Maybe you already use it in your recipes? Just to let you know that here in Quebec, the maple water harvest has started in several regions. The next step will be to boil this water to turn it into syrup. A sweet nectar, it works well in salad dressings, desserts, with salmon, and more. 😋
If you ever pass through here, don’t miss the chance to visit one of our wonderful sugar shacks. You can taste maple taffy on snow, among other things. 😄
Hey,
Oh, the joy of sugar season starting! 😛 Because when the sap starts flowing, it means spring (the real one) is here 😉
Do you have taps on your land? Is the photo of one of your maple trees?
Cheers!
Hello Jean,
Question, you just boil this liquid without anything else and you get syrup?
Best,
Sally
Hello Sally,
Indeed, we harvest the maple water (it’s actually intercepting the sap as it rises in the tree) and then boil it after passing it through an initial sieve for those of us, like me, who harvest the old-fashioned way (with buckets).
The boiling time depends a lot on the system used and the sugar content in the water. You should expect a ratio of about 40 to 1.
At this date, the so-called "sugaring-off" season has long ended in some regions and just finished in the northernmost areas.
I hope this answers your questions. If not, feel free to ask me any others you might have.
Hello,
My mom (80) + my little sister and her husband are coming to visit you in October.
In France, we can obviously find maple syrup. But is it better to buy it there?
What’s the average price?
In France, it’s about 4 € for 200ml... but we don’t know if it’s like honey... and so many other things.
It’s not really about the price, I think.
Just the real deal.
Best,
Sally
Hi,
I hope you don’t mind me jumping into the conversation, Bauhaus won’t hold it against me, I hope 😛
The advantage of buying here is that you’ll have more choices, since there are several types of syrup (I’ll let our maple producer give you the details 😏)
Here, it’s sold in cans (what you call "tin cans" in France) with a capacity of 540 ml. This year, the price is around $10 per can (it’s gone up a little because I think it was around $8 last year)
There you go
Just like Caribous mentioned, the price of maple syrup keeps going up.
But you can still find 540ml cans on special at big supermarkets (Maxi, Super C, etc.) for around $5.00 per can. That’s what I do—I wait for the sales and stock up. It’s great with salmon or as a sugar substitute in some recipes. 🥞🥞
For flavors, producers go by color: Dark, Amber, and Light.
The darker it is, the stronger the taste. That’s my favorite! 😊
I’d say the light one is best for pancakes—just don’t heat it up. 🔥
If you’d like, I can buy some for you and you can pay me back when you pass through. As long as you’re in the Montreal area. Just let me know how much you want and which flavor. 😄
Hi there, just wanted to chat a bit about maple syrup! 🙂
I love the Golden variety—its delicate, refined flavor is perfect for yogurt, crêpes, and other pancakes.
The Amber is what I use for cooking.
The Dark tastes too strong to me.
I buy excellent Canadian (and therefore, among others, Quebec) products from K., an online shop whose name I shouldn’t mention—otherwise, it might count as advertising, right?).
Here, in supermarkets, the maple syrup on offer is like honey—often blends from who-knows-where, "made" in ways that aren’t exactly clear. Maybe slightly "less bad" in gourmet grocery stores?
Prices have definitely gone up, but when you love something—and especially when the products are amazing...
Anyway, that was just my little chatter for today—nothing important, just a way to feel a bit closer to Montreal! 😇
In any case, real maple syrup is still excellent. Just imagine a bit of maple syrup on blueberries from Lac Saint-Jean 😋😋😋🥰❤️🥰
As for this type of syrup: "Here, in supermarkets, the maple syrup offered is like honey—often blends that come from who knows where and are 'made' in ways we don’t really know." In Quebec, we call that "Pole Syrup" 😁🪵🪵
I’m from West Africa and I’d love to introduce a Russian friend to a traditional product from my region: soumbara.
For those who don’t know, soumbara is a condiment made from fermented néré seeds. It has a pretty distinctive smell and a very strong, salty, fermented, umami-rich flavor. In West Africa, we mainly use it to add flavor to sauces, with rice, vegetables, meat, etc.
I’m curious to know, from Russian cuisine lovers: which traditional Russian dish do you think soumbara would pair particularly well with?
I’m looking for a real Russian dish where the combination could be interesting—not just rice or an adapted African dish.
Hi there, we’re heading to Cagliari for one night in April, staying at a hotel without a restaurant. Would you happen to know of a restaurant near Via Giuseppe Garibaldi for a typical dinner that’s not too pricey? Thanks.
