THE SUGARMAKER'S TIMES

Hudson-Chatham Sugarmaker's Reserve Now at The Berry Farm in Chatham, NY

2009-05-01T19:51:00.001-07:00

The Hudson-Chatham Winery is proud and pleased to announce that Hudson-Chatham Sugarmaker's Reserve 100% All Natural Maple Syrups are now available at The Berry Farm.

They proudly feature produce from Little Seed, Farm at Millers Crossing, Stanton Farm, Klinger Farm, Meade Orchards, Migliorelli Farm to name a few. They are also pleased to be able to offer meats and poultry from Northwind Farm and Grazin Angus Acres.

The Berry Farm
2309 Rt 203, Chatham, NY
Between Chatham & Valatie
518 392 4609
Open:
Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed, 9 am - 6 pm
Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, 9 am - 7 pm

SUGARMAKING AT HUDSON-CHATHAM

2009-03-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. Sugarmakers all over the state are boiling sap and making syrup. That means were firing up the burners and filtering our gold grade A Amber and our Grade B Dark.

And in a few weeks we'll start boiling vanilla and raspeberry syrups as well.

Here's an interview with Mike Bennett, one of our sugar makers talking about the season.

UPPER HUDSON MAPLE PRODUCERS MAPLE SYRUP WEEKEND

2009-03-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

Fulton, Hamilton, Rensselaer, Saratoga,
Warren,Washington Counties

Fulton County

Frasier Sugar Shack
144 Church Street, St. Johnsville
phone: 518-568-7438
e-mail: frasiers@frontiernet.net
website: www.frasierssugarshack.com
Participating: March 28th and 29th

Our 1,200-tap all-pipeline operation features a 3’x12’ oil fired evaporator with steamaway. We make maple cream, candy, maple coated peanuts and maple coated topping.

Directions: From Johnstown take Route 29 West about 10-12 miles to Lasselville. Turn right on County Highway 119. Go two miles and turn right on Church Street. Our sugarhouse will be on the right.

Mud Road Sugar House
261 Mud Rd, Ephratah
phone: 518-863-6313
e-mail:mudroadsugarhouse@yahoo.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

The Duesler family has been producing syrup for over 40 years. In addition to syrup they make maple cream and maple candy with a full line of glass containers. Sap gathered from 1,400 taps and is boiled on a wood-fired 4’x12’ evaporator with a 500 gallon reverse osmosis and filter.

Directions: Take NYS Thruway to the Canajoharie exit. Take Route 10 North for seven miles (just past Ephratah Firehouse) and turn right onto Mud Road. The sugarhouse will be about 1.5 miles down the road on the right.

Peaceful Valley Maple Farms
116 Lagrange Rd, Johnstown
phone:518-762-0491
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

The Savage family have produced maple syrup for over 20 years but are only in their fourth year in their new state of the art sugarhouse. Their wood fired evaporator is complemented by a reverse osmosis which easily handles their 5000 taps. They carry a full line of maple products in their maple store.Serving a pancake breakfast weekends February-April and October-December.

Directions: Take Route 29 west out of Johnstown, take a right onto county highway 131,take next right which is Route 131A also known as O'Neil Ave., Lagrange Road is the first left on Route 131A, sugarhouse is immediately on your left.

Hamilton County

McComb's Oak Hill Maple Farm
Elm Lake Rd, Speculator
phone: 518-548-6105
e-mail:mccombk@frontiernet.net
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

The McComb family produces maple syrup less than a mile from beautiful Lake Pleasant. Totally new operation in 1999. They use a 3x12 wood fired evaporator, with a forced draft. They have a state of the art tubing system on vacuum that runs to the sugarhouse. This operation is worth the drive to see.

Directions: 1.5 miles east from the intersection of Rt. 30 and Rt. 8 in the Village of Speculator

Rensselaer County

Kent's Sugar House
Plank Rd., Berlin
phone: 518-658-2134
e-mail:hewittshoney@taconic.net
Participating: March 28th & 29th

1000 taps all on tubing. 3x10 wood fired evaporator with a steamaway.We make; maple syrup,maple cream,maple candy and granulated maple sugar. As a special treat you can see a team of oxen, with the special names of Maple and Syrup.

Directions: Starting at the State Intersection of Routes 7 & 22, go south on Route 22 for apx. 12 miles, you will see a caution light by the Bank of America, turn right onto County Route 40, go 1.25 miles, sugarhouse will be on your right.

Saratoga County

Maple Valley Farm
84 Harris Road, Corinth
phone:518-654-9752
e-mail:dcmonica@frontiernet.net
Participating: March 28th & 29th

Donald Modica started the 2,000-tap operation in 1962 and it is now in its fifth generation of maple producers. We boil on a 6’x18’ wood fired evaporator with 1,000 taps on vacuum tubing and 1,000 taps on natural flow tubing. In addition to our maple demonstrations and sampling, events will include hayrides to the sugarhouse, demonstrations by the local antique engine club, snowshoe racing and honeybee history Serving a pancake breakfast the second weekend.

Directions: From South Take I-87 North to Exit 16. Turn left on Ballard Road and go straight into Corinth to Route 9N. Go north on 9N for about two miles and turn left Antone Road. Go about one-half mile to Harris Road and turn right. From North take I87 South to Exit 21. Turn right on Route 9N and go south about 12 miles through Lake Luzerne. About one mile after crossing the Hudson River turn right on Harris Road and the farm will be about two miles down the road.

Nightingale's Maple Farm
Jersey Hill Rd.,Town of Galway
phone: 518-882-9334
e-mail:maple2u@localnet.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

Family run sugarhouse with nearly 3000 taps all on a tubing network, processing sap with R/O and oil fired evaporator. We welcome visitors during the season and sell our products year round.

Directions: From intersection of state highway 67 & 147(Scotch Church) 1.5 miles West on 67, turn right North onto Jersey Hill Rd. 2 miles on right. Also follow NYS Maple DOT signs on Rte 67

Warren County

Adirondack Gold Maple Farm
74 Bear Pond Road, Thurman
phone:518-623-9718
e-mail:adkgoldmaple@aol.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

We are a third generation maple producers with an old fashioned sugarhouse. We have a total of 600 taps, 500 of which are on tubing. Our stainless steel evaporator is a wood fired 2’x6’. We offer a full line of maple products.

Directions: Take I-87 to Exit 23. Turn Right onto Route 9 North into Warrensburg. Turn left onto Route 418 and follow it to the end and then take an immediate right onto Athol Road. Then follow the signs to Adirondack Gold Maple Farm.

Toad Hill Maple Farm
151 Charles Olds Road, Thurman
phone: 518-623-4744
e-mail:toadhill@hughes.net
website: www.toadhillmaple.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

The Galusha Family has produced pure Adirondack Maple Products at Toad Hill for more than 30 years. Toad Hill is the largest maple producer in Warren County with more than 4,000 vacuum-assisted taps spread across three sugar bushes.

