A Sweet Experience Rooted in Canadian History

Lifestyle is a Canadian publication that focuses on the latest trends, gourmet dishes, fantastic vacation getaways and unique aspects of different cultures. While we’re all about the trendy, the glamorous and the international, we make an exception once a year by catering to the sweet Canadian stereotype that is maple syrup.

March marks the beginning of the “sugaring-off” season, the time when maple trees produce the sap that we use to create that breakfast staple. The process of maple syrup production is simple, and while technology has advanced to improve some of the machinery, the overall idea has remained the same: Trees are tapped for their sap, which is then boiled to allow the majority of the water to evaporate, leaving behind the thick, sweet substance we like to pour over pancakes.

In Canada, we celebrate this aspect of our culture with “sugar shacks,” farms styled after authentic lodges that offer a unique educational opportunity for both you and your family.

On a recent trip to a sugar shack in Quebec, I entered the maple syrup “compound” in a horse-drawn cart while our charming driver pointed out some of the free-growing maple trees they tapped for the syrup we were about to see and enjoy.

Inside, we were led to a room that featured what was essentially a gigantic pot set to boil. In older times, 40 gallons of sap were required to produce 1 gallon of syrup. Today the process is much more efficient, but the size of the boilers used is still very impressive.

Then the fun began — in a small group we were led outside to pour fresh maple syrup on the cold snow, the result being something like a maple taffy that was delicious but very messy. That introduction to the product was followed quickly by a full-on Canadian feast featuring classics such as split-pea soup, maple-glazed ham and, of course, pancakes and maple syrup for dessert.

What better way to work off a meal than dancing? Our tummies bulging we headed to the floor where we were accompanied by a wild fiddle and shouted directions to “Spin your partners” and “Stamp the floor!”

In all, it was an endearing experience and a fun one-day adventure for an early spring weekend. Sugar shacks are found all across Canada, so I urge you to take a trip to one of these charming lodges sometime soon. The season is short, and the syrup is sure to be in even shorter supply!

— Stephanie Maris