Growing up, Paryse Lambert spent summers with her mothersa国际传媒檚 family in Quebec indulging in French-Canadian staples including croque monsieur, steak hache, and of course, poutine.

After settling down in Jacksonville, Fla., the dual U.S.-Canadian citizen longed for that mouth-watering medley of crispy french fries and slinky cheese curds smothered in gravy. What she found were grotesque mutations of the dish with shredded mozzarella broiled over what seemed like a spud-based baked ziti.

These American abominations were nothing short of sa国际传媒渟hameful,sa国际传媒� said Lambert. So, she decided to rectify this culinary crime by launching the Stuffed Beaver, one of many establishments around the world devoted to an unexpected theme: Canada.

From Japan to Brazil, Canuck-centric bars and restaurants are set to ring in Canada Day with festivities featuring Tragically Hip cover bands, maple-infused menus and a steady flow of caesars.

Bedecked in kitsch Canadiana ranging from local licence plates to sports jerseys, these red-and-white restos are exporting Canadian culture and cuisine to a global audience, while serving as a hub for expats to be reminded of the comforts of home, proprietors say.

sa国际传媒�(Canadians) are growing like cockroaches here, even in northern Florida,sa国际传媒� said Lambert. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e an underserved market.sa国际传媒�

A stonesa国际传媒檚 throw away from the Interstate 95, which serves as a migration route for snowbirds and other sun-seekers, the Stuffed Beaver regularly caters to Canadians making their way across the border, said Lambert.

Behind the counter hangs a map dotted with the hometowns of visitors from Yukon to Prince Edward Island who have savoured her sa国际传媒済randmasa国际传媒檚 kitchen foodsa国际传媒� while travelling through the U.S. South, she said.

sa国际传媒淲hen they hear that there are other Canadians, they get really excited,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭hey say, sa国际传媒榠t feels like being home,sa国际传媒� so I know Isa国际传媒檓 doing something right.sa国际传媒�

Hearty fare like crepes, poutine and lobster rolls also isnsa国际传媒檛 a tough sell for Americans, Lambert added.

On Canada Day, the counter-service joint will host a special event for 20 guests to dine on a seven-course feast featuring vol-au-vent, salmon tartare, boeuf bouilli and poor mansa国际传媒檚 pudding by the light of a candelabra.

It may lack the star-spangled flash of the Fourth of July, Lambert concedes, but she cansa国际传媒檛 think of a better way to celebrate Canadasa国际传媒檚 national pride than with a full stomach.

Halfway around the world in Queensland, Australia, Alana and Mike Vandenbrink will be toasting pints of Molson not only to Canada Day, but the third-anniversary of opening Mollydookers Cafe and Bar in the small country town of Apple Tree Creek.

The Aussie-Canuck couple goes all out for the dual celebration, bolstering their sprawling menu of cross-hemispheric cuisine with perogies, dry ribs, pickle spears, smoked salmon latkes and venison.

The eatery also hosts games such as sa国际传媒淵ousa国际传媒檙e Welcome/Wesa国际传媒檙e Sorry,sa国际传媒� in which photos of Canadian celebrities are tacked to a wall for patrons to sort into one of two categories: cultural ambassadors the world is grateful for, and those who bring shame on our countrysa国际传媒檚 reputation.

The Tragically Hip is permanently fixed in the sa国际传媒淵ousa国际传媒檙e Welcomesa国际传媒� bracket, they said, while Nickelback is stapled under the heading, sa国际传媒淲e sincerely apologize. Please forgive us!sa国际传媒�

But the Vandenbrinks note other iconic artists can be divisive, with fans and haters switching Shania Twain and Celine Dion from side to side throughout the day.

The Vandenbrinks named Mollydookers after the Australian slang term for southpaw in a wink to Alana being left-handed.

The two met when Alana was an Australian exchange student at the University of Waterloo, and Mike, who grew up near London, Ont., was her bartender. Or, as they like to joke: sa国际传媒淪o a left-handed sa国际传媒榬oo and a right-handed moose walk into a barsa国际传媒�sa国际传媒�

This origin story is emblazoned in the restaurantsa国际传媒檚 logo of a moose-versus-marsupial boxing match. But in reality, Alana Vandenbrink said the relationship between their respective homelands is more adoring than adversarial.

Despite being roughly 14,000 kilometres apart, many Australians see Canada as a kindred country, she said.

sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 a lot of Aussies that come in probably more passionate than the Canadians, which is not something we expected,sa国际传媒� she said.

When he opened BJsa国际传媒檚 Canadian Bar in southern Portugal two decades ago, Pat Ferreira says the watering holesa国际传媒檚 maple-crested branding was a way to set it apart from the British and Irish pubs catering to vacationers on the Algarve coast.

But Ferreira said the sports bar has evolved into a sa国际传媒渉ome away from homesa国际传媒� for the increasing number of Canadian backpackers and retirees taking in the nightlife of Albufeira.

The barsa国际传媒檚 slogan is sa国际传媒渁 taste of the true North in the beautiful Southsa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� a place to root for Canadian sports teams while sipping on Canadian brews and cocktails.

For the international crowd that flocks to BJsa国际传媒檚, he said the appeal is almost sa国际传媒渁 connection to a dreamsa国际传媒� for people entranced by Canadasa国际传媒檚 natural beauty.

Others feel connected through friends and relatives who have moved there, which Ferreira sees as emblematic of the multiculturalism that makes Canada Day a global celebration.

sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 something about being Canadian that brings us all together in a way that Isa国际传媒檝e never seen in any other nationality,sa国际传媒� Ferreira said.

sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 really what makes Canada Day something that everybody wants to be a part of: Itsa国际传媒檚 just a mix of everybody together and acceptance of everything we are.sa国际传媒�

Adina Bresge, The Canadian Press

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