Directions: Take I-87 to Exit 23. Turn Right onto Route 9 North into Warrensburg. Turn left onto Route 418 and follow it to the end and then take an immediate right onto Athol Road. Then follow the signs to Toad Hill Maple Farm.

Valley Road Maple Farm
190 Valley Road, Thurman
phone: 518-623-9783
e-mail: maple1@nycap.rr.com
website:www.valleyroadmaplefarm.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

Sugarmakers Mike Hill and Ralph Senecal boil in a new state-of-the-art sugarhouse. They have 1,500 taps on vacuum with reverse osmosis. We have a full line of maple products including syrup, cream, candy, sugar and maple cotton candy. Serving a pancake breakfast both weekends.

Directions: Take I-87 to Exit 23. Turn Right onto Route 9 North into Warrensburg. Turn left onto Route 418 and follow it to the end and then take an immediate right onto Athol Road. Then follow the signs to Valley Road Maple Farm..

Wallace's Sugarhouse
312 Dippikill Road, Thurman
phone: 518-623-9406
e-mail:thurmanmaplesyrup@yahoo.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

This will be the second year for the Wallace's new sugarhouse with all new equipment. Which includes a Leader 3'x12' wood fired evaporator with a steam away. This 2000 tap operation carries a full line of maple products.

Directions:From Warrensburg go north on Route 9 to Route 28, at the Glen Bridge take a left onto Glen Athol Road, go approximately 4 miles, take a right onto Parker Cross Road. Go 100 yards and take a right onto Dippikill Road, go 1.5 miles sugarhouse is on your right or take Route 418 from Warrensburg turn right onto Athol Road go 2 miles take a right onto Glen Athol Road , go 2 miles turn left onto Parker Cross road. Go 100 yards and take a right onto Dippikill Road, go 1.5 miles sugarhouse is on your right

Washington County

Dry Brook Sugar House
432 Chambers Rd, Salem
phone: 518-854-3955
e-mail:sales@drybrooksugarhouse.com
website:www.drybrooksugarhouse.com

Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

Kevin Keyes and Bob Chambers welcome you to their 6,000-tap operation. Our sugarhouse is located at the Chambers family dairy, where 700 cows are milked each day and 500 heifers are being raised.Serving a pancake breakfast both weekends.

Directions: Located on Chambers Road east of Salem. Follow the signs off Route 153. Call for directions at 518-854-3955.

Grottoli’s Maple
91 Ritchie Road, Middle Granville
phone: 518-642-2856
e-mail:grottolimaple@yahoo.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

Mike and Laurie Grottoli caught maple fever more then 16 years ago. They tap about 1,500 trees and offer a wide variety of delicious maple products for sale.Serving a pancake breakfast both weekends.

Directions: We are located just off Route 22 in Middle Granville. From the intersection of Rts. 22 & 149 in Granville, head north on Route 22 for 4 miles. Take a right onto Ritchie Road and we are the first place on the right.From the intersection of Rts. 4 and 22 head south on 22 for 7.3 miles take a left onto Ritchie Road and we are the first place on the right.

Highland Maple Farm
954 Coach Rd, Argyle
phone: 518-638-8586
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

We have about 2,500 taps on our well established sugar bush. We take the sap and process it with our modern equipment to produce a high quality product. In addition to our award-winning maple syrup we make soft maple sugar, granulated maple sugar and maple cotton. We’ll have plenty of maple goodies on “tap” at our open house to welcome you to the magical maple season.

Directions: Located on Coach Road in Argyle. From NY Route 40 North, turn right on McEachren Hill Road. Go one-half mile to Coach Road and turn right on Coach Road. We’re about a quarter mile down the road.

Mapleland Farms
647 Bunker Hill Road, Salem
phone: 518-854-7669
e-mail:dave@maplelandfarms.com
website: www.maplelandfarms.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

Mapleland Farms is a 8000 tap on tubing operation. Our sugarhouse features an oil-fired evaporator with reverse osmosis. We will be offering a pancake breakfast and samples of our full line of maple products both weekends.

Directions: Take either Route 29 or Route 40 to Route 49. Follow that to Cossayuna. Look for Bunker Hill Road and take that to our sugarhouse.

Rathbun's Maple Sugarhouse & Restaurant
1208 Hatch Hill Road, Granville
phone: 518-642-1799
e-mail matt@rathbunsmaple.com
website: www.rathbunsmaple.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

Rathbun’s Sugarhouse in North Granville has been a family affair for four generations. Started by Bill Rathbun in 1961, the farm today has 5,000 taps, which supplies lots of flavorful maple syrup to the Rathbun’s popular restaurant. Maple-inspired breakfasts are served Saturday and Sunday all year round.

Directions: Located two miles of Route 22 in North Granville. Just turn at the North Granville store and follow the signs.

Sugar Mill Farm
2469 State Route 29, Greenwich
phone: 518-692-2486
e-mail:sugar.mill.farm@gmail.com
Participating: March 21nd,22rd,28th and 29th

John & Michele Reid started their operation ten years ago. Already they’ve grown to 4,000 taps. The sap is processed through a 1,200 gallon per hour reverse osmosis machine and then boiled on a wood-fired 3’x12’ evaporator with steam away.
Directions: Take Route 29. We’re about 3.1 miles out of Greenwich at the corner of Ryan Road and Route 29.

13th Annual New York State Maple Weekend

2009-03-05T19:03:00.000-08:00

13th Annual Maple Weekend
Great Crop Expected

Despite a down year for production in 2007, New York maple producers are anticipating a bumper crop for 2008 that will keep them ranked among the world’s largest producers. They hope the public will join in the celebration during Maple Weekend.

On March 29-30 from 10am - 4pm each day, about 110 of the finest maple producers throughout New York State, from Buffalo to Albany, Rochester to Binghamton and Jamestown to Plattsburgh, will open their sugarhouses to demonstrate the making of maple products "from the tree to your table." The event is free to the public.

Maple Weekend is a free, family-oriented event that gives the public a chance to see how New York maple producers make some of the world's finest syrup and related products. For a list of participating maple producers and maps to their sugarhouses go online at http://www.mapleweekend.com/.

On Maple Weekend, visitors can see all aspects of maple making, from the tapping of the trees to get the sap, to the boiling of the sap into syrup. Some producers will also demonstrate the making of maple syrup into other products including maple cream, maple cotton candy and maple sugar. Most sugarhouses will allow people to sample the products.
Techniques of maple production vary from producer to producer. Some are state-of-the-art and some use traditional methods, so everyone is encouraged to visit several of the participating farms. In addition, many of the producers will have a variety of additional activities including horse and wagon rides, snowshoeing, guided walks in the woods and kids' corners.
In conjunction with Maple Weekend many all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts featuring New York's finest maple syrup will help people satisfy their hunger and continue to
promote syrup and other maple products. A list of many of the participating pancake breakfasts is available on www.mapleweekend.com/locations.

