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BeaverTails facts for kids

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BeaverTails Pastry
Queues de Castor pâtisserie
Private company
Industry Food
Founded Killaloe, Ontario (1978; 47 years ago (1978))
Headquarters ,
Canada
Products Pastry

BeaverTails is a popular Canadian company that makes a special kind of pastry. These tasty treats are called BeaverTails because they are flat, oval-shaped, and look like a beaver's tail! They are made from fried dough and topped with many different yummy things.

The first BeaverTails were sold in Killaloe, Ontario, in 1978. Just two years later, the first permanent BeaverTails shop opened in Ottawa. By 2018, BeaverTails had grown a lot. They had 140 locations in six different countries! You can find them across Canada, in parts of the United States, and even in places like Mexico and Japan. In Quebec, Canada, the company is known as Queues de Castor, which means "BeaverTails" in French.

The Story of BeaverTails

BeaverTails started with a family recipe. Grant and Pam Hooker decided to share their delicious fried dough with others. They first sold their pastries at a fair in Killaloe, Ontario, in 1978.

Their business grew, and in 1980, they opened their first shop in the famous Byward Market in Ottawa. Later, in 2002, Pino Di Ioia, along with his wife and twin brother, took over running the company. They have helped BeaverTails become a well-known treat around the world.

What are BeaverTails?

The Classic Pastry

Cinnamon and sugar BeaverTail
A classic BeaverTails pastry with cinnamon and sugar

A BeaverTail is a unique fried dough pastry. It's stretched by hand to get its special shape. You can choose from many different toppings for your BeaverTail. Most people like sweet toppings. These can include whipped cream, slices of banana, crumbled Oreo cookies, or a mix of cinnamon and sugar. A very popular choice is chocolate hazelnut spread.

BeaverTails also come in savory (not sweet) versions. Some have toppings like poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy) or even hotdogs!

The names "BeaverTails" and "Queues de Castor" are special. They have been officially protected as trademarks since 1988. This means only BeaverTails Canada Inc. and its partners can use these names for their products.

BeaverTails in the News

Barack Obama and well-wisher in Ottawa 2-19-09
Then-US President Barack Obama after purchasing a BeaverTail at the ByWard Market location in Ottawa on 19 February 2009

BeaverTails gained a lot of attention in Canada and the United States. This happened when they were served at the Canadian embassy in Washington, D.C. This was during the first inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama.

The tasty treat was also talked about on the news before President Obama visited Ottawa in February 2009. It was shown as an example of Canadian businesses taking part in the excitement. While in Ottawa, President Obama made a special stop at the ByWard Market. He bought a BeaverTails pastry on his way to the airport! To celebrate his visit, one special BeaverTail was created. It was a classic cinnamon and sugar pastry with maple-flavored eyes and a Nutella "O" for Obama. This was called the "Obama Tail."

See also

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