probably costs as much as a sandwich from a local bakery,” she says with conviction. And for local producers, it really makes a difference that we take the time to stop by them. »
Jeanne Authier, content strategist at Terroir et Saveurs (an identity of the Association of Agrotourism and Gourmet Tourism of Quebec), believes that the consumer also wins. “We favor slow tourism and we give ourselves the opportunity to have great human encounters,” she believes.
Plan your stops
It’s better to know before leaving where you want to take a break so as not to waste time looking for a business once on the road. Otherwise, we might be tempted to give up and favor fast food rather than small local businesses.
To prepare, Mme Authier suggests that travelers ask themselves certain questions: what route are we going to take, how much time can we allocate to stops, what is our budget and, finally, who is accompanying us? Having determined all of this, we will be able to establish places to eat.
To find said locations, there are a host of online tools, including, of course, the Bon App map and passport as well as the very complete Terroir et Saveurs directory of producers.
Besides these, Mme Tremblay-Parent strongly recommends taking a look at the websites of regional tourist agencies and the province’s economuseum network. She also recommends studying Quebec’s gourmet routes, such as the Brome-Missisquoi Wine Route, the Gaspésie Gourmande circuit or the Cheese Route. And this, in order to target the places that are on our path.
M’s final adviceme Tremblay-Parent is this: “Always carry a cooler with you when you hit the road. That way, you will be ready to discover new products… and keep them cool until you reach your destination!” »
Three favorites from Sophie Tremblay-Parent, from Bon Appétit QC
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.