New York State maple syrup has established its reputation as some of highest quality in the world. New York Maple producers continually strive to do a better job of telling people about it and that is what Maple Weekend is all about.

Last year, New York State’s approximately 1,500 maple syrup producers made more than 224,000 gallons of syrup according to the New York Agricultural Statistics Service. That was a decrease of 11% from 2006. The drop was caused when producers experienced some snow late in January, then a long warm spell, followed by an abundance of snow. The inconsistent weather pattern made it difficult for consistent sap flow. Syrup color was 54 percent dark, 40 percent medium, and 6 percent light.

Only Vermont produced more syrup in the United States recording 450,000 gallons. Maine experienced a severe production decline of 25% from the previous year dropping it into a virtual tie with New York for the second most maple production in the nation. Canada is the largest maple syrup producing country in the world.

New York’s 1.47 million taps produce enough sap to account for almost 18% of the maple syrup made in the United States. That averages 0.152 gallons of syrup for every tap in the state. The final value of the 2006 crop is estimated at $8.02 million, up 14% from the year before. The crop value for 2007 will be released in June of 2008.

The economic impact of maple production in New York State was an estimated $32 million in 2006. According the New York Agricultural Statistics Service, in the year 2006 it took almost 43 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.

Maple Weekend started as Maple Sunday twelve years ago as a handful of maple producers in Wyoming County organized a one-day event to promote maple products. The event became so successful and grew so quickly that it now includes producers throughout New York State.
“We just wanted another way to market our syrup. We never thought it would grow to this size,” said Greg Zimpfer of Attica, one of the founders of Maple Sunday. “But we’re thrilled that people across New York State are being turned onto maple syrup.”

So mark your calendars for March 29-30 and take the family to experience New York State maple!

Among those communities holding festivals are:

Albany County

Knox - Palm Sunday. 518-765-3500

Allegany County

Andover - last weekend in March. 607-478-8455

Cattaraugus County

Franklinville - last weekend in April. 716-676-9910

Central New York

Marathon - last weekend in March.

Marcellus - every Saturday in March. Centers for Nature Education at Baltimore Woods Onondaga County Park, 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus. 315-673-1350

Clinton County

Open Houses throughout county - last weekend in March. 518-493-6141

Lewis County

Croghan - 3rd Saturday in May. The American Maple Museum is a repository of maple production artifacts and offers an opportunity to learn the history of how maple is made. 315-346-1107

Putnam County

Cold Spring - mid-March. 845-265-3773

Schoharie County

Cobleskill - late April. 518-234-2067

Source: New York State Maple Producers Assoc.

Maple Festivals in Ohio

2009-03-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

If sap is rising, time has come for syrup festivals
Thursday, March 5, 2009 3:30 AM
By Amy Saunders
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

This weekend, in celebration, four central Ohio parks and nature centers are hosting maple-themed events.

"It's the heart of the season," said Pat Quackenbush, naturalist at Hocking Hills State Park. "You have a tiny little window of about a month to get your festival in."
Maple trees are often tapped in February, when daytime weather encourages the flow of sap through such trees.

Once collected, the sap is poured through a wood-fired evaporator that boils the watery liquid into sweet maple syrup.

Activities take place rain or shine, barring severe weather.
Here's what the festivals have to offer:

Maple Sugaring in the Hills
Hocking Hills State Park, 19852 Rt. 664 S., Logan (740-385-8003, http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/)
times 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with hikes from noon to 4 p.m.
cost $6 for the pancake breakfast, free for other activities
A short hike through the woods also comes with lessons in science and history.
Visitors can learn how trees produce sugar (remember photosynthesis?) and see demonstrations of American Indian and pioneer techniques.
Indians collected sap in natural containers, such as hollowed-out logs, and used hot rocks to boil the substance into sugar. Similarly minded pioneers boiled sap in kettles.
Tours leave continually from Old Man's Cave visitor center.

Maple Syrup Festival
Malabar Farm State Park, 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas (419-892-2782, http://www.malabarfarm.org/)
times noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and March 14-15
cost free
A horse-drawn wagon will take visitors to the park's sugar camp, where maple syrup is made the modern way.
The techniques of American Indians and pioneers will also be highlighted during a walk among the trees.
Then, visitors can enjoy bluegrass music and buy maple-flavored snacks -- including popcorn and even beef jerky.
"It's sweet, like a teriyaki sauce," said Sybil Burkey, a member of the park staff.

Maple Syrup Madness
Dawes Arboretum, 7770 Jacksontown Rd., Newark (740-323-2355, http://www.dawesarb.org/)
times 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through Saturday
cost free
Dawes Arboretum will highlight the evolution of maple syrup on educational signs along the way to a log cabin.
There, visitors can observe the modern process and taste the result.
The arboretum doesn't produce enough syrup to sell: About 60 gallons of sap are needed to make 1 gallon of syrup, spokeswoman Laura Appleman said.
Dawes volunteers, however, enjoy the products at an appreciation breakfast.

Maple Sugar Festival
Stratford Ecological Center, 3083 Liberty Rd., Delaware (740-363-2548, http://www.stratfordecologicalcenter.org/)
time 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, with breakfast ending at noon
cost $8, or $6 for children 2 to 12
The day will begin with a breakfast of sausage and pancakes with maple syrup.
Visitors will then take a horse-drawn wagon to the "sugarbush," where they'll learn the origins of the meal.
During a guided or self-guided hike, walkers can tap a tree for sap and watch it being cooked in an evaporator.
The center also offers other activities, such as wool spinning and candle making; and sells farm-made products, including maple syrup.
asaunders@dispatch.com

Boston Examiner: Local Maple Syrup is Sutainable and Good for You

2009-03-05T18:38:00.000-08:00

Maple syrup season
March 4, 4:22 PM

Boston Examiner

Leah Bloom

Throughout New England, maple trees are being tapped for syrupIt may still look like winter out there, but the sap is flowing - literally! March is Massachusetts Maple Month, the time when trees around the state are tapped for and their sap collected to make all of your favorite maple-flavored treats.

The sugar maple tree, acer saccharum, is native to North America, and has been here for many hundreds of years. The trees are unusually susceptible to pollution, especially acid rain, soil acidification, and the salt used to treat icy roads. This makes them a good indicator of what state the environment is in, and sadly, their population has declined in recent decades.

When properly cared for, sugar maples reach maturity (the age at which they can be tapped) at 40 years, and yield sap for 100 years or more. But trees can only be tapped once or twice during the maple sugaring season, and each tap yields only about 10 gallons, enough sap for a single quart of maple syrup. If you've noticed that maple syrup prices have gone through the roof at your local grocery, now you know why.

