Written by Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz.

The end of winter in Quebec means more than the prayed for spring arrival and snow-melting sun. It is also the call to re-energies our bodies. And what better way to do that than with a giant Quebec maple syrup sugar rush! At this time of year families, friends and co-workers flock in groups to their favorite Sugar Shack to partake in an orgy of sweet calories, traditional Quebec music and dancing.

I highly recommend you experience this at least once in your life But if you can’t it is not so difficult to recreate in your own home. Below are the quintessential traditional recipes to get your meal going. Other foods you can add to the feast are pickled beets and small onions, home-made bread, an oven baked omelet, a meat pie, a meat ball stew, roasted potatoes, a maple ham and pancakes. After that just invite everyone you know and make sure you have a gallon of maple syrup to drench all the food in!

French Canadian Pea Soup from Kalofagas

1 smoked ham hock
16oz. yellow split peas
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
7 cups of water
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 bay leaf
salt to taste

1. In a large pot, add the water, ham hock, split peas, allspice, onions, carrots, peppercorns and bay leaf.
2. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook on medium-low heat for approx. an hour.
3. Remove the ham hock and bay leaf from the soup. Adjust seasoning of the soup with salt and pepper. Using your hand blender, puree the soup to the consistency of your choice (I left some peas in tact).
4. Using a fork and knife, scrap the meat off the bone and flake the meat into bite sized pieces. Add your ham meat back into the soup, stir in and serve hot.



Baked Maple Beans by Tracey's Culinary Adventures

2 L (8 cups) water
625 mL (2 1/2 cups) small dried white beans
1 large sweet onion
250 mL (1 cup) maple syrup
30 mL (2 tbsp) dark brown sugar
30 mL (2 tbsp) butter
2 mL (1/2 tsp) dry mustard
5 mL (1/2 tsp) ground pepper
5 mL (1 teaspoon) salt
6 slices side bacon

1. Wash beans and place in a saucepan with the water. Cover and bring to a boil, check regularly.
2. When water has reached the boiling point, time for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Let sit for 1 hour, covered.
3. After the hour, return beans and water to heat and bring to a simmer, still covered. Simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Strain beans and water through a colander, collecting the liquids for later use in a bowl.
5. Finely dice the sweet onion and in a bowl mix with the salt, mustard and maple syrup. Add 625 ml (2 1/2 cups) of the aforementioned bean-water to the mix and blend well.
6. Finely slice the bacon, place in roast pan/casserole dish and cover with the beans pour the liquid mixture over the beans.
7. Cover and bake for 3 hours at 165°C (325°F), adding 125 ml (1/2 cup) of bean-water at the 2 1/2 hour mark.
8. Melt butter and combine with brown sugar. Pour over the baked beans and bake, uncovered, until liquid is no longer visible.



Home-made Fruit Ketchup by Nathalie at Canadian Rockies Art

Makes 4 x 1 liter jars
10 red tomatoes
3 ripe peaches, or canned with juice
3 ripe pears, or canned with juice
2 onions, medium to large size, or 3 medium size
6 red apples, peeled & core removed
1 sweet green pepper, large size
1 sweet red pepper, large size
2 stalks of celery, no leaves
2 cups of white granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons of salt
1 cup of white vinegar
1/2 a teaspoon of all spice

1. Blanch your tomatoes. Set aside in the big stock pot where we will cook the ketchup. Don’t start the cooking process yet. Blanching tomatoes is necessary to prevent botulism when canning tomatoes, and it’s the easiest way to remove the skin. Once your tomatoes are skinless, chop them up in bite size chunks.
2. Wash, then peel and seed your fruits and vegetables. Chop them up in nice bite size chunks, and accumulate them in your large mixing bowl. Add your prepared fruits and veggies to the large stockpot where the tomatoes are waiting for you.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients (sugar, vinegar, salt, spices), stir with a wood or plastic spoon and start the cooking process on “Medium-Low” (once it start boiling a bit, you can put it down to “SIMMER/LOW”), uncovered (no lid), then from that time, let it cook very slowly, uncovered, on “simmer-low” for a good 2 hours… and stir occasionally.
4. Then you’re ready to can your fruit ketchup!



Oreilles de crisse

Very easy! no real recipe.
Just deep fry pork rinds or salt pork previously cut into strips of ½ inch by 3 inch. It is an acquired taste but it is very traditional and yes you can drench it in maple syrup.

Maple Sugar Pie by Peabody (Photo above courtesy of Peabody)

2 1/4cups maple syrup
3/4cup light cream
1/3cup flour, all-purpose
4 large eggs
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped (optional)
1 unbaked 9" single pie crust

1. In bowl, whisk together maple syrup, cream, flour and eggs until blended; stir in nuts (if using).
2. Pour into crust.
3. Bake in 375 oven for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 and bake for 30-35 minutes longer or until set. Let cool on rack.


Tire d’Érable (Maple Taffy) by Wikipedia

Yes it can be enjoyed at home if you cannot go to a sugar shack!
1. In a heavy pan boil maple syrup to about 234F (use a candy thermometer). Do not stir while boiling as it will form grainy crystals.
2. This liquid is then poured upon compact clean snow (or compact crushed ice). If the syrup runs rather than hardens, then it has not yet been boiled long enough.
3. Once hardened wrap up the candy on a Popsicle stick and enjoy.










And finally a little digestif to cap off the meal

Maple Vodka by Cheap Ethnic Eatz

2 fine slices of lemons
2 fine slices of oranges
750ml of vodka
1 cup maple syrup
2 branches of rosemary

1. In a hermetically tight jar add all the ingredients and let it rest in the fridge for 3 weeks.
2. Filter before serving in a chilled glass.



Photography Credits:
1. Kalofaga Greek Food and Beyond
2. Tracey's Culinary Adventures
3. Canadian Rockies Art
4. Jocelyne Le Web Pedagogique
5. Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
6. SimonP on Wikipedia
7. Cheap Ethnic Eatz