Yesterday we went to the sugar shack for our annual sugar rush…

If you don’t know what the sugar shack is you are missing out on something… Sugar shacks are where maple syrup is made… the maple water flows from the trees for only a few short weeks a year…

maple water buckets...

last year was a bad year for the industry because of a long winter and late thaw… but this year is supposed to be an ideal year…

Some families have private sugar shacks ( my uncle is preparing his property for one so one day we will be able to go there one day) but for most a commercial sugar shack is the destination in the late winter/early spring…

We have been going to the same place for a few years now…

It is in a beautiful location, the staff is great, it has a playground and horse and cart ride and the food is amazing… The meal at a sugar shack of course is heavy, rich and full of maple syrup…(and pork… since traditionally the québecois eat a lot of pork)

it is about 15 min away so we headed out just before lunch time…

on the way to the sugar shack

We walked around a bit and saw some of the animals that they have there….

the guy and tommy

the boys...

wapiti

Khéna

Had a horse and cart ride…. which Khéna loved!

Simon and Khéna

We went in the cabin to see how the syrup is made… it was the first day that they had lit the fire to start to process…

sugar shack..

then… food time… (these pics are from last year because the lighting where we were sitting was not as good this year and the food is the same…)

Cretons (spread made of pork and spices)

Pea Soup  (colin has grown so much!)

Lunch… Omlette made with maple syrup, small potatoes, sausages, maple bakes beans, and maple smoked ham…  with a side of “oreilles de Crisse”…. (or “Christ’s ears… which is fried pork fat)


of course…  Maple syrup….

then dessert…

Maple Syrup Pie

and my favourite… “Beignets” (fried doughnut) smothered in maple cream sauce….

The boys ate well…

crépe with maple creme sauce maple syrup pie... Khéna

then we headed back outside for the traditional Maple Taffy…

Syrup is heated to a certain temp.. then poured on cold snow…

It starts hardening and becomes taffy…

just poke….

and roll…

Delicious!!!!!

What a great day….