The Chip Stand

Canada is lucky in that we’re home to hundreds of chip stands where we can enjoy french fries. Sure, you can get them at regular restaurants, but there’s something special about buying frites from outdoor — often seasonal — spots that ooze personality, from the owners to the decor.

In The Chip Stand, co-authors, co-illustrators and couple Chantal Bennett and Joel Kimmel have documented the past and present of patate purveyors across the country. Their joyful illustrations are accompanied by fun tidbits, including the history of poutine and the Pogo, as well as the chip stand itself, which the authors note is the descendant of chip wagons pulled by horse that first showed up on the scene in the 1930s in Ontario and Quebec.

Whether you call them chip stands, food trucks, snack shacks or casse-croûtes, you’ll savour this love letter to the places and people who serve up the fries.