Maple Syrup Time

My grandmothers would have laughed at the idea of a 100-mile diet. The food they relied on came from their large gardens. As fruit and vegetables came into season they were used fresh, but more importantly they were preserved, as this would become their main source for meals during the winter. Through the eyes of a child these colourful and well-stocked pantries were amazing works of art.

I’m always delighted when, in fall, I can stand back and admire the colourful array of home-made preserves that line my pantry shelves. It’s such a feeling of accomplishment! I like to think my grandmothers would have been pleased with these efforts.

My season starts in March. My husband and I make our own maple syrup from silver maple trees in our backyard. A few years ago I read an article that said you could tap any maple trees, not just sugar maples, so we decided to try it. That first year we ended up with about 2 litres (approx. 8 cups) of syrup. Each year, since then, we’ve refined our operation, and last year we made 9 litres.

The first year I did the “cooking off” in the house. It didn’t matter how many fans were running or doors and window were open, eventually there was condensation running down the walls. There had to be a better way! The next few years we cooked in the backyard over an open fire pit. Definitely better, but still not great. Then we converted an old wood-burning stove and put up some wind breakers.