That said, maple syrup is still a wonderful sustainable food. The trees are not harmed by tapping, and syrup production tends to be low-tech and often relies on renewable resources to boil the sap down to syrup. The end product is a natural sweetener that stays fresh indefinitely, and in buying it, you are supporting local farmers.

Hartford Courant Highlights 2009 Sugaring Season

2009-03-05T18:31:00.000-08:00

Tapping Maple Syrup Gold Mine
Producers Taking Advantage Of Record High Prices
By JOHN CURRAN Associated Press
March 5, 2009

For years, Errol Tabacco was a maple-sugar hobbyist. Each February, he'd tap about 100 trees on his property in Eden, Vt., haul buckets of sap to his garage and boil it into syrup for his family and friends.This year's different.Spurred by retail prices of $60 or more per gallon, maple-sugar producers such as Tabacco are going all out to harvest it, tapping more trees, investing in new sap lines and building new sugarhouses in hopes of cashing in.Tabacco is racing to get up to 12,000 trees tapped by the time the sap starts running during the next few weeks. "This year, we're going big-time," he says.

For backyard hobbyists and larger commercial producers alike, New England's "sugarin' season" could be a real moneymaker this year. The University of Vermont's Proctor Research Center estimates 300,000 taps will be added this year.Global demand for the sticky-sweet syrup outstripped supply last year, in part because lingering winter cold and heavy snow combined to slow sap flow in Quebec, Maine and parts of Vermont. That, combined with the exhaustion of Canadian reserves, has helped drive up prices, experts said.In 2007, the average retail price of a gallon of maple syrup was $33.20, up $1.90 from the previous year, according to federal data.

Now, it fetches $59.95 or more in Vermont, and more elsewhere.

Read the rest at:

http://www.courant.com/features/food/hc-flavmaplesyrupboom0305.art0mar05,0,5152372.story

NEW JERSEY MAPLE SYRUP?! YES!!!

2009-01-18T05:57:00.000-08:00

NEW JERSEY
This aggressively industrial state has made way to be known as the “Garden State” and just as pleasantly the “Clam State” for clams taken out of the Atlantic Ocean. On the contrary New Jersey has gained a reputation as the “Mosquito State.” With all of these nicknames none cover one of New Jersey’s prize crops- Maple Syrup. We have producers throughout the state making the liquid gold. Please visit the producers web-sites to learn more.

New Jersey Producers
NJ Morris County Online
Upper Medows Farm
Maple Valley
Sweet Sourland Farms

GO TO: http://www.newjerseymaplesyrupfestival.com/

National Maple Syrup Festival 1st and 2nd Weekends in March

2009-01-18T05:49:00.000-08:00

Maple Syrup Season is truly one of the first signs of spring, as the cold winter months slowly slip away and the forest floor comes to life. What better way to celebrate the coming of spring than to attend the first and only National Maple Syrup Festival in America.

At Burton’s Maplewood Farm, nestled in the rolling hills of Southern Indiana, you can enjoy the taste of our country made hot pancakes with 100% pure Maple Syrup all day every day. This National Festival is “Always the First and Second weekend in March” and is located two miles north of Medora, Indiana. These two weekends offer something for everyone in the family. A variety of fun-filled events, activities, Live-music & demonstrations are sure to keep you entertained and coming back for more year after year.

We have Maple Syrup from each and every Maple Syrup producing state in America. With the sweet smell of Pure Maple Syrup and Toe-Tapping sounds of the Great Smokey Mountain’s bellowing through the air, there’s no better place to be than Burton’s Maplewood Farm in Southern Indiana.

Come see what “Hoosier Hospitality” is all about

The festival is located at:
Burton’s Maplewood Farm 8121 W. County Rd. 75 South Medora, IN 47260
Tel: (812) 966-2168 Fax: (812) 966-0231
Email: info@nationalmaplesyrupfestival.com

READ ALL ABOUT IT AT:

http://www.nationalmaplesyrupfestival.com/

John Burroughs on Sugarmaking

2009-01-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

The following selection is from the book In the Catskills Selections from the Writings of John Burroughs.

John Burroughs (April 3, 1837-March 29, 1921) was an American naturalist and essayist important in the evolution of the U.S. conservation movement. According to biographers at the American Memory project at the Library of Congress, John Burroughs was the most important practitioner after Thoreau of that especially American literary genre, the nature essay.

One of the features of farm life peculiar to this country, and one of the most picturesque of them all, is sugar-making in the maplewoods in spring. This is the first work of the season, and to theboys is more play than work. In the Old World, and in more simpleand imaginative times, how such an occupation as this would have gotinto literature, and how many legends and associations would haveclustered around it! It is woodsy, and savors of the trees; it is anencampment among the maples. Before the bud swells, before the grasssprings, before the plow is started, comes the sugar harvest. It isthe sequel of the bitter frost; a sap-run is the sweet good-by ofwinter. It denotes a certain equipoise of the season; the heat ofthe day fully balances the frost of the night. In New York and New England, the time of the sap hovers about the vernal equinox,beginning a week or ten days before, and continuing a week or ten days after.

As the days and nights get equal, the heat and cold get equal, and the sap mounts. A day that brings the bees out of the hive will bring the sap out of the maple-tree. It is the fruit ofthe equal marriage of the sun and the frost. When the frost is all out of the ground, and all the snow gone from its surface, the flowstops. The thermometer must not rise above 38 deg. or 40 deg. by day, or sink below 24 deg. or 25 deg. at night, with wind in the northwest; a relaxing south wind, and the run is over for the present. Sugarweather is crisp weather. How the tin buckets glisten in the graywoods; how the robins laugh; how the nuthatches call; how lightlythe thin blue smoke rises among the trees! The squirrels are out of their dens; the migrating water-fowls are streaming northward; the sheep and cattle look wistfully toward the bare fields; the tide ofthe season, in fact, is just beginning to rise.

Sap-letting does not seem to be an exhaustive process to the trees, as the trees of a sugar-bush appear to be as thrifty and as long-lived as other trees. They come to have a maternal, large-waisted look, from the wounds of the axe or the auger, and that is about all.

In my sugar-making days, the sap was carried to the boiling-place inpails by the aid of a neck-yoke and stored in hogsheads, and boiled or evaporated in immense kettles or caldrons set in huge stonearches; now, the hogshead goes to the trees hauled upon a sled by a team, and the sap is evaporated in broad, shallow, sheet-ironpans,--a great saving of fuel and of labor.

Many a farmer sits up all night boiling his sap, when the run has been an extra good one, and a lonely vigil he has of it amid the silent trees and beside his wild hearth. If he has a sap-house, as is now so common, he may make himself fairly comfortable; and if acompanion, he may have a good time or a glorious wake.

