564831 Tue Oct 14 17:54:49 -0700 2008 25 22 Quebec (including Montreal) 0 4104678 I'm in Montreal only for a day more. I spent the whole day hunting for No. 3 dark maple syrup and no one seems to have it . I checked out the IGA in Complexe Desjardins and Atwater and they have only the No. 1 medium as the darkest. I saw some organic No. 3 dark ones in Vancouver when I was there last week (I'm travelling through from Europe and went to Vancouver first). I saw a shop in Granville Island that sells a brand called L.B.Mapletreat that makes maple syrup in all grades from Quebec. I called the head office in Vancouver and found out that although they make the syrups in Quebec, the company does not have a distributor in Quebec. Go figure. Made in Quebec but not sold in Quebec! So where oh where can I find No 3 dark maple syrup in Montreal? Jean Talon area? Where? Any help appreciated ! Merci! Tue Oct 14 17:54:49 -0700 2008 232693 HealingBlu 1 4104826 Check out the Marché des Saveurs at the Jean-Talon market, they have a huge array of maple syrup of different grades. It's in the southeast corner. FYI, you may want to check out the provincial syrup grades - scroll down here: http://www.siropderable.ca/Afficher.aspx?page=74&langue=en Not sure you'll be able to find what's called "Dark" here - according to this, "The provincial regulations require that Dark maple syrup be used only for industrial purposes." Tue Oct 14 18:52:59 -0700 2008 4104678 66614 kpzoo 2 4105641 Thank you. I will try that place this morning. "Dark" is classified as No. 3 grade. I don't know it to be used for 'industrial' purposes only as I have bought many in Vancouver at local organic supermarkets when I lived there. I just found it ironic that I can't seem to find it in Montreal when the stuff is tapped from the trees in Quebec! Wed Oct 15 07:37:16 -0700 2008 4104826 232693 HealingBlu 3 4105747 There are usually some maple-syrup stands throughout the market as well - you could ask one of the producers directly what the deal is with those darker grades. Report back if you find out anything! Wed Oct 15 08:15:26 -0700 2008 4105641 66614 kpzoo 2 4109775 My last trip to the Marché des Saveurs at the Jean-Talon market, (we visited Quebec in September) was especially to buy gifts to take home. Guess what? I looked carefully at the labels and there were a number of "Made in the USA" origins for the maple syrup products! So be careful what you choose. I'm not saying all the maple syrup was American but I sure didn't see a division of the provincial products from imported. If HealingBlu is headed to Quebec City, I can recommend a traditional grocers that carried a lot or nice Quebec maple products: J.A. Moisan's, http://www.jamoisan.com/epicerie.htm Thu Oct 16 18:04:46 -0700 2008 4104826 117023 Paphos.SK 1 4105903 The 'only' place in Montreal where I have found the No 3 dark maple syrup is the Canadian Maple Delights establishment in Old Montreal(I have looked & looked looked everywhere). It's located at 84 St-Paul East. They don't always have it, as almost all the dark syrup maple syrup are destined for industrial purposes from what I've heard. Kpzoo suggested Marche des Saveurs, but I've never seen the No 3 dark maple syrup grade there. Wed Oct 15 09:19:12 -0700 2008 4104678 11610 BLM 2 4106204 Hi BLM, thanks for the info but I did go to the Canadian maple Delights in Old montreal and they don't have it either. Plus all the other syrups there seemed to be packaged for tourists ie it costs more than at regular shops. I did go to marche des saveurs this morning and yep, they DON'T have it ! Not the No 3 dark ones anyway. The closest I can get is the No 2 Amber which will do for now. Apparently Quebec sells only the No 2 Amber as 'dark' and the real 'dark' syrups are all exported to other parts of the country but not Quebec! Wed Oct 15 10:58:50 -0700 2008 4105903 232693 HealingBlu 3 4106342 Sorry you didn't find what you're looking for! Perhaps other provinces don't have the law that Quebec does vis-a-vis that