Warmer weather is already creeping in, and the early days of the new season – that time between true winter’s end and true spring’s beginning –  will be a busy time for many families as they work to make their annual batch of pure maple syrup.

The freezing nights and warmer days offer the perfect conditions for the sap to run, and the trees produce the best yield just before the active growing season begins.

Fast Facts

  • It takes 40-50 gallons of sap from a sugar maple to make a single gallon of maple syrup. But that number depends on the sap’s sugar content.
  • Though sugar maples are the most common and have the highest concentration of sugar, black, red, and silver maples as well as box elder trees are also used to produce maple syrup.
  • There are no additives, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives — just boiled down, natural sap that has reached the peak of sweetness.
  • Michigan is the fifth largest producer in the nation.

A Little History

Native Americans were pouring sweet sap onto their food long before foreign settlers discovered its goodness. Farmers got involved as they needed something to produce and sell in the off-season (before crops could be planted or harvested). But it was – and still is – a labor-intensive process. Originally, to collect the sap, the trees were tapped, a spile (a spout) inserted, and the sap allowed to flow into tin buckets waiting to catch the sap underneath. It was a very manual proposition to collect the buckets.

Though you’ll still see production done this way, today you’ll most likely see a complex network of tubing running from the trees and directly to the evaporator house, collecting the sap and running it through quickly with the help of a vacuum pump. Some producers can collect several thousand gallons of sap a day.

Sugar Bush

If you visit a local sugar bush, you’ll be able to see some of the production first-hand and take home a tip or two from the producers (along with some syrup of course). Traditionally held in late March and early April, a sugar bush is when a maple syrup producer hosts visitors so that they can enjoy the bounty of the harvest – often over a full pancake breakfast. The name of this gathering is also a reference to a stand of trees used for the production of maple syrup (a sugar bush). If you can’t make it to an official sugar bush, you’ll still be able to find Michigan-made syrup at farmers markets all across the state any season of the year. http://michiganmapleweekend.com/

Grades

Grades have nothing to do with quality – they have everything to do with color. Maple syrup shades range from light amber to dark brown. Does that mean there’s a difference in taste? Yes! The darker the color, the heartier the maple flavor. You get to choose.

Recipes Featuring Pure Michigan Maple Syrup

Branch out from the traditional pouring maple syrup over pancakes or oatmeal. The sweet, sticky stuff can be used for any meal of the day. We guess you could say that pure maple syrup is a taste of Pure Michigan! For more information, you can always visit the Michigan Maple Syrup Association at www.mi-maplesyrup.com, which includes a list of vendors and producers.  Grade B is typically used for cooking, but Grade A can also be used. (Click on the name of the recipe to be taken to the original source.)

Breakfast: Baked French Toast Casserole
Ingredients

  • 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Dash salt
  • Praline Topping
    • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
    • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1 cup chopped pecans
    • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

  1. Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs).
  2. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly.
  4. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.
  5. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
  6. The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  7. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.
  8. Praline Topping: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.

Lunch: Chipotle Maple BBQ Beef Brisket
Ingredients

  • One 3 1/2-to-4-pound beef brisket
  • 2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue rub
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup Chipotle-Maple Barbecue Sauce, plus more for serving
  • 1 cup beer

Directions

  1. Place the beef in a baking dish and sprinkle it with the Butt Rub.
  2. Stir the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar together in a small bowl and pour it over the brisket, turning it several times to coat it evenly on all sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal or gas grill or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Allow the brisket to sit at room temperature for a spell.
  4. Transfer the brisket to a plate, allowing any excess marinade to drip back into the baking dish. Reserve the marinade. Transfer the brisket to the grill or grill pan and cook, turning only once, until slightly charred but not cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
  5. Place the seared brisket in a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet and pour the reserved marinade over it. Stir the barbecue sauce and beer together in a small bowl and pour it over the brisket, turning it several times to coat it evenly on all sides. Cover the skillet with aluminum foil or a tight-fitting lid and roast the brisket for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until it pulls apart easily with a fork.
  6. Remove the brisket from the oven and let cool slightly. Transfer the brisket to a rimmed cutting board and thinly slice across the grain or use two forks to shred it. Serve the brisket warm, with additional warm barbecue sauce drizzled over the top or served on the table.

Dinner: Maple Glazed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed

Directions

  1. Whisk syrup, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, ginger and pepper in a small, shallow dish. Add chicken and turn to coat with the marinade; cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, turning once.
  2. Coat an indoor grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
  3. Meanwhile, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until reduced by about half, about 4 minutes. Liberally baste the chicken with the reduced sauce and serve.

 

Dessert: Chewy Maple Syrup Cookies
Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup Grade B maple syrup

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
  3. Beat in vanilla and egg until well combined. Add maple syrup and beat until combined.
  4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in two additions, stirring until just incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Drop dough by the tablespoon onto the baking sheet, keeping cookies three inches apart. Bake cookies until golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on sheet until moving to a cooling rack.