An Annual E-QIP Tradition: Cabane à Sucre
Every year, to cope with the frigid Canadian winters, endless snow and grey skies, heaps of Montrealers put on their warmest parkas and snow boots, as they head to the one place that could, without fail, warm their hearts: cabane à sucre. Cabane à sucre is a sap house where sap is collected from sugar maple trees and turned into syrup. Here at E-QIP, going to the sugar shack is an anticipated annual tradition. Just a thirty-minute drive from Montreal, in the small town of Saint Isidore, a bus full of students excitedly arrive at Domaine Labranche -- a quaint sugar shack buzzing with locals and tourists excited for their sugar-induced comas. The students restlessly wait to be seated in the foyer as they inhale the rich notes of maple and bacon that fill the air.
After what feels like an eternity of waiting, the hungry students are finally ushered into their seats. They are brought into a cozy, sunlit room where rows of large tables fit for a feast patiently await their arrival. Each table is lined with plates, utensils, and bottles of maple syrup, but little do they know the outstanding cabane à sucre dishes that await them. Looking around at the other tables of contented families and gleeful children, they sit, mentally and physically preparing themselves for their hearty, all-you-can-eat brunch.
As the waiters prepare the tables, the feeling of anticipation and hunger mounts. At last, the waiters bring out the traditional dishes of the traditional cabane à sucre menu. Starting with the bread basket and split pea soup to get the taste buds going, the students then move on to the breakfast sausage, braised bacon, pork rinds, smoked ham, and oven roasted potatoes. As they stack their plates with numerous helpings, they douse their meals in a cascade of sweet maple syrup. Laughing and delighting in the wholesome meal, the students drift in and out of their foodie heaven.
But the food doesn’t end there. The waiters clear the tables as the students catch their breath after the marathon of consuming their entree. Of course, even after a hearty meal, there's always a special place in our stomachs and in our hearts for dessert. The waiters bring out an assortment of desserts from bread pudding to maple pie to classic pancakes with maple syrup that would make any sweet-tooth a little teary-eyed. Ending on a good note, the students finish their three-course meal and then try their hand at the sweet, sticky maple taffy.
In order to burn off some of the calories that were consumed over the course of the last two hours, the students head out of the cabin to explore the forests of maple trees and snowy fields just beyond. Some of them visit the petting zoo filled with adorable animals of all shapes and sizes. Others experience snow for the first time, escaping the city life and relishing in their own winter wonderland. Whether it’s throwing snowballs, making snowmen, or simply lying in the snow, it’s the perfect opportunity to feel like a kid again.
Finally, the field trip and cabane à sucre experience comes to a close. Students are high in spirits and sugary goodness, as they load back onto the bus and lazily sit in their seats, enjoying the winter sun. It is an authentic experience, to say the least, and the perfect way to beat the winter blues! Thanks again to all the staff and students who came out and we'll see you next time cabane à sucre!
