A Day At The Sugar Shack

As somebody who grew up in Montreal, Quebec, a big part of my childhood was going to the sugar shack. My family owned a country house in the Laurentian’s, about an hour outside of the city, and every winter we would venture out to the maple trees to lay some maple syrup over snow and eat it. I guess this may seem strange to some, but it’s a VERY Canadian thing to do. Essentially, during the months of March and April, the cold temperatures at night and warmer temperatures during the day forces sap out of the trees. The sap is then boiled down to create what we all know and love: maple syrup. That maple syrup is then reduced even more to a thicker version of itself, which is then used to make taffy. This is no ordinary taffy. This taffy is heavenly. So heavenly, that I craved it for 20 years. But actually. To make the taffy, sugar shack staff pour the hot maple liquid over ice chips or snow. Once the snow/ice forces it to cool, it hardens into a thick, sticky like substance, perfect for devouring. 

When I first started dating Brendan, I thought going to the sugar shack with him would be the most romantic date. The idea of eating maple taffy together excited me to no end and I was relentless in finding the best spots to go to! Little did I realize that with our busy schedules, we wouldn’t be able to make it happen for a long time. Every year around March, I’d start the ever so familiar search of which sugar shacks were best in our area, and every year, I’d be disappointed we couldn’t make it work. Fast forward almost 5 years and we finally made it happen! And it was epic. 

The day was perfect – sunny outside, not too warm, but not freezing either. The perfect temperature to be wrapped in boyfriend hugs to keep warm. We buckled up and decided to visit Pure Woods Maple Syrup Festival, only an hour outside of the city. I fully recommend this place if you are in the area and looking for a wonderful sugar shack! The staff were friendly, the grounds were beautiful and the taffy, oh the taffy, was to die for. We had a wonderful day. I hope to make this a tradition every spring and one day be able to take my kids the way my parents took me. 

Sunglasses: Céline – Thin Mary