It’s maple syrup time in the Outaouais!

The days are getting longer, the sun is getting stronger and the temperature is inching up a few degrees every day. We remain cautious, but it seems that spring is on its way. And it won’t show up empty-handed: it comes with its faithful sidekick, maple syrup! We invite you to discover how to enjoy maple in all its forms in the Outaouais. 

Maple in liquid form

Maple syrup is produced from maple water, i.e., maple sap, which is collected from the maple trees. Delicately scented and slightly sweet, it’s a pure delight in its natural state. It has many health benefits and is increasingly used by chefs. 

Once it’s been boiled down in the sugar shacks of the Outaouais, maple water is transformed into syrup. There’s a good reason it’s popularly known in Quebec as “blond gold”: it takes an average of 40 litres of maple water to produce 1 litre of syrup! As the sugaring season progresses, the sap/syrup develops a stronger taste and a darker colour. There are four grades of maple syrup: golden, amber, dark and very dark. As with wine, everyone has their personal preference. 

Maple syrup can also be festive! The Érablière Bo-Sirop produces Le Grand-Remous, a maple mistelle with 18% alcohol content; L’entaille, a maple wine (12% alcohol); and L’Agrérable, a maple and haskap rosé. 

Maple in solid form

You can create many delicacies using maple syrup! The great classics are maple butter, maple sugar, and of course, the ever-popular maple taffy. Many sugar shacks and maple groves in the region, such as the Cabane à sucre Chez Ti-Mousse and Domaine de l’Ange-Gardien, sell these products online and in stores, so you can extend your enjoyment for a few weeks (or days—we’re not judging). 

And that’s not all: maple is found in practically every dish traditionally served at the sugar shack. The Ma cabane à la maison (“My Sugar Shack at Home”) project allows you to order a complete sugar shack meal from one of the three sugar shacks in the Outaouais region—namely, Érablière St-Germain, Érablière J.B. Caron, and Domaine de l’Ange-Gardien—and enjoy it in the comfort of your home! If you crave the complete experience, the Érablière Domaine du Cerf welcomes guests while following all health and safety protocols. 

Maple in a box

Croquez l’Outaouais is at it again with a 100% local discovery box, Everything Maple, featuring nine maple products! It includes delicious locally produced maple syrup, as well as original maple-based delicacies such as an Asian-style maple marinade and an old-fashioned maple-mustard vinaigrette. Aromatherapy lovers will appreciate the handmade vanilla maple soap. Order your box soon, as quantities are limited. Marie Papilles even offers a delicious recipe for a savoury squash cake that pairs very well with maple-based wine! 

The excitement of the sugaring-off season wouldn’t be complete without adding an outdoor experience to your day! How about a snowy adventure at Arbraska Laflèche or a dogsled ride?