May 01, 2011

mmmmMaple



Spring in Quebec means one thing- the maple syrup is flowing.  Well, to be exact, the sap is flowing and through a long technique of boiling and reducing it down, maple syrup is made.  But it isn't just a process that occurs in some plant, it is an event to be celebrated.  It is referred to as sugaring off.  One official definition I found was "an informal social gathering in which the guests help make maple sugar".  Typically, this occurs outside the city, deep in the woods at a maple shack (cabane a sucre in French).  Guests spend the day witnessing the boiling of sap, inhaling sugar fumes, going for sleigh rides, and smothering maple syrup on foods you never thought possible.  

And then, there is the maple taffy pull (tire d'erable in French).


 Imagine this.  Maple syrup boiled beyond the usual liquid phase until it is thick like honey.  Poured onto fresh snow,  and then scraped off with popsicle sticks to form your own personal maple lollipop.
 




In case you don't get your fill of maple through sugaring off, you can also buy it in ice cream form. 


We were walking down a quaint little street in Montreal, and a sign outside an ice cream shop literally stopped me in my tracks.  "Creme glacee a tire d'erable".  I think you can figure out by now that means maple taffy ice cream.  


So of course we bought some.
 

And it was absolutely heavenly. 


Sad problem?  We only got one bowl before we had to leave, and couldn't bring it home on the plane.  So Mom & Dad, hope you are enjoying my taste of Quebec for me!







Best Blogger Tips
  • Share On Facebook
  • Digg This Post
  • Stumble This Post
  • Tweet This Post
  • Save Tis Post To Delicious
  • Float This Post
  • Share On Reddit
  • Bookmark On Technorati
Blog Bookmark Gadgets

5 comments:

  1. Great Photos of the whole maple syrup on snow routine. Nothing beats eating this on fresh snow out in the woods under a warm spring sun. Yum! You captured the process very well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes C it was the best ice cream I ever ate. Too bad it is all gone now.
    Dad

    ReplyDelete
  3. You got it to work- SO COOL! I am officially impressed

    ReplyDelete
  4. When I visit Canada one day, I want YOU to go around with me! How come there is no maple syrup flavored ice cream here!? That sounds so much better than chocolate.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mmmm, I can almost smell the maple syrup.Im going to try that, maple syrup with vanilla ice cream.I followed you from the foodie blog roll and I'd love to guide Foodista readers to your site. I hope you could add this maple syrup widget at the end of this post so we could add you in our list of food bloggers who blogged about maple syrup,Thanks!

    ReplyDelete