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Posted (edited)

What about Bilboquet's coupe à la tire d'érable, maple syrup to the nth? Does anybody consider it overkill? I think we should end the smoked meat marathon on Bernard St.

I have never had it, which is why I particularly hope that the vendange occurs when I am in Montreal. Do post spies in the neighborhood so we get advanced word.

Edited by VivreManger (log)
Posted

reverendtmac, your purity reference makes me think of my great grandma suzie. she always had purity peppermints! thanks for the nostalgia! purity makes all kinds of stuff, eversweet margerine (this is what i grew up knowing as BUTTER), purity syrups for sweet drinks, instead of koolaid, hard-tak for fish and bruise, purity crackers... ha! good stuff, kind of.

"Bells will ring, ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting.... the bell... bing... 'moray" -John Daker

Posted (edited)
What about Bilboquet's coupe à la tire d'érable, maple syrup to the nth?  Does anybody consider it overkill?

Don't know squat about a coupe à la tire d'érable. Have vague memories of once ordering, in mid-May or thereabouts, a coupe de crème glacée à l'érable or some such, thinking it would feature the ephermeral maple taffy ice cream. Was sorely disappointed; it was maple ice cream with whipped cream and nuts. (In any case, like Yquem, maple taffy ice cream is best appreciated in all its bare naked glory.) The lesson? Seize the day. Gather ye crème glacée à la tire d'érable while ye may...

I think we should end the smoked meat marathon on Bernard St.

Only if you arrange to have gurneys, stomach pumps and mobile coronary units on standby. The downside to LB's maple taffy ice cream is its cloying richness. Seconds are unthinkable. In fact, the thought of eating anything for an hour or two afterwards induces mild nausea, as does the thought of its capping a smoked meat marathon. YMMV, of course.

I have never had it, which is why I particularly hope that the vendange occurs when I am in Montreal.

What's grape harvesting got to do with it? :huh: The expression you want is probably la saison des sucres [sugaring-off season] or la coulée de sève [sap run].

Do post spies in the neighborhood so we get advanced word.

Unlike some eGulleters (hint, hint), it's not really my neigbourhood, especially before biking season, but I'll let you know if I hear anything. Let's hope others do the same.

Edited by carswell (log)
Posted (edited)
[VivreManger,Mar 6 2004, 08:49 PM]What about Bilboquet's coupe à la tire d'érable, maple syrup to the nth?  Does anybody consider it overkill]I have never had it, which is why I particularly hope that the vendange occurs when I am in Montreal.

What's grape harvesting got to do with it? :huh: The expression you want is probably la saison des sucres [sugaring-off season] or la coulée de sève [sap run].

Edited by VivreManger (log)
Posted (edited)

If you mean what I think you mean, it's not maple sugar ice cream but maple taffy ice cream or, as Le Bilboquet calls it, crème glacée à la tire d'érable. They make it by swirling pure maple taffy into their standard vanilla ice cream; no nuts, thank you very much. It may be the best ice cream in the world (this coming from someone who doesn't care much for either maple or Le Bilboquet's vanilla ice cream).

What's wrong with Le Bilboquet's vanilla ice cream? You're not the first person, I've heard to say specically that their vanilla ice cream is no good. It should be noted that they charge extra for their maple taffy ice cream. Can't remember how much more, compared to their other flavors.

-Steve

Edited by SteveW (log)
Posted (edited)
What's wrong with Le Bilboquet's vanilla ice cream? You're not the first person, I've heard to say specically that their vanilla ice cream is no good.

Just a minute, man! I didn't say it weren't no good, just that it don't do much for me. I'll go out of my way for the maple taffy ice cream or one of their June strawberry cups. But not for their vanilla, when I can get the different-but-just-about-as-good Hagen Daaz or B&J's vanilla at the corner store. My complaints are three: the vanilla (not intense enough and tastes more like extract than bean); the cream (tastes like ultrapasturized, not farm-fresh); and eggs or relative lack thereof (it's a personal preference, but I like eggier, more custard-style vanilla ice cream). Also, I find all of LB's ice creams denser than ideal. The cream and egg factors are less of an issue with other flavours. But vanilla is ice cream at its nakedest.

It should be noted that they charge extra for their maple taffy ice cream. Can't remember how much more, compared to their other flavors.

Given the price of the taffy ($1 a swirl at the Jean-Talon Market, you know), they have to. IIRC, the premium is around 50%.

Edited by carswell (log)
Posted

Has Le Bilboquet gone too mass-production in recent years? Besides supplying for their own shop, Le Bilboquet ice cream are also available in some Montreal restaurants, cafes, & food shops. BTW Carswell, what are June strawberry cups?

-Steve

Posted
what are June strawberry cups?

A sundae available only at the height of strawberry season. Strawberry ice cream topped with sliced fresh strawberries (whipped cream optional, IIRC). I think of it as the summer analogue to maple taffy ice cream, a sure sign of the change in season.

Posted (edited)
Just walked by bibloquet, they are opening March 12th. :smile:

Thank you for your diligent field-work. It is always useful to have operatives well-placed in all the major food centres of the world.

The date is exceedingly well-timed. I assume the maple taffy ice cream will be available as of the 12th or can it take a few days to arrive? As it long as it is within a week or so I will not complain. As I recall they also sell hand-(?) packed ice cream so I could get a litre or two to bring back to the States. I travel with an ice chest for such purposes.

Edited by VivreManger (log)
Posted
Just walked by bibloquet, they are opening March 12th. :smile:

Thank you for your diligent field-work. It is always useful to have operatives well-placed in all the major food centres of the world.

The date is exceedingly well-timed. I assume the maple taffy ice cream will be available as of the 12th or can it take a few days to arrive? As it long as it is within a week or so I will not complain. As I recall they also sell hand-(?) packed ice cream so I could get a litre or two to bring back to the States. I travel with an ice chest for such purposes.

On the sign it says that the maple taffy ice cream will be ready as of that day. Yes, they do sell small (haagen dasz sized) cartons of the ice cream in the store and in some other retailers. I wonder what other flavours will be available?? I hope they do rhubarb when it gets into that season.

Posted

On the Rock Purity was always a standard, but not omly their hard candies but also their KISSES..a nougaty type with differnt fullings....also there is a home made candy called `Burnt Ocky`--molasses candy and around the corner from my new home I'm told there was someone who had this litle corner shop making Bull's Eyes--some kind of knob candy...freddychef

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Posted

Had to bump this old thread - found humbugs at the gift show in Toronto today - are being made by a company in Montreal named Stilwells - owned by a delightful man by the name of John Angus, with whom I had the pleasure of a long chat this morning. 

 

Story here on the rescue of the company by John. 

 

Next visit to Montreal I'm going to look him up and have a tour.

  • Like 3
Posted
5 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Had to bump this old thread - found humbugs at the gift show in Toronto today - are being made by a company in Montreal named Stilwells - owned by a delightful man by the name of John Angus, with whom I had the pleasure of a long chat this morning. 

 

Story here on the rescue of the company by John. 

 

Next visit to Montreal I'm going to look him up and have a tour.

 

Hmm remember them well. Great candies.

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