Cabane a Sucre Brazeau (or others) [General]
2012 Apr 2
Went just a few hundred meters further down the road yesterday to Chez Ti-Mousse. My experience sounds almost exactly like FoodMonger's description of Brazeau. I can't compare to any other sugar shacks as this was my first time back in probably 20 years. The meal included: oreilles de criss, ham, potatoes, beans, over baked omelette, pancakes, home made pickles (cucumber, beets, onions), and home made ketchup. Of course, everything drenched in maple syrup. Maple toffee on snow (not sure where they got the snow from though) also included. Anyway, very satisfying for $18. Also note that this is BYOB!
2012 Apr 2
I'll be going for my annual sugar shack visit this week, but I'm sticking much closer to home at "La sucrerie du terroir". Good traditional food, all you can eat of course, pretty much always full (you need reservations). Oh, and BYOB (no fees) which is always nice. Beer or cider is probably a better pairing than wine though, with that kind of food :-)
One question for those visiting some of the many sugar shacks around : are there any that still make "grands-pères dans le sirop"? They are balls of dense cake, cooked in a pot of boiling maple syrup (which thickens and becomes the sauce). My favorite decadent maple food, and it seems no sugar shack makes them anymore ;-/
I may end up making some myself, but there really is no good way to make a small quantity... I'll need to find non-health conscious guests to feed ;-p
One question for those visiting some of the many sugar shacks around : are there any that still make "grands-pères dans le sirop"? They are balls of dense cake, cooked in a pot of boiling maple syrup (which thickens and becomes the sauce). My favorite decadent maple food, and it seems no sugar shack makes them anymore ;-/
I may end up making some myself, but there really is no good way to make a small quantity... I'll need to find non-health conscious guests to feed ;-p
2012 Apr 2
We do a couple of sugar bushes a year! We live in Quebec and really like the French Traditional type sugar bushes...
Here is a list of the places we have been thus far.
Domaine du Cerf - Roughly an hour after Wakefield. AMAZING!!!!!! You are served at your table, you start with pea soup or vegetable soup. On the table you have garlic pickles and sweet pickles and pickled carrots, along with buns and butter, coffee/tea/milk. You then have everything come to the table cold potatoes almost like potato salad, baked beans, the most amazing oreilles de criss they are not hard or deep fried like other places, they are slow cooked with maple syrup, ham in syrup, eggs in syrup, followed by the think little french crepes and the best sugar pie in the world! All home-made!!! 100%%%%%% this is my favourite place to go.
There is also another great sugar bush north of Ferme-Neuve (a litte far though)the food there was also amazing. Sausages, ham, oreilles de criss, potatoes, eggs, pickled beats, pickles etc, syrup on table, coffee, milk, tea, soups, beans, french crepes etc... Delicious
The more local ones we have been to.
Brazeaus, not my favourite, service was terrible and the syrup tasted burnt, coffe/milk at table, egg omelette style, the most non edible oreilles de criss ever they seem to be deep fried, fried potatoes, french crepes, sugar pie, ham and roast pork along with pickled beats, pickles, onions and buns on the table.
Domaine De L'Ange Gardien
Tea/coffee and juice at the table, pea soup, pickles, beats and onions, syrup, buns, oreilles de criss were deep fried, pork sausage, hame, eggs, fried potatoes, beans that tasted like they were from a can, fluffy pancakes not the crepes that other sugar bushes have, and sugar pie which very much tasted like store bought pie.
Cheslocks (Cafeteria Style)
Not the worst but I do find the oreilles de criss to also be hard there, fried potatoes, sausage, ham, eggs, marinades, french crepes, beans, coffee/tea, buns.
Cabanne a Sucre Fortin (Cafeteria Style)
Not terrible but I found the oreilles de criss also hard, ham, sausage, eggs, friend potatoes (not home made), beans, sugar pie that tastes store bought and pudding chomeur that is tasty, also these guys have really good syrup, keep in mind they are closed this year.
If I think of other I will for sure update my post. If I had to pick one I would go to Domain du Cerf in Blue Sea lake, the food is amazing (most of the food is cooked by the mother who is in her 90's so you know it is good authentic french Quebec style food), service is wonderful and syrup is delicious. Well worth the drive up the 105, it is very scenic and you will be happy you went.
Here is a list of the places we have been thus far.