grade. (i.e. the one I got from the maple-syrup producers' site that says: "The provincial regulations require that Dark maple syrup be used only for industrial purposes.") Wed Oct 15 11:56:18 -0700 2008 4106204 66614 kpzoo 3 4106350 All the Canadian Maple Delights maple syrup is organic(that would at least partly explain the higher cost). I previously asked them if they carry No. 3 Dark maple syrup(above is what they told me). Wed Oct 15 11:59:48 -0700 2008 4106204 11610 BLM 1 4110227 Hi again. To make things more confusing..., I found out that the US, Canada and Quebec have different standards in grading maple syrup! I ended up with Quebec No 2 Amber which is supposed to be the same as US Grade B. US Grade C is also considered to be Grade B ! But No 3 Dark exists - just not in Quebec. This can be found in far flung regions like Ontario ! But I heard that 2008 was a bad producing year and hence many places have run out of stock! Fri Oct 17 01:12:36 -0700 2008 4104678 232693 HealingBlu 1 4172604 So you think you have problems. While I was in Toronto last year I filled a suitcase of Grade 3 organic Maple Syrup bought at the 'Big Carrot'. I gave most away as presents to family. One year on and we still suffer withdrawal symptoms as it's impossible to find anything even resembling this grade of maple syrup in the UK! Fri Nov 14 00:01:04 -0800 2008 4104678 239970 UK Maple 1 4173776 I think we've discussed this here before, but my memory is drawing a blank. I've heard of people going to the ends of the earth for dark/lower grade maple syrup. Can someone please explain to me why? The lower grades (federal grade 3 & qc grade 2) are permitted to have flavourings, sap, and caramel added. Why would that be desirable? A family friend runs a small organic sugar farm, and he goes to great lengths to produce high grade syrup that's as light/clear as possible. From my understand, the syrup does get darker as the season progresses, but the quality syrup is still rated as category 1. Please forgive my ignorance since it seems obvious to some people - but why exactly are lower grades better? Fri Nov 14 11:09:51 -0800 2008 4104678 19457 grillit 2 4354636 The darker, lower grades are cheaper so if you are planning to use it instead of sugar in your kitchen, the price is more tolerable. Some people also say it is more flavourful. I don't know yet....because I can't seem to find it. There is a health food store in Toronto that sells the lower grades (Bathurst and St. Clair area). Sat Jan 24 17:00:01 -0800 2009 4173776 260200 Limin 3 4479670 The "lower grades" do not actually allow additives, although they are described as having "flavors" of caramel, licorice, buds, etc. Canada No. 3 is not authorized for sale in small containers (=non-industrial) in Quebec, but it is elsewhere in Canada (see http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/guide/ch13e.shtml). I also found this info helpful in making sense of the various grading distinctions across the two borders: http://www.christiesmaplefarm.com/FAQs/Frequently_asked_questions/40/vobId__58/ although they quote the less-common "AA" for Canada No. 1, "A" for Canada No. 2 and "B" for Canada No. 3. P.S. I'm new to the boards so please forgive me if the links aren't live! Fri Mar 06 09:54:57 -0800 2009 4354636 267907 ttornetta 1 4480279 A little off topic but Loblaws is selling organic maple syrup for about $4 a can this week. (down from the usualy $10) And a little on topic, I have also heard that the dark stuff is not in fact more maple-y but has a deeper flavour because the suar is allowed to caramelize. I don't know where exactly i heard that though... Fri Mar 06 12:49:39 -0800 2009 4104678 80911 Arktik 2 4480409 Be careful. The syrup selling at Loblaw's for $4 is NOT Maple syrup . I nearly flipped when I saw it, but it is a ``Syrup``... not pure maple syrup. If I recall correctly it has several things added to it such as corn syrup. The packaging looks almost identical to Pure Maple Syrup. And the word òrganic`is