A
s the ground begins to thaw and temperatures climb, the sugar-rich sap
in maple trees is sweet-talked out of hibernation. Withdrawing the
water-like droplets – via taps inserted into tree trunks – is the first step
in creating maple syrup, one of Canada's most delicious exports. But in
St-Pierre-Jolys, just 45 minutes south of Winnipeg, the golden-brown nectar is
more than a business – it's cause for celebration.
e community's annual Sugaring Off Festival (April 11-12, 2015) honours
the maple syrup process, with dollops of French-Canadian culture on the side.
Come hungry and savour crêpes, pea soup, tourtière, bannock and maple syrup
pie as violins and fiddles twang in the background. Bask in the spring sunshine
while chewing tire sur la neige, or taffy on the snow, before hopping on a horse-
drawn wagon. en head to a kitchen party in the hand-cut-log Red River-style
Goulet House where stories are shared around the wood stove.
Finally, don't miss visiting the Cabane à Sucre (shown here), a nondescript
wooden building where the community's 400-plus cans of sap are boiled, leaving
behind only syrup. e next time you pour your favourite pancake topping,
remember it takes 182 litres of maple water to create 4.5 litres of syrup.
www.museestpierrejolys.ca/sugaringoff.html GP
The Sweet Life
by Lea Currie
62 G O I N G P L A C E S | S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 douglas little photography
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