Andr Alexis: why fried 'beavertails' are essential to my Canadianness

As part of CBC's What's Your Story campaign, we're asking Canadians to tell us about the one object they would submit to a collection of national treasures: objects that contain the strongest feelings, personal histories and vivid memories of our diverse population. For Canada Reads author Andr Alexis, it's the beavertail. (The fried pastry kind!)

"Who knew that lard, bread and a bit of herbs to make you feel better, could taste so good?" says Andr Alexis.

What savoury goodness is he speaking of? The one thing that comes to mind when he thinks of his Canadian identity, the "one sensual memory that is essential to my Canadianness," the beavertail.(Thedeep-fried flattened dough is known as a beavertail in the Ottawa region, but also knownas awhale tale, elephant ear and flying saucer in other parts of the country.)

"Not only does it taste good, not only does it smell good, but it isfromsomewhere, and that somewhere that it is from is partly where I'm from too."

Fifteen Dogsis in the running at this year'sCanada Reads. Humble the Poetwill be defending Alexis's book in the debates that take place March 27 to 30. Catch them on air on CBC Radio One at 11 a.m., live streamed on CBCbooks.ca at 11 a.m. and broadcast on CBC Television at 4 p.m.