Maple Syrup - A Canadian tradition

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barsco1963
barsco1963 Member Posts: 2,119
edited June 2014 in Canadians Affected by Breast Cancer

I just love the spring time and all that it brings with it. Especially the maple syrup season. My family has been making syrup for 4 generations now. It is a wonderful spring time ritual that we take part in. All of the trees are tapped by hand (about 300 buckets) and the collecting of the sap is all done manually also (no lines). It is fantastic exercise and the reward is great. Fresh maple syrup. Yummy!

Is there anyone else with maple syrup in their blood?

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  • kira1234
    kira1234 Member Posts: 3,091
    edited March 2012

    I love real maple syrup as well. I've never personally tapped the trees,  but there was a park near my home where you could go each spring to see it being done. We always came home with enough syrup to last the year. Now that I live in Florida I really miss so many things about spring including that.

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited March 2012

    Mmm real maple syrup!  I've never tapped a tree but I can remember going on school field trips where we got to see how it was done.  I always found it facinating.  I can't remember the history of how it came to be though where someone figured this out LOL!

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  • chef127
    chef127 Member Posts: 891
    edited March 2012

    Hello barsco1963,

    Mayple syrup has become my go to dessert and sweetener. I LOVE it. Anything I want sweetened gets a bit of syrup. I even add it to a glass of water and apple cider vinegar and its just like ice tea. Almost. It is a good food, as you already know. I have never seen the process but would love to. I just looked at my jug of syrup and it is indeed a product of Canada. Makes sense because your tree is the Maple. I always thought it was from vermont.

    I have a huge Maple tree in my front yard...gorgeous......Is it the same tree that produces the sap? Shade in the summer, but it makes a mess spring summer and fall.

    I have not tried to bake with it.....do you have any receipes?? Do you sell the syrup?

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  • alexandria58
    alexandria58 Member Posts: 1,588
    edited March 2012

    There's also some suggestions that maple syrup may be the healthiest of sweeteners.

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  • chef127
    chef127 Member Posts: 891
    edited March 2012

    My son used to fast and only drink water for several days at a time and it was suggested that he take  maple syrup to sustain good health during the fast. So your right, it is healthy.

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  • mamglam
    mamglam Member Posts: 178
    edited March 2012

    My family and I love the taste of maple syrup too!!  I mix in a couple of teaspoons in my salad dressing vinagrette and love the flavor of maple syrup through the salad.

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  • barsco1963
    barsco1963 Member Posts: 2,119
    edited March 2012

    I must admit that I don't actually go out and tap the trees. I leave that to the more experienced crew. Without leaves on the tree, I cannot easily identify if it is a maple or not.Embarassed

    myleftboob - I'm with you on the history bit. Who'd have thunk to boil the crap out of the sap to find that it made a delicious sweetner? 

    chef127 - there are a few areas, including Vermont that are known for maple syrup production.

     Maple syrup-producing trees are only found in select regions of North America. Producers of maple syrup include the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec, as well as the states of Vermont and New York in the U.S.

    Maple syrup also has great health benefits (contains zinc, and maganese)

    Zinc and manganese are important allies in the immune system. Many types of immune cells appear to depend upon zinc for optimal function. The manganese in maple syrup is important since, as a component of the antioxidant SOD, it helps lessen inflammation, thus supporting healing. In addition, manganese may also act as an immunostimulant.

    We do not sell the syrup but keep it for personal use and often give it away to friends and family.

     I haven't done a lot of baking with it other than maple tarts (ooooohhh so sweet), but we do use it for cooking or just eating. It is great on top of ice cream or drizzled on top of toast and peanut butter. If you google "maple syrup recipes" you will get lots of great ideas.

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  • NannaBaby
    NannaBaby Member Posts: 510
    edited March 2012

    i've got 8 trees tapped! It's my first year, and I'm hooked!  I used all sorts of stuff... pop/water bottles, wine making buckets... whatever is food safe.  I bought a few maple sap buckets and lids, but they are terrible! It gets FULL of bugs :( EWWW!  Even with the hot temperatures this week, the sap is still running.  I boil approx 1 L of syrup a week over an open fire :)  The old traditional way!

    Happy sugaring!

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  • barsco1963
    barsco1963 Member Posts: 2,119
    edited March 2012

    NannaBaby - So glad that you are enjoying the syrup making. I think that over an open fire is the best way to go. It is something that my family looks forward to every spring. We use everything from sap buckets to any food safe bucket also. The lids never fit perfectly though and I am not sure of any way to really not get bugs in the sap - just strain it before boiling. We used to bottle the syrup in used whiskey, vodka etc bottles but now use mason jars. We have finished for this yr and had the "bucket washing party" last weekend - my least favourite part of the season.

    Have you been able to enjoy some of the syrup yet?

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  • PLJ
    PLJ Member Posts: 373
    edited March 2012

    This is our second season making syrup, we had about 125 taps and everything is done by hand, too. My children love the experience as do I. Dh and his friend did a fabulous job of making their own 3 pan stainless evaporator, all wood fed. When we boil, the air outside smells like a candy shop...yummy!

    We also strain the sap before boiling and strain the syrup before storing in mason jars. Great minds think alike, barsco.

    I have a simple but delicious recipe for maple cookies:

    1/2 c. butter or Earth Balance vegan spread                                                                             

    3/4 c/ pure maple syrup

    1 tsp. pure vanilla

    1/4 tsp. sea salt

    1 tsp. baking soda

    1 1/2 c. organic whole wheat flour

    2 c. organic oats

    Mix butter and maple syrup until smooth. Add vanilla, salt, soda and flour. Then, stir in oats and drop by tsp. onto parchment or buttered cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 min. at 325. Enjoy!

    You can add raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, choco chips or whatever else you really like.

    My family likes maple syrup on premium vanilla bean ice cream. (I have mine on Luna & Larry's because of my dairy allergy.) It's all good!

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  • DesertMama
    DesertMama Member Posts: 47
    edited August 2012

    I am a Canadian expat living in the Middle East. I always bring an empty suitcase home with me and return with it filled with bottles of maple syrup. Can't live without it. I give it to everyone as gifts, and when the supply starts getting low I jealously hoard it. :-) I always make some kind of maple recipe for International Day at my children's school every year.

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  • barsco1963
    barsco1963 Member Posts: 2,119
    edited August 2012

    DesertMama - nothing better than pure maple syrup. I can certainly understand your hoarding nature when the supplies get low, as I am sure it is next to impossible to replenish in Abu Dhabi!

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