Is snow taffy really that odd?

[Zontar]

I've been working part time at a sugar shack this past month and I've been wondering the question above. Since I grew up with it being a fact of life (there are half a dozen sugar shacks on my street within a two minutes drive from my house), I was wondering, is it really odd? I can't tell since I've always been around the stuff this time of year, but some of the tourists (primarily American ones) seem to be fascinated by it. I'll admit it tastes good and I'll sometimes go out of my way to find clean snow to make some, but is it really that odd to you, my fellow escapists?

Also, for those not in the know, snow taffy is maple syrup that's boiled to a certain consistency, then put on compressed snow or ice. Once it solidifies, you use a popsicle stick to scoop it up and eat it. Also works great on ice-cream.

 

[TakerFoxx]

It sounds good, but I've never heard about it, so I can understand finding it unusual.

 

[Malbourne]

I've never heard of it either, but anything prepared in snow is worth tasting! Maybe the tourists come from places where snow and, consequently, snow taffy is in short supply?

 

[Foolery]

I really only considered snow taffy as somewhat of a stereotypical Quebecois thing here in Canada.

 

[Irridium]

Snow taffy?

This is the first time I've ever heard about it. From the US here, currently live in Vermont. We do have suger houses (or shacks, I guess) and whatnot but those are mainly just for syrup. Never heard of this, and now I really want to try it.

 

[Kaytastrophe]

It's a French Canadian thing. My family used to do this all the time. It's also called tier (sounds like tear). But yeah its a big thing in Quebec and French Canadian parts of the country.

 

[Olas]

I guess it depends on what you mean by 'odd'. I've certainly never heard of it till now, and it sounds unlike anything I've had before. But I wouldn't exactly call it "odd" sounding. Though I'm not sure I'd want to eat something made from snow on the ground, sounds a little unsanitary to me.

 

[God'sFist]

scotch-American over here and never heard of the stuff sounds delicious, I'm not from Scotland myself but my family from my grandfather is directly tied. But anyway if I could find snow taffy I would try it in a heartbeat.

 

[Weaver]

Even as a Canadian I always thought it was kind of weird. Like you're just pouring maple syrup on snow and eating it.

Like, is it shaved ice or is it legitimately snow that's just on the ground?

 

[Zontar]

Though I'm not sure I'd want to eat something made from snow on the ground, sounds a little unsanitary to me.

Like, is it shaved ice or is it legitimately snow that's just on the ground?

The snow we use at the place I work at is collected with shovels only used for clean snow. They collect it when we get snow by the foot load in January, store it in large plastic bags, store those bags in crates and use the snow as needed. It's all perfectly clean.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

I remember hearing about this when I was a kid, and always wanted to try it someday.

Too bad there's no snow in Hawaii...

 

[Radeonx]

Yes, although that doesn't mean it doesn't look delicious.
I'd definitely try that, although I don't quite understand why you'd use actual snow instead of shaved ice.

 

[Lilikins]

Ive tried it on a vacation, it is..amazing.
I dont think its odd at all to be honest. You've got maple syrup and a crap load of snow in Canada, add the two together and voila. Donno who came up with the idea to heat up maple syrup and fling it on snow (I imagine it was an accident), but by all means, whoever did, props to you.

And by all means, to those who say its wierd, heres some food for thought. Ice cream...its basically...milk, that came out of a cows udder..and frozen. (In its most basic form)

So...if I compare the two and how they are made. I do think the maple syrup in the snow thing is somewhat more logical and appetizing to think about I would say?

 

[spartan231490]

I'm from the US, Northern NY, and I grew up with snow taffy. Probably just the tourist comes from somewhere without much snow or maple-sugaring.

 

[FrozenCones]

I remember seeing something like this on an Epic Meal Time episode where they use a hockey stick. Ive asked some of my Canadian buddies about it and it seems like a fairly unique custom.

I imagine its a lot less strange than other cultural traditions. Personally, I think it looks delicious and would definitely like try it.

 

[FPLOON]

No, I don't think it's odd, even though I have never tried snow taffy before...

Then again, I LOVE deep-fried Twinkies and Snickers... So, take that as you will...

 

[Entropywarrior]

I don't find it odd but I am also from Canada and we used to do that here in Alberta way back in elementary school.

 

[maskedferret]

Southern Ontario over here and that's normal to me. Not to mention delicious.

 

[cathou]

It's a French Canadian thing. My family used to do this all the time. It's also called tier (sounds like tear). But yeah its a big thing in Quebec and French Canadian parts of the country.

actually, we call it tire. it's delicious, but only the one that you have at a sugar shack, otherwise the one that they sell in store often have a 25% glucose, and are not 100% maple, wich change the taste a lot. i live in Québec, and it's a very normal thing to me.

every stage of the maple water is delicious.

-pure water, which is what come out of the tree
-reduit (reduction ? i'm not sure what would be the englsh word for it) which is the phaase of the boiling that come just before it's syrup
-syrup, of course
-taffy
-butter, it's soft sugar, you can spread it on a toast.
-hard sugar, you can chew on it, they often make candy out of this
-hard candy.

to bad however that we a have a neverending winter this year, and that the maple dont flow yet

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

It sounds delicious. And no, neither I nor my spouse had ever heard of this before.

Apparently this is a thing to seek out the next time we're in Canada.