Quebec City Food Walking Tour Review

Maple syrup galore. Various products created from Canada's yummiest food export surrounded me, waiting to be sampled - three varieties of maple syrup, maple butter, maple infused black tea, to mention a few - at the Les Delices de L'Erable in downtown Quebec City, one of many notable stops on the Quebec City Food Walking tour. As its name implies, an accredited guide leads participants on a 2.5 hour tasting tour of specialties produced in Canada's largest province. The establishments are not limited to those within the fortified Old City, but includes some located in the vibrant St. Jean neighborhood just outside.

Being a traveler who prioritizes great food as much as sightseeing and culture, I had signed up for Tours Voir's Quebec City Food Walking Tour. Conceived only in 2010, the food tour was scheduled to run only in the summer months, but due to persistent demand was extended into the fall. Thus, four other Americans and myself were spending Thanksgiving weekend in Quebec City munching on assorted savory snacks, sweet desserts and downing shots of Canadian whiskey with maple syrup liqueur to ward off the biting cold and snow.

Below are the highlights of the Quebec City Food Walking Tour, based on my experience.

SAQ. The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) is a state-owned corporation responsible for the trade of alcoholic beverages. The tour's first stop was their store at the Chateau de Frontenac. If the above-mentioned "Canadian whiskey with maple syrup liqueur" caught your attention, then this is where you can find that product (Sortilege), as well as other spirits produced in Quebec Province. Our group had tastings of ice wine and ice cider, but in my opinion, the Sortilege was the most novel and delicious. Feel the whiskey burning sensation on your throat and simultaneously savor the sweet maple syrup flavor. I made sure to purchase a couple of bottles at the airport duty-free store.

Les Delices de L'Erable. This gourmet boutique's second floor houses the Maple Syrup Museum, where the entire process of extracting and producing the sweet stuff is clearly illustrated. The food walking tour participants were more concerned with the tastings, of course. One by one the museum's manager explained each of the samples in front of us - the differences among light, medium and dark shades of maple syrup varieties, for example - and we dutifully consumed them. Definitely heaven for for the sweet-toothed foodie (that would be me). Their attractively-wrapped food stuffs make for ideal gifts, although the big jar of maple butter will definitely stay within the confines of my apartment.

J.A. Moisan. The oldest grocery store in North America, J.A. Moisan was established in 1871 and specializes in gourmet imported products, and offers freshly-prepared food for in-store consumption. Think of it as the culinary destination before the modern-day Whole Foods era. Our group was served two different types of cheese on crackers, topped off with jam. Both were delicious but not too filling. I spent a few minutes browsing at the well-stocked beer section marveling at the craft brews from the Quebec region, and trying to decide which bottles to pack in my luggage.

Le Billig. Serving authentic buckwheat flour crepes ("galettes") that is the hallmark of Breton cuisine, this small restaurant's name refers to the flat, circular grill that is used to make crepes. One of the last stops on the Quebec City Food Walking Tour, we were treated to a small ham and cheese savory crepe and a bowl of cold cider. I've never been a fan of cider, but I realized that I had only previously tasted the warm version. Non-alcoholic to boot. The chilled cider with low alcoholic content from Brittany is definitely more refreshing.

Since Le Billig is one of the highly-rated creperies in Quebec City, I went back the following day for lunch. Following the waiter's recommendation, I ordered one of the house's specialties, the Savoyarde (onions, bacon, cheese, and potatoes) washed down by une bolée of sparkling Kerisac cider. Selecting among the sweet dessert crepes, I opted for "The Salidou", composed of salted butter, home-made caramel and Chantilly, mainly because I'm a sucker for caramel. Definitely a nice little gem in the less touristy part of Quebec City.

All this talk of delicious gourmet food has undoubtedly made you hungry. Imagine the sights, smells, and sounds when you join the Quebec City Food Walking Tour the next time you're up in Canada. Truly a worthwhile adventure for enthusiastic travelers and foodies, sweet-toothed or otherwise.