Maple sugar in its perfection is rarely seen, perhaps never seen, inthe market. When made in large quantities and indifferently, it is dark and coarse; but when made in small quantities--that is, quicklyfrom the first run of sap and properly treated--it has a wild delicacy of flavor that no other sweet can match. What you smell infreshly cut maple-wood, or taste in the blossom of the tree, is init. It is then, indeed, the distilled essence of the tree. Made into syrup, it is white and clear as clover-honey; and crystallized into sugar, it is as pure as the wax. The way to attain this result is to evaporate the sap under cover in an enameled kettle; when reduced about twelve times, allow it to settle half a day or more; then clarify with milk or the white of an egg. The product is virgin syrup, or sugar worthy the table of the gods.

8th Annual Maple Open House Weekend March 27-29 2009

2009-01-05T18:46:00.001-08:00

Vermont Maple Syrup Producers Hold Eighth Annual Maple Open
House Weekend
Visitors are welcome at sugarhouses all over Vermont

The Eighth Annual Vermont Maple Open House Weekend will be held at sugarhouses
throughout Vermont, March 27-29, 2009. The Open House Weekend is the public
celebration of the maple syrup season in Vermont and an opportunity for the public to
visit one or more “sugarhouses” throughout the state. Activities during Open House
Weekend will be different at each sugarhouse but will include the opportunity to watch
maple syrup being made (weather permitting) and to often sample maple products.
“Maple sugaring is a rich part of Vermont’s identity and heritage,” said Governor Jim
Douglas. “The Maple Open House Weekend is a quintessential Vermont event that
celebrates this timeless tradition.”

Some sugarhouses offer tours of their “sugarbushes” and some have special activities for
children. No two sugarhouses are the same so people are encouraged to visit more than
one. “There is nothing sweeter than visiting a local sugar house. From the tree to the
table, you’ll see firsthand why Vermonters make the finest maple syrup in the world,”
said Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Roger Allbee.

Maple season in Vermont is a special time when maple producers all around the state
collect sap from sugar maples and boil it down to pure Vermont maple syrup. Steam
billowing from sugarhouse roofs all around the state is a sign that sap is boiling.

Information about all of the participating maple syrup producers including which of the
three days they will be open and directions to their sugarhouses can be found on
www.vermontmaple.org or in the “2009 Vermont Ski & Year-round Maple Syrup Guide”
which can be picked up at any Vermont Welcome Center, or by calling the Vermont
Department of Tourism & Marketing at 800-837-6668.

Also, the Governor’s Tree Tapping event will be held at Middlebury College,
Middlebury, Vermont at 11:00 a.m. on March 6. Governor Jim Douglas is scheduled to
tap a sugar maple tree, celebrating sugaring season in Vermont. The Vermont mobile
sugarhouse will be there with sugar-on-snow, cotton candy and other maple delights
available for the public. There will also be a variety of displays about maple sugaring.

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce has selected the Vermont Maple Open House
Weekend as one of the “Top 25 Events for Kids”.

Vermont is the largest U.S. producer of maple syrup and approximately 500,000 gallons
or 5.5 million pounds of syrup is produced in Vermont annually.

Ice Storms Ruin Many Northeastern Farms

2009-01-05T18:16:00.000-08:00

Maple Syrup Farmers Hit Hard by Ice Storm
By Miranda Grossman
Story Published: Jan 2, 2009 at 7:14 PM EST
Story Updated: Jan 2, 2009 at 7:14 PM EST

Things are getting a little sticky for maple syrup producers in Western Massachusetts. Local farmers are dealing with the aftermath of damaged trees from last month's ice storm.
Much of Tom McCrumm's 80 acres of sugar maples barely made it through last month's ice storm.

"To see this kind of damage is nauseating," said McCrumm.

McCrumm's been in the maple syrup business for more than 30 years, but he's never seen an ice storm devastate his South Face Farm in Ashfield like this one.

"Here are two other smaller trees that will never come into production because they've been uprooted," explained McCrumm pointing to fallen trees.

McCrumm and other Western Massachusetts syrup farmers worst fear came true, when the ice storm toppled trees, ripped down limbs, and tore apart the tubing that collects the sap. "Not only have I loss some trees entirely because it snapped off or uprooted, a lot of the ones that are damaged I won't be able to tap for 5 or 10 years until they recover," said McCrumm.

About 100 farms across Western Massachusetts are suffering losses, but those hit the hardest were ones at higher elevations. It takes about 50 years for a sugar maple to grow back to a tappable size, leaving many maple producers severely effected. "I would estimate that the state is going to have 50% of its normal production this year," said McCrumm.

see the rest at:

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/37020064.html

2008-11-12T19:13:00.000-08:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY HOSTS
SWEET & SAVORY MAPLE TASTING

Saturday, November 15
11 am to 5 pm
FREE!
Sample an array of sweet and savory foods made wtih 100% natural maple syrup - great ideas for holiday menus or classic fall fare!

SEE YOU AT THE WINERY!

2009 New York State Maple Producers Winter Conference

2008-10-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

Planning is underway for the 2009 New York State Maple Producers Winter Conference
A grower-focused 2009 NYS Maple Conference will provide practical and hands-on information for maple producers to build into existing and expanding operations.
January 9th and 10th, 2009

Mark your calendar now to attend the 2009 New York State Maple Producers Winter Conference. Schedule these dates in your planner or in your computer or maybe even in your head but be sure you set aside January 9th and 10th to get together with lots of other maple producers. The 2009 Maple Conference will be held in the same great location, the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School in Verona, New York on Friday evening January 9th and all day Saturday, January 10th. This central location provides plenty of meeting space as well as room for a large trade show with over 25 exhibitors displaying plenty of specialized equipment for meeting maple producer needs. With our new slightly more relaxed session schedule you will have access the latest in research and grower experiences regarding maple production, promotion, forest management and the making and marketing of a variety of maple products. This day-and-a-half event has something for every level of maple producer. A maple conference you will not want to miss.

The conference kicks off Friday evening with a featured speaker at 7:00 PM and industry trade show highlighting maple equipment, manufacturers, and vendors scheduled from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM. Saturday’s program features 30 of the industry’s leading maple experts from throughout North America and Canada presenting in a variety of concurrent workshops. These workshops focus on several major areas of emphasis: beginning sugarmakers, new and advanced technologies, marketing, promotion, value-added products, maple tapping, tubing, vacuum, and forest management.

The conference is open to the general public, as well as maple producers, and is geared to all levels of sugar makers. Saturday’s trade show opens at 8:00 AM with workshops starting at 9:00AM. Held at the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill (V.V.S.) High School, Verona, New York, the conference is sponsored by the V.V.S. FFA, New York State Maple Producers Association and the Cornell Maple Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension. The V.V.S. High School is located between Utica and Syracuse, New York on State Route 31 just two minutes from NYS Thruway Exit 33.

For additional information contact V.V.S. FFA advisor Keith Schiebel at kschiebel@vvsschools.org. Registration forms will also be available at the New York State Maple Producers Website: http://www.nysmaple.com/ or the Cornell Maple Program website: cornellmaple.com in November and December.

