CNN - Canada's national dish: 740 calories - and worth every bite?

Bob Rutledge is on a quest to spread the word about poutine. The high-calorie concoction -- a messy combination of fries, gravy and cheddar cheese curds - is not for the faint of heart, or for that matter, those seeking to protect their heart. But Rutledge says this carb-heavy, high-fat combination holds a very special appeal.

"This dish is so overwhelmingly delicious it is so difficult to not be a fan," the founder of the website Montreal Poutine enthused recently… If there's one food that is eaten and made everywhere in Canada it is poutine, according to Rutledge, who - when he's not sampling poutine - researches neutron stars as an astrophysicist at McGill University. "All that separates it from being national food is some sort of parliamentary declaration," he said. "But the people have already declared it a national food."