Sugar Shack

Drip, drip, drip

The weather forecast called for an uncharacteristically rainy Thursday during our ski week in March 2012.  No outdoor activity was going to be any fun.  So instead of skiing or snowshoeing, we booked a visit to the local sugar shack.  That's right...tin buckets on the trees, a wooden boiler house condensing gallons of sap, jugs full of maple syrup and some good old down-home Quebecois cooking.

The place we found was Millette's, a local institution that has been sugar shacking for five generations.  Of course, they don't call it a sugar shack in Quebec, but rather a cabane a sucre.  No matter what you call it, this is fun experience you shouldn't pass up on your trip to Mont Tremblant.

The interior of Milette's is charming, barn-style decor with red plastic checkerboard tablecloths, bench seating, and old sap buckets turned into lamp shades.  Make no mistake, this is an eatery and everyone who attended was ready to dowse their lunches in syrup.   We got there around 11:30 in the morning, so we avoided the crowds.  By the time we left, families were pouring in as it was Quebec March break.

Syrup on eggs?  Mais bien sur!

Lunch was delicious...scrambled eggs, ham, potatoes, bacon, weiners, beans and bread.  And pork rinds.  A far cry from the elegant dinner we had at Cheval de Jade the night before, but equally satisfying in its own way.  [The folks at Cheval knew Milette's well and assured us we'd enjoy it..."it will be a bit sweeter than the meal you have here", our hostess added.]  After lunch, they asked if we were ready for the tire sur neige.  I knew sur neige meant "on snow", and tirer is "to pull", so I figured this was some sort of sleigh ride.  Instead, they pour syrup onto a bed of snow on a small tray, and the syrup hardens with the cold, almost into a taffy.  You use a wooden stick to "pull" the stringy syrup off the snow.  Tasty...but still syrup.  But the kids loved it!

Karen gets a kiss from Mr. Goat

We had a great time, including a quick stop at the mini zoo.  I suspect this will be an annual trip!

Aug 2013 update
The Millette family has sold the business, but the operation continues under the name La Tablee des Pionniers.  We haven't visited yet, although the webiste suggests they're doing a slightly more upscale version of the sugar shack experience.  They're also licensed, so you can get local wines and ciders!  Not sure if the goats are still part of the package...

May 2016 Update
Although it's not officially a sugar shack, try Au Petit Poucet in Val David. They offer a sugar shack breakfast, and the entire restaurant is an experience worth having.

February 2018 Update

We found an interesting new take on the sugar shack experience at La Cabane a Tuque.  It's located about a 15-20 minute drive from the main ski resort, south on highway 323 toward Brebeuf...easy to miss and we needed our GPS to find it.  I call this a "new take" on sugar shack for two main reasons: the first is that the meal is entirely vegetarian.  That may be enough to discourage those who love their ham and bacon as part of the traditional sugar shack meal, but it would be a shame to dismiss this delicious dinner.  Plus, there is ample maple* syrup to thoroughly douse your plate...I found the veggie omelette to pair particularly nicely with the syrup.  And the hosts make a number of interesting homemade garnishes including kimchi, vegetable ketchup, pickled beets and a lovely apple compote to go with the dessert crepes.

The intimate table setting

The second reason is that this is a *very* intimate experience.  Rather than sitting down at picnic tables in a large hall, you are in fact dining in the hosts' house.  It is an ecologically-built structure made of "hempcrete", complete with passive solar heating and recycled building materials.  You are invited to wear slippers to help preserve the heated clay floor.  You can see the meal being prepared in the open kitchen, and the chef (Simon) is also the server on a slow night.  He tells us that he has fit up to 40 people into the space, but on a night of freezing rain, we were just 8 guests.

Simon prepares the Tire Sur Neige

Like all sugar shacks, they create their own maple syrup on-site and had we not attended on a rainy/icy night, we would have been able to tour the facilities including the collection buckets and boiling shack..   The rain didn't stop us from all utdoor activities however,  After dinner, we of course went outside to enjoy maple taffy (or tire sur neige).  For those unfamiliar with this Quebecois tradition, you boil maple syrup to concentrate it a bit, pour it over a compacted snow surface, and as it cools you can twirl if off the snow with a stick, making a sort of maple lollipop.  A great way to finish the night...a highly recommended experience.

*awesome anagram