I’m looking for typical Catalan restaurants in Barcelona! Any suggestions for areas or little hidden spots?
I know to avoid places like La Rambla, the beachfront restaurants in Barceloneta, and anywhere where they greet you with a menu asking if you want to eat, but are there any specific restaurants to avoid? Any bad experiences or unpleasant surprises?
I’m heading to Barcelona in early May—it’s my first time there. I’d love to hear your suggestions for restaurants (ideally near the tourist center, Las Ramblas). That said, I’m happy to travel if needed. I’m looking for a place renowned for its gastronomy, a spot serving typical Spanish or Catalan food, or somewhere with a unique vibe you wouldn’t normally find... In short, which restaurant did you love most during your stay in Barcelona?
Do you drink wine with your meal, and how often—every day, just on weekends, or only occasionally for special events?
What are your favorite wines, from which country, and what grape variety?
I drink wine with my evening meal every day. I’m particularly fond of wines from Australia and Spain—I really like grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
Leaving in 15 days for Brittany, specifically the southern Finistère and Bénodet...
Tourists expected to boost the culinary restaurant industry!
Haven’t read the guide for latecomers yet, and I’m really wary of online reviews.
Where can I eat without getting ripped off, enjoy quality food—crêperies, seafood, nice atmosphere...
Thanks to all you savvy foodies!
The title might surprise you, but you’ll understand my point of view.
1/ MEAL STRUCTURE
I’m talking about the standard meal, not the one for those who have to budget for financial reasons (generally fewer in northern and central Italy than in France, but more in the south, which makes up 35% of Italy—Eurostat figures), nor for those (mostly women) watching their figure.
The tradition (once the meal of the well-off, widespread among the general population in the 1950s) starts with soup or pasta (or rice, gnocchi, ravioli, lasagna)—this is the *primo piatto*.
Next comes meat or another animal-based product (fish, cured meats, eggs, etc.)—the *secondo piatto*, which can be replaced by cooked vegetables (the only known example in France: eggplant parmesan).
If the meat dish doesn’t already include vegetables, one is served. Salads, whether green or tomato-based, are side dishes, not starters.
The meal ends with dessert—no difference from French habits: cheese, fruit, or sweets.
*Antipasti* (appetizers) are reserved for festive meals or receptions and are served *in addition* to the main courses at the start.
4 practices unknown in France:
- If the menu includes pasta and ham, you start with the pasta.
- If the menu includes pasta with a meat sauce and fish, you start with the pasta too.
- Pasta is never a side dish for meat.
- It’s not unusual for Italians to start with pasta in a meat sauce and then have a meat dish—most do this several times a week.
Modern adaptations:
- People eat pasta less often (on average 5 times a week, according to recent figures) and soups, which are being replaced by *antipasti*.
- The main meal is now mostly dinner, so it’s much heartier, while lunch isn’t usually eaten at home.
2/ THE CUISINE
What do we know in France? Pizza, pasta Bolognese, carbonara, arrabbiata, ravioli, and lasagna. Fried scampi, Milanese or Bolognese cutlets, carpaccio, and finally tiramisu.
In short, a few basic dishes, but nothing of the gastronomy—whether regional traditions or high-end restaurants.
2 anecdotes:
**Bolognese sauce**
In Italy, the most common homemade sauce is a meat-and-tomato-based sauce called *ragù* (pronounced *ragoo*). Every region, even every town and family, as well as every restaurant, has its own recipe. *Ragù alla bolognese* is just one of these countless *ragù*—and no one in France knows the real recipe (I can share it with those interested). The name *bolognese* given abroad to any *ragù* comes from a canned sauce manufacturer who once branded their product that way. Until the early 1960s, it was called *sauce à la viande* (meat sauce).
**Pizza**
Before World War II, it was practically unknown north of Rome.
Today, Italy is one of the countries where it’s eaten the least (twice as much in France, four times as much in Germany).
Top 15 Brazilian eating habits that surprise the French 😮
Brazil is a multicultural country, and its history has shaped a very unique cuisine, influenced by European, African, Japanese, and Indigenous traditions. Its food culture is quite different from what we’re used to in France, and Brazilian eating habits often surprise French travelers exploring the land of samba and soccer.
We live in Réunion and we're looking for places where we can learn to cook authentic Réunionese Creole cuisine.
We're based in Saint-Denis and are searching in that area.
