Bottled maple syrup produced in Quebec. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk

Maple syrup is a sweetener made from the sap of maple trees. Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or In Canada and the United States it is most often eaten with pancakes, waffles, french toast, cornbread or ice cream. Pancakes are a type of Flatbread prepared from a sweet batter that is cooked on a hot Griddle or in a Frying pan. A waffle is a light batter cake cooked in a Waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape French toast (often known as eggy bread in most of the UK - the exception being Scotland and Northern Ireland pain perdu in French pain doré in French-speaking Cornbread is a generic name for any number of Quick breads (a bread leavened chemically rather than by Yeast) containing Cornmeal. Ice cream or ice-cream (originally iced cream) is a frozen dessert made from Dairy products such as Milk and Cream, combined It is sometimes used as an ingredient in baking, the making of candy, preparing desserts, or as a sugar source and flavoring agent in making beer. Baking is the technique of prolonged Cooking of Food by dry heat acting by conduction, and not by radiation, normally in an Oven, Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water to which a variety of flavorings and colorants is added Dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal usually consisting of sweet Food but sometimes of a strongly-flavored one such as some Cheeses The Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea Sucrose is the most prevalent sugar in maple syrup. Solubility of Pure SucroseTemperature(Cg

It was first collected and used by Native Americans/First Nations and was later adopted by European settlers. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. First Nations is a term of Ethnicity that refers to the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis people

Production

Maple syrup production is centered in northeastern North America, and is commonly associated with Quebec in Canada and Vermont in the U. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. S. However, given the correct weather conditions, it can be made wherever maple trees grow. Usually, the maple species used are the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and the black maple (Acer nigrum), because of a high sugar content in the sap of roughly two percent. Acer saccharum ( Sugar Maple) is a species of Maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia Acer nigrum ( Black Maple) is a species of Maple closely related to A A maple syrup production farm is called a "sugar bush" or "the sugarwoods". Sugar bush refers to a Forest stand which is exploited for Maple syrup. Sap is often boiled in a "sugar house" (also known as a "sugar shack" or cabane à sucre), a building which is louvered at the top to vent the steam from the boiling sap. Sugar shack redirects here For the song by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs see Sugar Shack. For the French museum see the Louvre A louver (American English or louvre (British English from the French l'ouvert

Canada makes more than 80 percent of the world's maple syrup, producing about 7 million US gallons in 2005. US customary units, also known in the United States as English units or Imperial units (in reference to the British Empire) (but see English The vast majority of this comes from Quebec: the province is by far the world's largest producer, with about 75 percent of the world production (6. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk 515 million US gallons in 2005). [1] The provinces of Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island produce smaller amounts. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's New Brunswick ( French: Nouveau-Brunswick /nuvobʁɔnzwik/ is one of Canada 's three Maritime provinces and is the only constitutionally Prince Edward Island (ˌprɪns ˌɛdwɚd ˈaɪlɨnd ( PEI or P

Vermont is the biggest U. S. producer, with 450,000 US gallons in 2007, followed by Maine with 225,000 US gallons and New York with 224,000 US gallons. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Wisconsin, Ohio, New Hampshire, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Connecticut all produced marketable quantities of maple syrup of less than 100,000 US gallons each in 2007. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. ^[1]

Traditional tap

Two taps in a maple tree, using plastic tubing for sap collection.

Traditionally, maple syrup was harvested by tapping a maple tree through the bark and into the wood phloem, then letting the sap run into a bucket, which required daily collecting; less labour-intensive methods such as the use of continuous plastic pipelines have since superseded this, in all but cottage-scale production. In Vascular plants phloem is the living tissue that carries organic Nutrients (known as photosynthate particularly Sucrose, a sugar to

