Storybook Quilts Rocks!

When the days start to warm (groundhog or not!) and the nights stay cold, the sap in the maple tree starts to climb out of its roots up to the branches. On the way, some of it takes a detour – and becomes maple syrup, the most wonderful sweet ever.

How much do you know about sugaring time and maple syrup?

Who discovered maple syrup?
The Native Americans discovered it. Maple syrup was used for barter among the peoples living along the Great Lakes and St Lawrence River.

How is the sap collected?
A probe is inserted into the tree – in the outside layers, about 1½ inches in. The Native Americans (and the rest of us) initially used half-round sticks with a channel and a whittled end. These were replaced later by cast iron and other metals. The sap drips into buckets that are emptied into a large tank. (I remember a big tank on a wooden sledge drawn by horses through the snow in the 1950s.) Larger farms may use plastic tubing hooked into a collection tank.

Do all varieties of maple trees have the right sap?
Although all have sap – every tree does – only the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) has the sweet sap that makes a clear, really yummy maple syrup. That’s the same tree that makes New England so brilliantly gorgeous in the autumn.

How is the syrup made?
The sap is boiled for hours and hours and hours until most of the water evaporates. It can be boiled further to produce maple cream and maple sugar. One winter treat is “sugar on snow,” made by boiling maple syrup to the hard candy stage and then drizzling that over a bowl of fresh (clean!) snow. There’s nothing like it!

Where is maple syrup made?
“Sugar houses” are small buildings set away from other buildings (in case of fire, presumably) where a fire is kept going under a large tank. Often, they are built right in the “sugar bush,” where the maple trees grow. Farmers used to fuel these fires exclusively with wood; now propane often is used.

How much sap does it take to make a gallon of syrup?
That depends on the sugar content of the sap. In general, the ratio is 43 to 1, so it would take 43 gallon milk jugs full of sap to make one gallon of syrup!

What are the grades of syrup?
Maple syrup grades are by color, which relates to taste. The very best grade, light amber, is from the first tappings, when the tree is only beginning to think about spring. It has the lightest and most delicate flavor. Next in line is medium amber, followed by dark amber and “Grade B.” Most supermarkets carry medium or dark amber; light amber is available primarily from gourmet food shops or maple farmers. As with many foods, there’s nothing better than syrup made by a local farmer and bought on site.

Does maple syrup have any nutritional value?
Yes! Maple sugar (and syrup) is less refined than sweetening products from other sources. (Remember, bees process the honey.) So, maple products contain minerals, antioxidants, and other compounds that have been shown to have health benefits.

Which state produces the best maple syrup?
Now, that’s a heated issue! I think New York State makes the best syrup, but that’s where I was raised so I would say that, wouldn’t I?

Where can you go to see maple syrup being made?
Many states and localities offer tours. Search for “maple sugar tours” in any search engine. Tours are available and several localities have maple syrup festivals this time of year. The American Maple Museum is in west Croghan, NY, not far from Lake Ontario and the Canadian border.

For more details on the process and syrup, see Cornell University’s FAQ.
For information on how you can make maple syrup at home (outdoors!), see the University of Maine’s instructions.
For a great series of photos on the process, visit the Wright Farms website.

We’re thinking of a Storybook Quilt with a maple tree theme? What do you think? Could you make up a good story about that?