Domaine du Cerf - Roughly an hour after Wakefield. AMAZING!!!!!! You are served at your table, you start with pea soup or vegetable soup. On the table you have garlic pickles and sweet pickles and pickled carrots, along with buns and butter, coffee/tea/milk. You then have everything come to the table cold potatoes almost like potato salad, baked beans, the most amazing oreilles de criss they are not hard or deep fried like other places, they are slow cooked with maple syrup, ham in syrup, eggs in syrup, followed by the think little french crepes and the best sugar pie in the world! All home-made!!! 100%%%%%% this is my favourite place to go.
There is also another great sugar bush north of Ferme-Neuve (a litte far though)the food there was also amazing. Sausages, ham, oreilles de criss, potatoes, eggs, pickled beats, pickles etc, syrup on table, coffee, milk, tea, soups, beans, french crepes etc... Delicious
The more local ones we have been to.
Brazeaus, not my favourite, service was terrible and the syrup tasted burnt, coffe/milk at table, egg omelette style, the most non edible oreilles de criss ever they seem to be deep fried, fried potatoes, french crepes, sugar pie, ham and roast pork along with pickled beats, pickles, onions and buns on the table.
Domaine De L'Ange Gardien
Tea/coffee and juice at the table, pea soup, pickles, beats and onions, syrup, buns, oreilles de criss were deep fried, pork sausage, hame, eggs, fried potatoes, beans that tasted like they were from a can, fluffy pancakes not the crepes that other sugar bushes have, and sugar pie which very much tasted like store bought pie.
Cheslocks (Cafeteria Style)
Not the worst but I do find the oreilles de criss to also be hard there, fried potatoes, sausage, ham, eggs, marinades, french crepes, beans, coffee/tea, buns.
Cabanne a Sucre Fortin (Cafeteria Style)
Not terrible but I found the oreilles de criss also hard, ham, sausage, eggs, friend potatoes (not home made), beans, sugar pie that tastes store bought and pudding chomeur that is tasty, also these guys have really good syrup, keep in mind they are closed this year.
If I think of other I will for sure update my post. If I had to pick one I would go to Domain du Cerf in Blue Sea lake, the food is amazing (most of the food is cooked by the mother who is in her 90's so you know it is good authentic french Quebec style food), service is wonderful and syrup is delicious. Well worth the drive up the 105, it is very scenic and you will be happy you went.
FoodMonger
Two or Three years ago I ventured out to Fultons Pancake House. Food was nothing to get excited about, it was overall a better atmosphere for families with young children.
This year I decided to find a more authentic Sugar Shack - I figured that it would only make sense to head to Quebec for some real Cabane A Sucre.
This is when I found CABANE A SUCRE BRAZEAU!
Just over a hour outside of Ottawa, after you pass through the Home Town of Guy LaFleur, you'll come up to the cute town of Papineauville. (Don't be tempted by all the "caisse-cruit's" you'll pass on the way!)
Dont' forget to stop at the Metro or depanneur to pick up some Unibroue or St. Ambroise - Brazeau's is BYOB/BYOW
I am so happy that I found Brazeau and their delicious food.
First of all, they are so welcoming, and the service is top notch!
After you notify them of your arrival, they will ask you to wait for a moment while they prepare your spot. Once they call you in, you enter the dining area that has 3 or 4 rows of tables & benches (cafeteria style). Your spot is set up with a large jug of milk, equally large jug of maple syrup, a bowl of oreille de criss (pork rinds) and an assortment of pickeled onions and other veggies (to be honest I didn't try any of the pickeled jars as I was too busy with other foods).
They start you off by bringing bowls of beans, potatoes and a plate of thinly sliced ham and ham roast. (I'm not usually a huge fan of breakfast type beans, but these were delicious!)
Next comes the freshly baked buns and fluffly omelete (There were three of us, and this must have been a 6-8 egg omelete!), followed by more potates and more ham.
Then come the pancakes and the sugar pie - if you have room.
(My description here does not even come close to doing any justice)
The service throughout all of this is spectacular! Your coffee is kept topped up, any empty dishes are promptly cleared, so basically the only thing you have to move is your fork to your mouth.
After the meal the live band fires up, composed of upright bass and accordian, playing some traditional french sing along songs.
This meal, atmosphere and pairing of a quart of "La Maudite" from Unibroue beers, made this for an unforgettable evening. If anyone is looking for authentic canadian experience for them selves or any visitors to Ottawa, I strongly recommed heading out here. (I'll even be the DD should you need one!)
Looks like I found precisely what I was looking for in a Cabane a Sucre. It will be hard to wait until next year to go again. :(