For more information, please contact:
Keith Schiebel -
Stephen Childs - slc18@cornell.edu

Health Benefits of Maple Abound

2008-10-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

Health Benefits of Maple Abound
All-Natural Sweetener is Low on Glycemic Index, High on Taste; Contains Key Minerals and Is Produced Sustainably, Domestically.

Brattleboro, VT (PRWEB) October 1, 2008 -- Coombs Family Farms, a seventh generation maple producer and champion of small family farming, today reminds consumers that maple is not only an all-natural and delicious alternative to refined sugar, but also a food that possesses several health benefits.

"We all know that pure maple is a delicious and all-natural sweetener," said Arnold Coombs, seventh generation maple farmer, Chairman of the Vermont Maple Industry Council, and General Manager of Coombs Family Farms. "But did you know that pure maple has specific health benefits and can be produced sustainably and organically on small family farms here in New England?"

According to the Proctor Maple Research Center at the University of Vermont, one tablespoon of maple syrup is only 50 calories, about the same as a tablespoon of refined, white cane sugar. However, maple syrup has a low glycemic index value (54), according to the original Glycemic Index of the University of Sydney. A glance at its nutritional composition reveals that it also contains minerals such as manganese (100% DV), riboflavin (37% DV), zinc (18% DV), magnesium (7% DV) and calcium and potassium (5% DV). Brown sugar, corn syrup and honey have higher glycemic indexes and contain more calories than maple.

Pure maple syrup is all-natural, it contains no additives or preservatives, and it can be produced sustainably, organically, domestically, and by using environmentally sound practices.
While American Diabetes Month isn't until November, it is important to be aware year-round that nationwide, 23.6 million people, or 7.8% of our population, have diabetes, 5/7% of whom are undiagnosed. The intake of high glycemic index foods, including processed sugars and sweeteners, is still one of the primary causes of diabetes, as well as heart attack, stroke, and obesity.

In fact, the childhood obesity epidemic which, according to a survey conducted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the May 21, 2008 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, has hit a plateau in recent months, still affects more than 32% of our country's children and cites the consumption of refined sugars and processed foods as the major culprit.

"Maple offers health benefits, but you have to make sure it's 100% pure and/or organically certified," continued Coombs. "There are many products in the mass market today that are positioned as maple syrup that are non-pure products that are simply maple flavored corn syrup with additives and preservatives, as well as a high glycemic index. Plus, pure maple atop pancakes, oatmeal, and yogurt is a motivator to not skip breakfast. And that's another health benefit."

Maple has a long history of being celebrated for its health benefits. The Master Cleanse diet was created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941 and later popularized by Peter Clickman in his book (2005) Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days. The Master Cleanse claims to be a way to cleanse the body of toxins and remove cravings, and involves drinking lemonade with Grade B maple syrup and other ingredients.

Health practitioners may argue about the efficacy and healthfulness of The Master Cleanse Diet; regardless, maple continues to be lauded for various health reasons.

About Coombs Family FarmsPure maple has been a way of life at Coombs Family Farms for seven generations. Coombs Family Farms has produced 100% pure maple since 1840. Since 1988, Coombs Family Farms has produced certified organic maple syrup. A champion of small family farming, Coombs Family Farms also sources 100% pure organic certified maple from other small, independent farmers who share the Coombs commitment to quality, environmental stewardship, and sustainable forestry management.

To learn more about Coombs Family Farms maple, please visit http://www.coombsfamilyfarms.com/.

Business Week Covers Rising Maple Syrup Costs

2008-10-10T06:21:00.000-07:00

Why Maple Syrup Costs So Much
Mild spring weather in Canada and rising demand for syrup as a natural sweetener are making things sticky for bakers

September 27, 2008, 12:01AM EST by Pallavi Gogoi

It's hard to swallow: Since May, Mark Menning has watched the price of maple syrup soar to $6 a pound—up from $2 a pound a year ago. That's a problem for Menning, since the maple syrup is a key ingredient in the cookies his San Francisco-based Lotus Bakery supplies to some Whole Foods Market (WFMI) outlets and Bay Area specialty grocery stores.

Add in rising costs for everything from oil to flour, and you've got a recipe for disaster. Says Menning: "These price increases can make or break you."

What's going on? Is there a shadowy syrup cartel manipulating prices? Has someone figured out how to turn maple sap into fuel? Not quite. Unfavorable weather in Quebec—the source of 80% of the world's maple syrup—have depressed output to a 10-year low. At the same time, demand for maple syrup, which is slightly lower in calories than cane sugar and corn syrup, has been growing in recent years, as more Americans seek alternatives to processed and artificial sweeteners.

A Scarcity of Sap
Blame it on global warming, perhaps. But for the past three years, Quebec has seen cold winters turn very quickly into warm springs, which played havoc with sap collection. (Under ideal conditions, temperatures rise during the day and then dip back below freezing at night. This pattern encourages sugar maples to release their sap). That has cut sap production season in half, to two to three weeks. Quebec's output slipped to 58.7 million tons this year, down from 61.7 million in 2007 and 86.4 million tons in 2004.

Read the whole article at:
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/sep2008/db20080926_008831.htm

Vermont Discontinues Maple Syrup in Cans By Some Manufacturers

2008-10-10T06:04:00.000-07:00

These can are still good! Pure Vermont Maple Syrup - This Vermont Maple Syrup Package In Vermont is Certified by the Maple Sugar Makers Assn. Cans

Vermont discontinues sale of maple syrup tins
Thursday October 9, 2008
WATERBURY, Vt. (AP)
Vermont Public Radio News
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture is recommending that certain metal maple syrup cans be discontinued because of their odor.

Officials tested the cans and determined the smell came from petroleum compounds.
The Health Department said the health risk is negligible.

The distributor of the cans, New England Container Company of Swanton, has agreed stop selling the pint and quart containers.

Officials say less than 15 percent of syrup produced this year in Vermont has been packaged in these metal cans. They were distributed to various states and Canada.

But the Agency says protecting the purity of Vermont's signature crop is paramount.

© Copyright 2008, Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Spicy Maple Glazed Quail

2008-07-13T07:09:00.000-07:00

Friday's Recipes (6/27/08)
POSTED: 7:56 pm CDT June 26, 2008

WSMV Nashville, TN (NBC)

http://www.wsmv.com/entertainment/16722567/detail.html

Spicy Maple Glazed Quail with Peaches and Cream Corn and Alan Benton's Bacon

4 semi-boneless quail

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

4 oz Benton's bacon (or your favorite)

2 Ears Peaches and Cream corn

1 Jalapeño seeded and minced

2 oz chicken broth

1 oz maple syrup

2 Tablespoons Chives

Slice the bacon 1/4" thick then slice it into 1/4" strips.Place on a baking sheet and into a 275º oven until crispyHeat a 9" sauté pan over medium -high heat, add 2 Tablespoons butter.Season the quail with salt and pepper and put them in the hot pan breast side down and cook until well browned. Flip and into 350 degrees oven for four minutes.