misleading. Unfortunately the real stuff is still $10...but maybe this will be a better year. Fri Mar 06 13:24:21 -0800 2009 4480279 262412 mammab 3 4480926 Wow, i justed pulled out the flyer, and you are so right...i've been duped! Strange that it has the eco-cert logo on it, i guess the corn syrup is organic as well....thanks! Fri Mar 06 16:11:11 -0800 2009 4480409 80911 Arktik 4 4481409 I got duped too. My wife took a look at the can and basically said WTF (in more polite terms of course). I'm stupid for buying it but it's being produced and marketed to fool people. The company, and Loblaws, are dishonest in their intent and I hope everyone who's been duped lets both of them know they're not happy. Not to mention it gives a bad name to organic products, which is a shame. Fri Mar 06 19:43:49 -0800 2009 4480926 262240 everyonelovessushi 2 4481928 I've also seen that at a small fruiterie-dépanneur near here, and the shop had a sign up advertising it as "sirop d'érable". True, it doesn't say "sirop d'érable anywhere on the packaging, but it is in exactly the same type of tin and strikes me as a deceitful marketing practice. Loblaws should be ashamed. A company as big as that doesn't have to practise misleading advertising for its weekly loss-leader. Sat Mar 07 06:10:01 -0800 2009 4480279 84119 lagatta 3 4482732 The biggest insult to us Quebecers , people who know maple syrup and take it seriously, is that they had the imposter on a display to look like a cabane a sucre. It had all maple products there like maple fudge, flakes, muffins etc. Don't feel bad about being duped, I almost was too. But my inner voice said, "$4!!??? Read the label, put it down". We aren't lame, Loblaw's and Provigo are lame for trying to dupe the public. Sat Mar 07 12:54:18 -0800 2009 4481928 262412 mammab 4 4482887 i suggest you guys return the product and complain. They have a 14 day return policy with receipt. Sat Mar 07 14:10:43 -0800 2009 4482732 53259 emerilcantcook 2 4484936 ingredients : organic rice syrup, organic evaporated cane syrup, water, organic maple syrup, maple syrup flavor, caramilized sugar syrup... tasty ... Sun Mar 08 14:11:18 -0700 2009 4480279 11828 Maximilien 3 4486641 I saw someone putting 4 cans in their cart at Maxi and remembered reading this post and went to look for it but couldn't. I'm happy I didn't because I saw l'Épiecerie saturday afternoon and that's when I found out the list of ingedients. That being said, they said that teh taste was surprisingly good. I'm still gonna pass on it though. My aunt's family owns a sugar shack near Matane and I get my gallon every year. I'll just wait for it. Mon Mar 09 06:37:47 -0700 2009 4484936 16017 Campofiorin 1 4490325 There's an article in la Presse about it, the syrup is sold out, and they've had many complaints about it. The rice syrup is from Pakistan, the cane syrup from Bresil, the 5% pure maple syrup gives it a decent taste apparently. Tue Mar 10 06:42:23 -0700 2009 4104678 166648 superbossmom 2 4491458 I just got back from my local Provigo and on the maple syrup display are huge signs (In both languages), that state that "This product is a by product of Maple Syrup". I'm not sure if that's what I'd call it, but a little article in La Presse, a story on CJAD and lo and behold , they`re not trying to dupe any more people! Tue Mar 10 11:48:50 -0700 2009 4490325 262412 mammab 1 5157170 This is one hard syrup to find indeed! If anyone knows a source please post! the company when I talked to them in 2007, told me that though produced in eastern Canada, it is mostly sold in western Canada, and none of their Organic products are exported to the USA....dratz! ;( I bought my original bottle in a health food shop in Calgary, and have had friends who travel bring some back. Dark syrup withdrawals are horrible. Anything lighter, B or A grade, or No1 or No2 is just light, flavorless, and sugary, the No 3 is exquisite! http://www.lbmapletreat.com/products/m_syrup/l_g_1000_qrgd.htm Wed Nov 04 21:04:03 -0800 2009 4104678 1121870 syrupsnob