Production is concentrated in February, March, and April, depending on local weather conditions. Freezing nights and warm days are needed in order to induce sap flows. The change in temperature from above to below freezing causes water uptake from the soil, and temperatures above freezing cause a stem pressure to develop, which, along with gravity, causes sap to flow out of tapholes or other wounds in the stem or branches. To collect the sap, holes are bored into the maple trees and tubes (taps, spouts, spiles) are inserted. A spile is a small Wooden peg used to control the flow of Carbon dioxide out of a Cask of Ale. Sap flows through the spouts into buckets or into plastic tubing. Modern use of plastic tubing with a partial vacuum has enabled increased production. This vacuum means "absence of matter" or "an empty area or space" for the cleaning appliance see Vacuum cleaner. A hole must be drilled in a new location each year, as the old hole will produce sap for only one season due to the natural healing process of the tree, called walling-off. Maple sap is collected from the buckets and taken to the sugar house; if plastic tubing and pipelines are used, then the pipelines are arranged so that the sap will flow by gravity into the sugar house, or if that is not possible, into holding tanks from which the sap is pumped or transported by tanker truck to the sugar house. Sugar shack redirects here For the song by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs see Sugar Shack. Sugar shack redirects here For the song by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs see Sugar Shack.

A small scale evaporation pan used in Ohio.

A sugar house where sap is boiled down to maple syrup.

During processing, called sugaring-off, the sap is fed automatically from a storage tank through a valve into a flat pan called an evaporator where the sap boils down until so much water is lost that it forms a sweet syrup. The process is slow, because of amount of water that must be boiled off. Approximately 40 litres of sap must be boiled down to make one litre of maple syrup (i. e. , 39 litres of water must be boiled off). A mature sugar maple produces about 40 liters (10 gallons) of sap during the 4-6 week sugaring season. Trees are not tapped until they have a diameter of 25 centimeters (10 inches) at chest-height and the tree is at least 40 years old. Most contemporary producers use a 5/16" or 19/64" (7. 94 mm or 7. 54 mm) outside diameter drill bit to drill with. A tap hole depth of 1" to 1 1/2" (25 mm to 38 mm) is a commonly recommended depth.

Starting in the 1970s, some maple syrup producers started using reverse osmosis to remove water from sap before being further boiled down to syrup. Reverse osmosis (RO is a separation process that uses pressure to force a Solution through a membrane that retains the Solute on one side and allows the The use of reverse osmosis allows approximately 75 to 80% of the water to be removed from the sap prior to boiling, reducing energy consumption and exposure of the syrup to high temperatures. Microbial contamination and degradation of the membranes has to be monitored. Foodborne illness (also foodborne disease) is any Illness resulting from the consumption of food The cell membrane (also called the plasma membrane, plasmalemma, or "phospholipid bilayer" is a Selectively permeable Lipid bilayer

Maple syrup is sometimes boiled down further to make maple sugar, a hard candy usually sold in pressed blocks, and maple taffy. Maple sugar is what remains after the sap of the Sugar maple is boiled for longer than is needed to create Maple syrup or Maple taffy. Maple taffy (sometimes maple taffee in English-speaking Canada, tire d'érable in French-speaking Canada also sugar on snow in the United Intermediate levels of boiling can also be used to create various intermediate products, including maple cream (less hard and granular than maple sugar) and maple butter (creamy, with a consistency slightly less thick than peanut butter). Maple cream, also known as maple butter or maple spread, is a confection that is made from Maple syrup, by cooking the syrup to approximately 234 degrees

Starting in the mid 80's, northern communities in the province of Quebec began to open the "Cabane à Sucre" or Sugar Shacks to the public. These sugar shacks were generally located on large maple farms and often were built solely for tourist purposes. These sugar shacks serve maple syrup direct to the public and also are often restaurants serving maple syrup inspired meals and treats.

