Heh, Heh - She Said 'Bush'

On Saturday, my brood and me headed out on a chilly but sunny morning, and took part in a great (Southern-Central) Canadian tradition – heading to the sugar bush to celebrate the greatest of all Canadian inventions, maple syrup. Yum. And, yum.

We went to the same place we went last year, although I did get it mixed up with the place we went apple-picking in the fall, and ended up guiding us on a very slow, if not scenic, tour of places with names like Lowville and Cambelville and Yourcopilotingskillzsuckville and We’rehalfwaytobuttfucknowheresville.

Anyway, an hour and a half after we left for our destination (30 minutes away), we arrived, and since we were so late, started by apologizing to our generous and patiently waiting friends and then taking a lovely wagon ride over to the pancake shack, where we gourged ourselves on pancakes, bacon, sausage, coffee, and of course, lots of delicious, sweet maple syrup. Because our friends were with us, I refrained from drinking it straight from its little cup. But it was hard.

After lunch we headed back for a tour through the history of maple syrup, complete with guides in pioneer dress, which thrilled me to no end. It was a very interesting lesson in history, farming and home economics, but by far the best part was watching my precocious, outgoing daughter become our guide Sarah’s best friend. On the second stop of the tour, Sarah was to demonstrate how to tap a tree. She asked for two volunteers, and they had to be strong.

Bee’s hand shot up like lightening. ‘I’m strong!’ she yelled. A bemused Sarah invited her over, but decided she might need a bigger kid to help out as well. Nevertheless, Bee did her part impressively, turning that drill until the bit all but disappeared into the tree.

All along the rest of the tour, Sarah would end her explanation by asking if there were any questions. Each time, Bee’s hand went up. Sarah would acknowledge her by name, and Bee would lean in close to Chris.

‘What should I say?’ she whispered in his ear.

My heart swelled with pride and amusement.

Not surprisingly, the tour ended right near the barn/gift shop, and I happily did what was required of me, buying two half-litre tins of maple syrup (I love it in a tin. Again, hearkens back to my pioneer fetish. Plus, it looks like I’m drinking maple syrup out of a flask, which I also like.), 5 maple lollipops for Bee, and two little maple leaf-shaped maple sugar snacks, one each for me and Chris. (Ok fine – I bought and ate a third before I even made it out of the lineup.)

After Bee had played in the haystack fort and Dove had wandered around in the mud for a while, we bid adieu to our friends, and went to watch more pioneers make maple taffy. Of course I bought a freshly frozen stick of maple taffy goodness, and grudgingly shared it with Chris and Bee.

Stuffed, cold and all jacked up on maple sugar, we headed home (foregoing the scenic route). It was a classic, fun Canadian late-winter outing. And for breakfast the next day, we enjoyed classic, fun French toast, smothered in our amber-coloured bounty.

I’ll be making maple baked beans in the slow cooker this week and maybe some of the maple bars listed here. What’s your favourite way to enjoy the liquid gold?

Comments

[No Mother Earth]

Wow, I keep meaning to go to one of these places and then I keep forgetting. Now I am totally psyched and am going to get my a$$ in gear..

I like the maple syrup best frozen on snow - like they do in the demonstrations - but if they can't do that, then I like it on French Vanilla ice cream.

[Mac & Cheese]

Straight up. Give it to me straight up.