It is quite interesting to take a leisurely stroll through the sugar woods and see a large scale maple sap operation at work. There are literally thousands of tapped trees, with lines upon lines of tubing, interconnected, draining their sap.
Making Maple Treats
It takes a lot of effort to create delicious maple treats, such as maple syrup, maple cream, maple sugar and maple candy. Boiling sap is pretty well a constant production for the four to six week duration of maple season. It takes up to 50 gallons of sap to yield just one gallon of syrup.
Maple syrup is a delicious addition to pancakes, waffles and French toast. It can be used to sweeten apple sauce, tea, or other beverages. It can also be used in a glaze for cooked vegetables, or served over ice cream or cereal.
Maple cream can be used as a spread for toast, rolls and muffins, or combined with butter to make a frosting for cakes. Maple sugar is a delicious substitute for brown sugar. It can be used in everything from glazes to cake toppings, or just as a sweetener.
Sugar Camps
A sugar camp is a site used for boiling sap and creating delicious maple treats. There may be multiple sugar camps at each sugar woods site. Each camp may be run by a different family of maple product producers.
At a sugar camp, one can witness the boiling process in action, and purchase newly prepared maple treats.
Maple Products
Maple sap comes in bottles or jugs, and is available in a few different sizes. Maple cream is packaged like butter, and comes in at least two sizes. Maple candy can often be purchased in pieces, wrapped in a birch bark bowl.
There are other treats available to sample as well, such as miniature ice cream cones packed with maple cream or maple candy. Even individual servings of maple cream, shaped like maple leaves.
Camps will often have fresh maple taffy to sample. Once the sap has reached the proper consistency, it is poured onto some snow to make taffy. Purchasers can then roll their taffy onto a stick.
In some instances, the maple producers will even offer a weekend brunch. This tasty meal would feature pancakes, sausage, bacon, and more, topped off with mouth-watering maple products, of course.
A trip to the sugar woods is an interesting, educational and delicious springtime outing for people of all ages. Treat the family to a truly Canadian treat.
Find a local sugar bush to visit by searching online for your local conservation site (many of which offer maple sugar tours in the early spring) or by visiting your state or provincial website, which may have links or a toll-free number to call for more information.
Emily Boss - Emily Boss is a mother of two young boys, and a wife since age 20. She enjoys being creative in all aspects of life. Emily has worked in ...