Remove the quail from the pan. Add the corn and sauté over medium high for three to four minutes. Add the jalapeños, maple syrup and bacon and sauté one more minute.Add the stock and reduce by 3/4. Over very low heat slowly swirl in the butter constantly whisking. Add chives, salt and pepper

Pour over quail and serve immediately.

US Maple Syrup Production

2008-07-13T07:02:00.001-07:00

United States Maple Syrup Production In 2008
June 20, 2008
Hartford Courant

url: http://www.courant.com/news/local/columnists/hc-naturebox0620.artjun20,0,6525194.story

• Total

1.64 million gallons, up 30 percent from 2007• TapsEstimated at 7.46 million, up 2 percent from 2007 total of 7.29 million

• Tap yield

Average yield for each tap — 0.219 gallons, up 27 percent from 2007

• Top states 1. Vermont - 500,000 gallons, an 11 percent increase from 2007 2. New York - 322,000, an increase of 44 percent 3. Maine - 215,000 gallons, 4 percent below 20074. Wisconsin - 130,000 gallons, a 45 percent increase 5. Ohio - 118,000 gallons, up 57 percent and highest production on record since 1959 6. Michigan - 100,000 gallons, up 67 percent and highest production since 19647. Pennsylvania - 95,000 gallons, 86 percent above 2007 8. New Hampshire - 85,000 gallons, an increase of 12 percent 9. Massachusetts - 55,000 gallons, up 83 percent, the highest production since 1944. 10. Connecticut - 15,000 gallons, the highest on record since tracking started in 1992.

• Conn. reaction

A sampling of comments from Connecticut maple sugarers — who had their best season:"We ran out of wood, jugs and ambition, so we pulled out taps." "In 35 years, 2008 was the best season ever!""It was a great year. We had too much sap.""We would have made more, but we ran out of wood.""Sap ran like crazy. Buckets were full every night."
"We had a hard time keeping up.""It was a short, intense and productive season."

• Maine reaction

A sampling of comments from Maine maple sugarers — who had the poorest season:"It was horrible. Worst season I ever had. Too much snow, too cold.""Once the weather became just right, the season zipped along and was over. It was the worst season ever.""It started out too cold and then was too warm. The weather did not cooperate.""Temperatures went from 30 to 60 in a week and a half. It was a disaster."

• Maple facts The sugar maple and black maple are the most common trees tapped. Trees must be 30 to 40 years old and more than 10 inches in diameter. A tree can give as much as a gallon of sap per tap each day. It typically takes 30 to 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. The perfect weather for sap flow is above freezing during the day and below freezing at night.

For State Maple Sugarers, 2008 Season Was, Oh, So Sweet

2008-07-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

For State Maple Sugarers, 2008 Season Was, Oh, So Sweet
Peter Marteka Nature's Path
June 20, 2008

Hartford Courant

url: http://www.courant.com/news/local/columnists/hc-nature0620.artjun20,0,1855988.column

Robert Lamothe had serious doubts about the sap business going into the 2008 maple-sugaring season.So serious that he considered pulling his 4,500 taps out of maple trees in Burlington, Harwinton and New Hartford. Lamothe ultimately decided not to pull the taps, and he, along with other maple sugarers, helped Connecticut to one of its best maple-sugaring seasons on record."The year before was one of the worst," said Lamothe, whose family runs Lamothe's Sugar House in Burlington. "With utility and fuel costs going the way they were going, if there were two difficult seasons in a row? Forget about it. And, man, what a year we had. You couldn't ask for a more textbook sugaring season."

According to the New England Agricultural Statistics of Concord, N.H., Connecticut produced 15,000 gallons of maple syrup, the highest production since tracking started in 1992. The 2008 season began Jan. 6 and ended April 28. Last year, the state produced 8,000 gallons of syrup; nationwide, more than 1.64 million gallons were produced.

Richard Norman, who runs Norman's Sugarhouse in Woodstock, said that with 1,000 taps spread throughout town, this year nearly matched 1987-88 in terms of production. Norman said the best sap-flowing weather is when temperatures go below freezing at night with the next day sunny with temperatures in the 40s."It was quite a bit above average," Norman said of his season. "We are a little cooler here and some go out earlier than we do. We caught up quickly when we got out there. The sap was much sweeter. ... I don't like saying there's a bad year. There's never a bad year. The sap always flows.

"The only New England state that saw its production slip was Maine, which dropped from 225,000 gallons in 2007 to 215,000 gallons in 2008. As usual, the No. 1 syrup producing state was Vermont with 500,000 gallons, an increase of 11 percent and 31 percent of the nation's output.

For those used to that fake stuff — Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Butterworth's — on top of their pancakes or waffles, here's a quick lesson in maple syrupology. The sap of maple trees is as clear as water and is slightly sweet. The trees produce starch, which is stored in their roots.When temperatures begin to warm as winter changes to spring, the starch turns to sugar and circulates through the tree. Taps or spouts are drilled into the tree to release the sap, so that it flows into buckets or tubing strung between trees. The sap is boiled creating the syrup. After boiling 30-40 gallons of sap, a gallon of syrup is created. By the way, Connecticut has approximately 62,000 taps. Vermont? 2.25 million.The statistics collected also include the sugar content of the sap. The higher the sugar content the easier it is to create the sap. On average, about 39 gallons of sap were required to produce one gallon of syrup in the 2008 season. In 2007 it took 45 gallons.

Although it was a great season, maple sugarers struggled with increases in production costs. Lamothe said the price of plastic containers in which the syrup is sold went up 25 percent, utilities and costs to fire an evaporator with oil both doubled. He added the diesel fuel to operate a truck to collect sap daily was "also a killer." In 2007, the average price per gallon in Connecticut was $53.90 — the highest in the nation.

"We have loyal customers, so it's hard to pass on price increases," he said. "But you have to decide to go up or get out. Everything has gone up and the overall economy is going to have an impact."

In the report, maple sugar harvesters are asked for their comments on the recent season. And a sugarer from Fairfield County probably summed up the 2008 maple sugaring season for everyone.

"Best season in recent memory," the sugarer wrote. "The sap flowed from start to finish. We ran out of wood, jugs and ambition, so we pulled out taps."

Column ideas and suggestions are welcome. Peter Marteka can be reached by phone at 860-647-5362; by mail at The Courant, 200 Adams St., Manchester, CT 06040; and by e-mail at pmarteka@courant.com.

