Pea Soup, Powder Kegs & Paddle Ports: Quebec’s Culinary Past
- Ginger North
- Jun 18
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 5
#30CanadianFoods: A delicious detour through forts, folklore, and French-inspired fare
Bienvenue to the Backbone of New France
If provinces were meals, Quebec would be a full-course feast—rich, layered, and best enjoyed slowly. In this stop on our heritage-fuelled, soup-stirring #30CanadianFoods journey, we’re diving into the land of voyageurs, forts, fur traders, and French flair.
We’ll warm up with history, wander through stone strongholds, and serve up not one, but two traditional pea soup recipes straight from heritage sites. (Yes, there will be pork. Yes, there will be jokes about throwing logs into soup pots.)
🍁 Curious about the rest of the #30CanadianFoods series? Catch up on every province and territory here.
From Fur to Fortresses: A Taste of Quebec’s Past
Before it was a province, Quebec was the heart of New France. First Nations communities had lived, traded, and thrived here long before French explorers arrived in the 1500s. When they did, they built trade alliances—and plenty of forts.
Over time, the land saw a swirl of cultures: French colonists, British soldiers, Scottish merchants, Irish workers, and more. This blend shaped the architecture, food, and traditions still alive today.
👉 Recent discovery alert: In 2023, archaeologists uncovered a rare 18th-century French oven in Quebec City—offering new clues about colonial cooking methods. Even history nerds didn’t see that one coming.
Stone, Smoke, and Stories: Fort Chambly
📍 Fort Chambly National Historic Site
Tucked along the Richelieu River, Fort Chambly is a showstopper. First built in 1665 by the French to fend off the Iroquois Confederacy and later rebuilt in stone, it served as a military stronghold through the French, British, and even American Revolutionary periods.
Visitors today can:
Walk the stone walls and barracks
Peek into reconstructed officers’ quarters
Learn about the lives of soldiers and families through immersive exhibits
Enjoy historic reenactments (complete with 18th-century soup)
The site’s star: Fort Chambly Pea Soup, a hearty, herb-infused dish cooked up whenever reenactors return. Scroll down to try it at home—and imagine musket drills while you stir.
🍽️ Historical Fortified & Fabulous: Fort Lennox
📍 Fort Lennox National Historic Site
Located on Île aux Noix in the Richelieu River, Fort Lennox feels like a secret fortress. Built by the British in the early 1800s after the War of 1812, it’s one of the best-preserved military complexes of its kind.
People online rave about:
The relaxing ferry ride to get there
The well-informed, friendly guides
The hands-on exhibits and interactive children’s activities
The peaceful island vibes and riverside views
It’s perfect for curious families or quiet history lovers alike. The stonework alone will have you whispering "wow."
Where Bark Meets Broth: Obadjiwan–Fort Témiscamingue
📍 Obadjiwan–Fort Témiscamingue National Historic Site
This place is a gem. Located on the shores of Lake Timiskaming, the site was once a major hub in the fur trade, where Indigenous traders, French voyageurs, and Scottish merchants crossed paths.
Today, visitors can:
Wander the forest trail full of interpretive signs and art installations
Explore a reconstructed trading post
Hear traditional Anishinaabe stories
Catch “Voyageur’s Dinner” events—where pea soup gets ladled out and someone inevitably tosses a log into the pot (oops)
This mix of comedy, culture, and culinary history makes Fort Témiscamingue unforgettable.
Bark Soup & Cannonballs
Wood in the stew? At Fort Témiscamingue, staff joke about accidentally throwing firewood into the soup. They keep stirring and serve it anyway. Guests love the gag—and the soup.
Cannonball in the Garden? A few years ago, a Quebec City homeowner found a cannonball while digging a garden bed. It dates back to the 1759 siege. Just your average day in Quebec…
Napoleon’s Laundry? Legend has it that some of the fabric used in British uniforms at Fort Lennox may have come from mills that once supplied Napoleon’s army. Coincidence? Maybe. Cool? Definitely.
Recipe Time: Soup for Soldiers and Voyageurs
Soup so nice, we’re making it twice. Two recipes coming out from each of the forts have slight differences. Test them out and see which you prefer.
Fort Chambly Pea Soup
This herbed soup was a staple for French colonial soldiers. The mix of lard, split peas, and herbs simmers into something simple but soul-warming.
This recipe from Parks Canada is prepared at Fort Chambly National Historic Site each time a group of re-enactors holds a military encampment representing the French period (1665-1760).
Ingredients
6 ⅓ cups | 1.5 litres water
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb | 500 g yellow or green dried split peas (preferably soaked overnight)
½ lb | 250 g salted lard, diced
4 tsp | 20 g dried herbs (parsley, thyme, chervil, savoury, sage, sorrel)
1 tsp | 5 g salt
2 tsp | 10 g pepper
Directions
Render lard over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onion; cook a few minutes.
Add peas, mix well, then water. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 2 hours.
Add herbs 30 minutes before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Fort Témiscamingue Traditional Pea Soup
A soup with a story, and the occasional bark chip, from Parks Canada.
Ingredients
2 cups | 500 ml dried peas
1 onion, chopped
½ lb | 227 g salt pork, cubed
1 peeled carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped or whole
1 bay leaf
8 cups | 2 litres water
Pinch of savoury, to taste
Directions
Rinse peas. Add all ingredients to a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer 3–4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if the soup becomes too thick.
Remove bay leaf. Season to taste.
Optional: In true Fort Témiscamingue fashion, laugh loudly if someone “accidentally” adds a log to the pot.
More Heritage Bites: Other Worthy Stops Beyond the Forts
☕ Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre (Sherbrooke)
Step into 1860s elegance at this Neo-Georgian gem in Sherbrooke’s Lennoxville borough. Explore art and history exhibits that celebrate the Eastern Townships’ rich cultural mix, then slow down for a truly timeless tradition: afternoon tea. Served in vintage china by guides in period dress, this high tea experience—indoors or in the garden—is as much about connection as it is about sipping. 🌐 Visit Uplands
🧀 Musée de la Vieille Fromagerie Perron (Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean) Step into Canada’s cheddar-making past at this historic cheese factory—the last of its kind. Learn traditional cheesemaking techniques, tour the cheesemaker’s old home, and cap it off with a Perron cheese-tasting and hands-on butter-making workshop. 🌐 Visit the Musee
🧵 Musée de la civilisation (Quebec City) This one blends modern and historical exhibits and often explores food culture, heritage crafts, and Indigenous perspectives. 🌐 Visit MCQ
A Toast to Soup and Stories
Quebec’s forts aren’t just stone and cannonballs—they’re full of life, laughter, and legacy. From muskets to ladles, they tell the stories of the people who built, defended, and fed a nation.
So go on: plan a visit, simmer a pot, and taste the past. Because Canadian heritage? It’s anything but boring.
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