Grades

U. S. , Vermont, and Canadian grading

U. S. Syrup grades. Left to right, Vermont Fancy, Grade A Medium Amber, Grade A Dark Amber, Grade B

In Canada, there are three grades containing several color classes, ranging from Canada #1, including Extra Light (sometimes known as AA), Light (A), and Medium (B); through #2, Amber (C); and finally #3 Dark (D). A typical year's yield will include about 25-30% of each of the #1 colors, 10% Amber, and 2% Dark. Extra light syrups are recommended for making maple sugar candy, on pancakes and waffles; Light for French toast and cornbread, desserts and cereals; Medium for glazing, sweetening, or eating on its own. French toast (often known as eggy bread in most of the UK - the exception being Scotland and Northern Ireland pain perdu in French pain doré in French-speaking A glaze in Cooking is a coating of a glossy often Sweet, substance applied to food Number 2 grade syrups are intended for baking and flavouring. In addition, Canada #2 Amber may be labeled Ontario Amber for farm sales in that province only. ^[2] Number 3 grade syrup is heavy, and restricted for use in commercial flavourings.

Grading standards are the same for most of the United States. Maple syrup is divided into two major grades, Grade A and Grade B. Grade A is further broken down into three subgrades: Grade A Light Amber (sometimes known as "Fancy"), Grade A Medium Amber, and Grade A Dark Amber. Grade B is darker than Grade A Dark Amber. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets uses a similar grading system of color and taste. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets (VAAFM or sometimes colloquially the agriculture department is a Vermont executive agency (or cabinet The grade "Vermont Fancy" is similar in color and taste to U. S Grade A Light (Fancy). The Vermont grading system differs from the U. S. in maintaining a slightly higher standard of product density. Vermont maple is boiled just a bit longer for a slightly thicker product. The ratio of number of gallons of sap to gallon of finished syrup is higher in Vermont. Maple syrup is sold by liquid volume, not weight; however, a gallon of Vermont Grade A Medium Amber weighs slightly more than a gallon of U. The volume of any solid plasma vacuum or theoretical object is how much three- Dimensional space it occupies often quantified numerically S. Grade A Medium Amber. The Vermont graded product has one-half percent more solids and less water in its composition. A non-table grade of syrup called "commercial", or Grade C, is also produced. This is very dark, with a very strong flavor. Commercial maple syrup is generally used as a flavoring agent in other products.

The grades roughly correspond to what point in the season the syrup was made. Canada #1 Extra Light and U. S. Grade A Light Amber is early season syrup, while Canada #2 and #3/U. S. Grade B is late season syrup. Typically #1 Extra Light and Grade A (especially Grade A Light Amber) has a milder, more delicate flavor than #3 or Grade B, which is very dark with a robust flavor. The dark grades of syrup are primarily used for cooking and baking.

Off-flavours

Sometimes off-flavours are found in maple syrup. While this is more common toward the end of the season in the production of commercial grade product, it may also be present early in the season during the production of Canada #1 grade or U. S. Grade A Light. Identification of off-flavour in table grades is cause for ceasing production and either dumping the product or reclassifying the product as commercial grade if the off-flavour is slight. Off-flavours are described as: metabolism, derived from metabolic changes in the tree as spring arrives and having either a woody, popcorn, or sometimes peanutbutter-like flavour; buddy, referring to the swelling of the new buds and its impact on the flavour and having a bitter chocolate or burnt flavour; and ferment, an off-taste caused by fermentation and having a honey or fruity flavour, often accompanied by surface foam. Metabolism is the set of Chemical reactions that occur in living Organisms in order to maintain Life. Fermentation is the process of deriving energy from the oxidation of organic compounds such as carbohydrates using an endogenous electron acceptor which is Additionally, if trees are stressed or fighting off disease or insects (eg. gypsy moths), they will produce a folic-like acid causing a bad taste. The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, is a moth in the family Lymantriidae of Eurasian origin After an ice storm, trees may also produce the same acid.

