Canada Day celebrations in Sydney 2014

The national day of ice hockey, lumberjacks, and Degrassi High appreciation is upon us. Tuesday, July 1 is Canada Day so dust of that Celine Dion CD and get ready to party. Not that you need to wait until Tuesday. Network Canada is throwing a bash on Saturday, June 28 at the decidedly un-Canadian Hard Rock Cafe in Darling Harbour.

There promises to be plenty of national dishes like poutine (fries drenched in gravy and cheese curds) and pancakes. No doubt there'll also be much Kokanee beer consumed, too.

If you want a quieter Canadian experience of your own then Hartsyard at Newtown has poutine on the menu that's as delicious as it is artery-clogging. You might also care to wash it down with bacon infused Jack Daniels with sweet vermouth, bitters, and maple syrup.

Yes, maple syrup. You can't celebrate Canada Day without gallons of the stuff, preferably on pancakes. And preferably pancakes topped with bacon. You can make yourself a lumberjack's breakfast at home, or for a bit of a twist, try the buttermilk pancake at Bodega. It comes with salt cod, 62-degree egg, and smoked maple butter. It is out-of-this-world good.

See networkcanada.com.au
Hartsyard, 33 Enmore Road, Newtown, 02 8068 1473, hartsyard.com.au
Bodega, 216 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, 02 9212 7766, bodegatapas.com