
Butter tarts were common in pioneer Canadian cooking, and they remain a characteristic pastry of Canada, considered one of only a few recipes of genuinely Canadian origin. It is a cross between the English Trickle Tart and the French "Tarte au Sucre" or sugar pie from when these two nationalities settled Canada. The earliest published Canadian recipe is from Barrie, Ontario dating back to 1900 and can be found in The Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook. Food was an integral part of early Canadian cuisine and often viewed as a source of pride.