Saturday, March 5, 2011
First batch of maple syrup
I tapped the tree last Saturday and then it got cold. With the days in mid 30s, I was getting very little flow. I got to not paying attention and the dam burst yesterday. From just a trickle with an inch and a half depth in my 2.5 bucket, when I checked last night, it was over flowing. I filled my 8 quart kettle and left it simmer over night. No sense getting it too humid in here. I woke to a very pleasant smelling house this morning. Adding the remainder of the bucket of sap water, I turned up the heat and boiled it down. First batch got me about 3/4 of a pint of syrup. At $8.50 a pint, we might break even this year. I may finally go buy a candy thermometer. It is the surest way of knowing when the syrup is done. The color came out golden, not the dark variety you find in stores. Supposedly the lighter the color, the better it is. I don't know about that, it does have a look like honey, but definitely a maple taste and sure is good on buckwheat pancakes.
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4 comments:
Good for you, huck. I bet it is yummy!
sounds amazing!! kk and I had the privilege to be spoiled by Cyndi's a couple years ago, yummy!
it's alot of work, I don't' think I have the patience to do it
Yum. Huck, do different varieties of maple trees produce different flavored syrups? I thought only Sugar Maples were tapped, but you guys have been talking about Silver Maples (which a lot of people consider weed trees).
According tho this website:
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Buds_and_Bark/tapping_sugar_maple_index.html
WHAT KIND OF TREES? The trees suitable for tapping include all of the maple family: sugar, silver and red maples as well as box elder. Sugar maple sap contains the highest concentration of sugar (2% or higher according to weather conditions and the health of the tree). Box Elder produces a weaker sap, but one which is especially delicious to drink as is, tasting like a slightly sweet spring water. Other species of trees which reportedly may be tapped including walnut, hickories, sycamore and sweet birch. Trees to be tapped should be at least 1 1/2 feet in diameter, have large healthy crowns, and be well exposed to the sun.
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