L'érable partout!

After being here for several days, we have come to understand why the maple leaf is the emblem of Canada- it is everywhere! One of the first things that Neelie asked when we arrived at our hotel in Montreal is “Where can I find maple ice cream?” As we were told, it is was not exactly hard to find. I, being the sweet-tooth that I am, have eaten at least one maple-flavored confection per day, including a maple muffin, maple ice cream, a maple truffle, maple fudge and white chocolate-covered maple butter.



In the spring, a popular pastime for families is to visit “les cabanes à sucre” (sugar shacks) on maple farms. Here, you can watch as the collected sap is boiled down to syrup. While doing so, you can also enjoy many the culinary delights made on sight, including:

- la tire d’érable (maple syrup drizzled directly onto fresh snow. Eaten with a stick!)
- Maple syrup pies
- Maple fudge
- Maple ham
- Oreilles de crises (small fried pastries)

Sounds like we will have to return in the Spring so that we can get the full experience!