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There is perhaps no stronger international relationship than the diplomatic bond between the United States and Canada, but beneath all that warm-and-fuzzy chumminess lies a rivalry spanning generations. Yanks are fond of clowning our neighbors to the north for everything from their unflappable manners and melodramatic high schools to the scientifically proven fact that they’re all scared of the dark. Many Canucks, meanwhile, consider us to be arrogant dummies with wack healthcare, a penchant for passing the buck (passing the loonie?) and nothing but boorish disdain for anyone residing outside our 50 awesome states. (OK so maybe Canada’s not alone in all that.) With such close borders, it has to be this way. We’ll always be allies — but we’ll always have a bit of a score to settle. The eighth installment of COOK’s Open Stove competition series addressed this age-old struggle for cultural supremacy in the most dangerous death arena of them all: the kitchen.

Representing the stars ‘n’ bars: Scott Schroeder, the Detroit-born COOK regular who runs the kitchens at South Philly Tap Room and American Sardine Bar. His maple leaf-loving competition: Nick Macri, a Toronto native who serves as chef de cuisine and charcutier of Southwark. These two are good buddies, but the only thing they had in common on this combative night was their drinking. But COOK even scratched a line in the sand with that activity: The only available bottles were Budweiser and Molson, both sucked down with marathon gusto by the chefs, their assistants and the hungry crowd. Who would walk out of COOK with a rightful claim as King in the North (America)?

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