Pork Tenderloin and Maple Syrup

2008-07-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

Pork tenderloin and maple syrup: A love storyJuly 1, 2008
By Louise Duhamel Fine Dining Chef Instructor, New England Culinary Institute

The Barre Montpelier Times Argus

Original story at:
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/FEATURES17/807010330/1034/FEATURES17

Sometimes I feel as if I have fallen into a maple syrup cauldron, the way the Obelix character in "Astérix and Obelix" cartoon series falls into the magical potion. I love that sweet stuff and I always seem to want more. Born in Quebec, on the south shore of Montreal, I was raised by parents who came from families living on farms. Most of them still live along the Richelieu River where the best maple syrup farms are. Yes, I maintain what I am saying; no offense to Vermonters. I am not impartial in this matter, and I like to keep it this way. Though I will say, Vermont syrup is not bad at all.

I remember the fun we had as kids, at my father's cousin's sugar house, following the adults picking up the maple water, eating scrambled eggs poached in maple syrup, tasting my grandpa's "réduit," to which he always added a bit of brandy. It was always a great family reunion, especially on Easter Sunday, when chocolate and maple syrup were our high sugar diet of the day! When I graduated from Université du Québec with a degree in communications, I was lucky to find myself promoting lots of great artisan products made in Quebec: maple syrup, apple butter, maple toffee, maple liquor. I loved telling people how good maple syrup was on pancakes, waffles, French toast, and bread pudding; how it gave just the right sweetness to grapefruit or a strawberry salad with fresh ground pepper. One of my favorite uses then was grated maple sugar on a thick slice of homemade bread, served with heavy cream.

Later when I became a professional cook, I started to explore the use of maple syrup in savory cooking, and found another dimension to it. Of course, my mother used to serve it over ham … with pineapple! I developed my own recipes, a series of delicious dishes such as crispy quail salad with a warm maple and mint vinaigrette; a seared salmon with maple soy glaze; duck breast with ginger, coriander and maple gastrique; potato wrapped scallops with maple tomato "ketchup;" maple glazed carrots with venison.My love story with maple syrup continues with this recipe for pork tenderloin with maple, sherry, raisin and pine nut sauce, for four people. I hope you enjoy this dish.

Equipment:1 medium size sauté pan that can go into oven1 slicing knife1 cutting board1 serving spoon1 whisk1 quart heavy-bottomed stainless-steel pot that does not react to acid foodOven at 350F

Ingredients:24 ounces pork tenderlointo taste salt and pepper as needed;vegetable oil1/2 cup Vermont maple syrup1/2 cup sherry vinegar2 quarts veal stock (available in specialty food stores or make your own)3 tablespoons golden raisins3 tablespoons currants3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (pignolia)juice 1/2 lemon1/2 teaspoon lemon zest3 tablespoons butter from Vermont Butter and Cheese Company

Gastrique is a thick sauce produced by caramelizing sugar (in this case maple syrup) and reducing vinegar (sherry vinegar). Often gastrique will be fruity (golden raisins and currants). Reduction is the process of thickening a liquid (gastrique plus veal stock) by evaporation. As simple as this recipe is, there are a few steps that need attention. Slow cooking the sauce is a must; otherwise the amount of sugar in this sauce will develop into bitter flavor. So be patient because sauce will take some time to make; this is why you want to start making the sauce before cooking the pork.

Pour the maple syrup and the sherry vinegar into the sauce quart pot. Heat over medium heat. Reduce gastrique until evaporated by half. You should see lots of bubbles developing on the surface of the reduction. Add veal stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer the sauce until it is "nappé," which means that the sauce should coat the back of a wooden spoon.Add raisins, currants, pine nuts, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk in the butter (at NECI we would say "monté" with butter, because the richness of the butter will expand the sauce and give it a nice mouth feel). Add freshly ground pepper to taste. Notice that I am not adding any salt. Salt would bring down both the sweet and the acid taste, which are needed for a good balanced flavor.Keep the sauce on very low heat or over a double boiler to keep it warm until needed.Meanwhile pork should be cooking. Season the pork tenderloin well with salt and pepper. Sear on all sides in a hot sauté pan. Finish cooking your pork in the oven at 350F for about 25 minutes for medium (rosé or "à point" for me). Pull pork from oven, cover with foil, and let rest on a rack for 10 minutes. Resting meat prevents juices from leaking out of the meat and makes it tender.After it has rested, slice the pork tenderloin and fan it evenly on to 4 warm plates. (I always serve hot food on warm plates; it keeps your food at temperature for longer time). Pour 2 tablespoons of sauce over the sliced pork (or much if you like it so much!)

I like to serve this dish with roasted vegetables. Since you need your oven turned on anyway, you might as well take advantage of it. I usually choose what is in season, although I do have a preference for baby carrots, turnips, beets, celery root, and fingerling potatoes. Green or red braised cabbage would be also delicious. If you prefer more texture on the plate, julienne (cut into fine strips) the cabbage and simply stir fry it Chinese style. I would then add a little bit of ginger to the maple sherry sauce. You could also try to substitute many other fruits, both fresh and dried, for the raisins: dried cranberry, cherry, blueberry, apple, peaches, pear, pineapple, melon, banana, mango, papaya, cantaloupe … alleluia!

HUDSON-CHATHAM 100% NATURAL SYRUPS BACK IN STOCK

2008-05-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

Sugarmaking is over, and bottling is done!

We now have our full selection of 100% natural and local maple syrups available for purchasing.

Amber Grade A Maple Syrup

Rustic Dark Grade B Maple Syrup

Dirty Syrup

Vanilla Maple Syrup

Raspberry Maple Syrup

Come on down and experience a tasting today!

ANNOUNCING RASPBERRY MAPLE SYRUP FROM HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

2008-05-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

It's here!

Made from our fresh raspberries picked on our farm, in the rows right next to our vineyards. The syrup is made only with 100% natural maple syrup, Grade A Amber, and our fresh, tart raspberries. The syrup is a red nose full of raspberries, and fun and sweet. It's great for pancakes and waffles, as well as perfect for ice creams and dessert toppings. Perfect for when you're plating elegant dessert treats!

It's available now!

ANNOUNCING MAPLE VANILLA SYRUP FROM HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

2008-05-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

It's here!

This new syrup is a grade A Amber syrup filtered and boiled with fresh Madagascar extra-long vanilla beans. This gives this light syrup a smooth, soft, mellow, delicious taste you won't soon forget!

Available now from the Hudson-Chatam Winery!

SUGAR MAKING GOES INTO APRIL

2008-04-15T05:45:00.000-07:00

Had a talk with Mike Bennett one of our other sugarmnakers who helps us out at the winery. Mike was telling us that sugarmaking in New York state went well into April, and as late as tax day, sugarmakers across the state would be still shaking the last drips off their taps, and boiling the last of their gallons of maple syrup. Mike is a member of the Upper Hudson Maple Producers Asociation.

We're boiling and filtering and bottling from late March to mid-to-late April, fining our maple syrups before bottling them.

Here's a few pictures of Mike and his constant companion black shepherd.