Where Has This Treat Been All Your Life? Canada.

[elleng]

'You could be forgiven if you’ve never eaten a butter tart. There is no flashy frosting or elaborate lattice to entice you. It’s easy to pass by.

But Canadians will tell you that these diminutive treats hold an expanse of flavor and textures: flaky pastry, caramelized crust and a bracingly sweet filling.

The butter tart is celebrated in its homeland, where the preference for runny or firm fillings, plain or with raisins, is a matter of passionate national debate. Ontario, where most scholars believe the butter tart was born, celebrates it with two dueling tourism trails (Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour and Butter Tarts and Buggies) and festivals galore, including Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival in Midland and a new one that will have its debut in March in Bowmanville, east of Toronto.'>>>

Recipes: Butter Tarts | Butter Tart Squares

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019129-butter-tarts

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019130-butter-tart-squares

[CatMor]

1. I live across the river from Ontario.....

and don't know about the tarts but I do like some of the bread from Ontario. I'll have to look for the tarts in our grocery stores.

[brush]

2. I haven't had breakfast yet and now you've made me hungry to taste one.

[shanny]

3. I'm glad you didn't say, "poutine." nt

[elleng]

4. Ditto glad the article didn't say poutine (tho I've never had it!)

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

8. Poutine is worth trying

When made well, it is delicious. Unfortunately, it is not always made well.

[procon]

5. The recipe sounds like a mini pecan pie with raisins instead of nuts.

My grandma made a raisin pie, my dad remembered it as 'po folk food' and didn't care for it much, so I think it originated from the Great Depression era. Back in the day when frugality wasn’t as chic as it is now, necessity being the mother of invention, raisins were relatively cheap and would keep for a long time. I still have grandma's old recipe for raisin pie, updated over the years, it was very sweet and a little slice was enough. Maybe I'll have to dust off my pie pan.

[csziggy]

7. It reminds me more of a Southern Chess Pie

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/03/chess-pie-recipe.html

This link has varieties of different flavored chess pie, but those are not traditional:
https://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/chess-pie-recipes

[pnwest]

6. I just learned of these two years ago,

when Mr West mentioned them as a longtime family Holiday treat. His fam’s version - called English Butter Tarts - feature dried currants, and heart-stopping qties of butter and brown sugar. Insanely divine - but definitely only a once a year treat!