A springtime tradition tied to a cherished symbol of Canada’s culinary heritage is making its way over to Whistler Village.
After a successful inaugural year in 2024, The Magic of Maple sugar shack dining experience is returning to Bearfoot Bistro from Apr. 22 to May 4. Hosted in partnership with the Québec Maple Syrup Producers and Maple from Canada, the restaurant’s limited-time event invites diners to come and enjoy traditional Québécois cuisine and culture. For two weeks, Bearfoot Bistro will transform into an authentic sugar shack – or “cabane à sucre” – complete with plaid white and red tablecloths, traditional music from Québec, and sweet and savoury food offerings that explore the versatility of maple syrup.
Culinary Director Dominic Fortin (who hails from Québec City) and his team are excited to share their unique interpretation of dishes and desserts (led by Pastry Chef Scott Penfold) influenced by sugar shack classics and elevated with a unique Bearfoot Bistro twist.
Starting at $49 per person, the five-course maple-centric dinner menu highlights a diverse range of maple-based products and applications so diners can experience a variety of flavours and textures.
Top selections include Sawmill Bay oysters with maple water granité and sherry pearl for starters, braised venison and beef tourtière served with a caribou liquor and maple jus for the main course, and a pouding chômeur served with crème fraiche, blueberry ice cream and maple syrup butterscotch for dessert. You can view the full Magic of Maple menu at www.bearfootbistro.com/the-magic-of-maple. Plus, Bearfoot’s bar team has also developed exclusive maple-influenced cocktails that pair accordingly with the five-course menu.
All about Canadian maple syrup
For those unfamiliar with this quintessentially Canadian annual tradition, the sugaring season takes place each spring and lasts for about 20 days. During this period, maple trees yield their sap (referred to as “liquid gold”) in the maple-producing regions of the country, namely Québec.
Canada stands as the world's leading producer of maple syrup, accounting for more than 78% of production worldwide. Quebec leads in producing 90% of Canada's maple syrup, with 85% exported to over 70 countries around the globe.
Producing a single liter of maple syrup takes an average of 40 liters of maple sap, of which there are four different classes distinguished by colour and taste. The liquid gold is eventually converted into a vast range of maple products, ranging from the classic maple syrup and maple sugar, to other applications such as maple water, butter, taffy, flakes, vinegar and spirits.
And, it’s in the sugar shack, a rustic log cabin nestled in maple groves, where the maple tree sap is boiled to make pure maple syrup, and where locals celebrate the harvest season with hearty meals, traditional music and other festivities.
“Now more than ever, it’s important to celebrate our local products and share them with the world,” says Marc Des Rosiers, Bearfoot Bistro’s director of marketing communications. “With Canada producing more than 78% of the world’s supply of maple syrup, this event proudly highlights the quality of a product recognized nationwide and loved worldwide.”
Go to www.bearfootbistro.com for more information.
We’ve partnered with Bearfoot Bistro to give one lucky winner a “The Magic of Maple” sugar shack dining experience for 4 (valued at $250)
You can enter via the contest entry form below. For additional chances to win, visit Bearfoot Bistro at their website for 10 bonus entries, and visit their Facebook and Instagram for another 25 bonus entries each.
This contest is open to British Columbia residents 19+ and closes on April 24, 2025. The contest winner will be contacted via email on this date.
