Maple Syrup: 10 Things You May Not Know
1. It is not a coincidence that Canada has a maple leaf on the nation’s flag. Canadians produce 85% of the world’s maple syrup.
2. The highest quality maple syrup is found in Lanark County, also known as the “Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario”. Lanark County is located in Eastern Ontario, Canada between the cities of Kingston and Ottawa. The historic town of Perth is the county seat, and hosts an annual maple festival each year featuring award-winning maple vendors.
3. Maple syrup is naturally ‘Organic’, because it is produced from natural trees in a wild environment.
4. Maple syrup has tremendous health benefits. This natural sweetener contains over 54 antioxidants that may help delay or prevent diseases caused by free radicals such as cancer or diabetes. Pure maple syrup has the same beneficial antioxidants found in berries, tomatoes, green tea, red wine and flax seeds.
5. A tablespoon of maple syrup has only 40 calories, versus honey with 64 or corn syrup with 60. Maple syrup contains more calcium than milk and more potassium than bananas.
6. Long before the Europeans arrived in North America, the native peoples were collecting sap from maple trees, heating it in hollow logs until it was syrupy and called it ‘sweet water’.
7. The sap which runs from the ‘tapped’ maple tree is 97 percent water and forty gallons are evaporated to make one gallon of syrup.
8. A maple tree is normally 30 years old and 12 inches in diameter before it is tapped. As the tree increases in diameter a maximum of four taps can be put into the tree. The tree is not damaged from the tapping process.
9. Maple syrup is graded according to colour and flavour: Canada # 1 Extra Light, Light, Medium, Canada # 2 – cooking grade and Canada # 3 darker in colour with a stronger flavour and used commercially. Lighter syrup is produced earlier in the season when it is colder. As the weather warms up the syrup becomes darker with a more robust flavour.
10. Warm spring days with temperatures above freezing and cold nights below freezing is ideal weather for maple syrup production. The season varies, but normally lasts four to eight weeks depending on the weather.
For more information on the 38th Annual Festival of the Maples in Perth:
http://perthchamber.com/chamber-events/festival-of-the-maples/
For details on the nutritional benefits of pure maple syrup: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20110401/Maple-syrup-contains-a-range-of-antioxidant-compounds-not-found-in-other-sweeteners.aspx
To discover more about the history and local maple producers in Lanark County, “Lanark County Chronicle” features a chapter ‘Taffy on the Tay’, recalling the ‘good old days’ of maple syrup production. http://www.staffordwilson.com/Order_Books.php
Easy, mouth-watering recipes for Maple Butter and Maple Fudge at the conclusion of this article.
Contact information listing vendors known for their premium quality maple syrup; many are award winners:
Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush
Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush
Address: 291 6th Conc Rd., Pakenham, On
Phone: 613-256-3867 Email: info@fultons.ca Website: http://www.fultons.ca
McFarlane’s Maple Syrup
Grant & Gail McFarlane
1550 Prestonvale Rd
Lanark, ON K0G 1K0
Phone – 613-259-5410
Email – grantandgail@storm.ca
Paul’s Maple Products
Brien Paul
267 Sugar Bush Way,
Lanark, ON K0G 1K0
Phone – 613-259-5276
Email – dpaul@storm.ca
Coutts Country Flavours
Address: 1230 Port Elmsley Rd. RR5 Perth, Ontario K7H 3C7 Phone:
613-267-0277 Email: couttscountryflavours@live.ca
Website: couttscountryflavours.ca/
Jameswood Maple
3231 Wolf Grove Road.
Dwight James
249 Purdy Rd,
Lanark, ON K0G 1K0
Phone – 613-256-4466
Email – jameswood@storm.ca
Temple’s Sugar Camp
Temple’s Sugar Camp Address: 1700 Ferguson’s Falls Rd. (CR#15) Lanark, On Phone: 613-253-7000 Email: TemplesInfo@xplornet.com
Website: http://www.templessugarcamp.ca
Dorian Heights Maple Products
Located just north of McDonalds Corners.
Ian & Doris Gemmill
3631 Watsons Corners Rd, RR 1
McDonalds Corners, ON K0G 1M0
Phone – 613-278-2177
Email – dorian75@live.ca
Springdale Farm
Don & Marion Dodds
Home – 1790 Galbraith Rd, RR 2
Clayton, ON K0A 1P0
Sugar Shack – 1699 Galbraith Rd.
Clayton, ON K0A 1P0
Phone – 613-256-4045
Email – info@springdale@.ca
Web site – http://www.springdalemaple.ca
Fairbairn Farm
1827 Wolf Grove Rd,
Almonte, ON K0A 1A0
Phone – 613-256-5047
Email – dfairbairn@hughes.net
Web site – http://www.fairbairnmaple.com
Wheeler’s Pancake House & Sugar Camp
Wheeler’s Pancake House And Sugar Camp Address: 1001 Highland Line Lanark Highlands (McDonalds Corners), On Phone: 613-278-2090 Email:webinfo@wheelersmaple.com Website: http://www.wheelersmaple.com
Ennis Maple Products Ltd
848 Ennis Rd,
Balderson, ON K0G 1A0
Phone – 613-267-3491
Email – ennismaple@yahoo.com
Web site – http://www.ennismaple.com
Ryan & Glenn Stead
5692 Hwy 511,
Lanark, ON K0G 1K0
Phone – 613-259-2578
Email – steadmaplesyrup@gmail.com
Two of our favourite Maple Recipes:
Maple Butter
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
Preparation Time 5 minutes:
Mix butter and maple syrup with electric mixer until blended. Serve on toast, cracker or warm muffins. This is so tasty and could not be easier to make. Use this creamy maple butter spread on bread, pancakes, muffins, toast, and biscuits.
Yield: about 3/4 cup
Maple Cream Fudge
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cream (I use Heavy cream/whipping cream)
1/3 cup of butter
1/4 cup of maple syrup
pinch of salt
vanilla
Add the two sugars, butter and cream, maple syrup and salt into a sauce pan. Place over medium heat. Stir while bringing to a boil. Lower the heat and continue to stir slowly while the mixture cooks. After about 7 minutes, test by pouring a small amount into some cold water. You want it to form a soft ball. You might need to cook it for another minute or two. Remove from the heat, add a couple of teaspoons of vanilla and start stirring. It takes about 14 or 15 minutes for the fudge to cool and thicken. Pour into buttered dish. TIP: If you let the fudge sit for 10 minutes after removing from the heat and allow it to cool slightly this will reduce the stirring time. Option: Replace the cream and cup of white sugar with one can of Sweetened Condensed Milk and increase the maple syrup to 1 cup
Arlene Stafford-Wilson http://www.staffordwilson.com
