There have been several waves of “dusting” of the Sugar Shack menu. The first, led by Martin Picard, Vincent Dion-Lavallée and their team, gave a boost to the quintessential Quebec tradition. Other sugar factories and restaurants have followed suit. So much so that many establishments now offer sophisticated “cottage meals” in March and April. Here are some of the most enticing of 2023.
Posted at 11:00 am
Perles et Paddock is offering a sugar brunch on Saturdays and Sundays until April 2nd. For $45 per person, the table gets three hearty multi-course courses, some of which are vegetarian, like baked beans with Hydnae mushrooms, tomatoes and molasses, beet tagliatelle, and fortified coleslaw. The basis is traditional, but the interpretation is very free.
At the same price, the Artisans Market at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel features produce from the Virgin Mady Sugar Refinery in the Eastern Townships. There’s a homemade cassoulet, soft-boiled eggs with truffle oil, pea soup, roasted vegetables with maple syrup, crisse ears with smoked ketchup, candy, and a toffee station. A full vegetarian menu is also available and kids eat for $18. The season runs until April 10th.
At Richmond we also eat during the day, on the weekends of March 25th and 26th and April 1st and 2nd between 10am and 3pm. For $55 ($25 per child), the table shares homemade pork, cheddar and maple sausage, smoked maple trout, a maple millefeuille, pudding and foie gras, bacon and ham. This is followed by a choice of main courses and a dessert.
The famous Maison Boire in Granby has its own little maple grove with around a hundred taps. She only has one meal on Sunday evening, March 26th. The $85 menu (an additional $60 for wine pairing) includes foie gras cromesquis, pea soup, Brussels sprouts and bacon appetizer, maple trout sweets, old-fashioned pork pie with vegetables, and bohemian chômeur pudding.