Use in food and cultural significance

Maple syrup and its artificial imitations are the preferred toppings for pancakes, waffles, and French toast in North America. Pancakes are a type of Flatbread prepared from a sweet batter that is cooked on a hot Griddle or in a Frying pan. A waffle is a light batter cake cooked in a Waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape French toast (often known as eggy bread in most of the UK - the exception being Scotland and Northern Ireland pain perdu in French pain doré in French-speaking Maple syrup can also be used for a variety of uses, including: biscuits, fresh donuts, fried dough, fritters, ice cream, hot cereal, and fresh fruit (especially grapefruit). A biscuit (ˈbɪskɨt is a small baked product the exact meaning varies markedly in different parts of the world This article is about a particular kind of food that is known by the specific name "Fried dough A fritter is any kind of food coated in batter and Deep fried. Ice cream or ice-cream (originally iced cream) is a frozen dessert made from Dairy products such as Milk and Cream, combined Porridge, or porage, is a simple dish made by boiling Oats (normally crushed oats occasionally Oatmeal) or another cereal in Water The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. The grapefruit is a subtropical Citrus Tree grown for its Fruit which was originally named the "forbidden fruit " of Barbados It is also used as sweetener for applesauce, baked beans, candied sweet potatoes, winter squash, cakes, pies, breads, fudge and other candy, milkshakes, tea, coffee, and hot toddies. Apple sauce (or applesauce) is a Purée made from Apples It can use peeled or unpeeled apples and a variety of spices or additives such as Cinnamon Baked beans is a dish consisting of Beans baked (or despite the name usually stewed) in a Sauce. The sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas) is a Dicotyledonous plant which belongs to the family Convolvulaceae Squashes generally refer to four species of the genus Cucurbita native to the Mexico and Central America, also called marrows depending Cake is a form of Food that is usually sweet and often baked. A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a Pastry dough shell that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or Savoury ingredients Bread is a Staple food prepared by Baking a Dough of Flour and Water. Fudge is a type of Confectionery which is usually very sweet extremely rich and sometimes flavored with Cocoa. Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water to which a variety of flavorings and colorants is added A milkshake is a sweet cold beverage which is made from Milk, Ice cream or Iced milk, and flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup or chocolate Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom For the beverage made from the sap of various species of palm tree see Palm wine.

Maple syrup and maple sugar were used during the American Civil War and by abolitionists in the years prior to the war because most cane sugar and molasses was produced by Southern slaves. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Abolitionism was a political movement of the 18th and 19th century which sought to make Slavery illegal particularly in the United States and British West Indies Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae Molasses or Treacle is a thick Syrup by-product from the processing of the Sugarcane or Sugar beet into Sugar. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive Slavery in the United States began soon after English colonists first settled Virginia in 1607 and lasted until the passage of the Thirteenth During food rationing in World War II, people in the northeastern United States were encouraged to stretch their sugar rations by sweetening foods with maple syrup and maple sugar, and recipe books were printed to help housewives employ this alternate source. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

In Quebec, eastern Ontario, and New England the process has become part of the culture. One tradition is going to sugar houses (cabanes à sucre) in early spring for meals served with maple syrup-based products, especially the dish known variously as Tire sur la neige (in Quebec), maple taffee (in English Canada), and sugar on snow (in the United States). Maple taffy (sometimes maple taffee in English-speaking Canada, tire d'érable in French-speaking Canada also sugar on snow in the United English Canada is a term used to describe one of the following English Canadians a term usually meaning English-speaking Canadians as opposed to The United States of America —commonly referred to as the This is thickened hot syrup poured onto fresh snow and then eaten off sticks as it quickly cools. This thick maple syrup-based candy is served with yeast-risen doughnuts, sour dill pickles, and coffee. A doughnut (also spelled "donut" is a sweet Deep-fried piece of Dough or batter. A pickled cucumber, most often simply called a pickle in the United States and Canada, is a Cucumber that has been pickled in a CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom

Owing to the sugar maple tree's predominance in southeastern Canada (where European settlement of what would become Canada began), its leaf has come to symbolize the country, and is depicted on its flag. Several U.S. states, including New York and Vermont, have the sugar maple as their state tree. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government In a number of countries plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas A scene of sap collection is depicted on the Vermont state quarter. Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The 50 State Quarters program ( is the release of a series of commemorative coins by the United States Mint.

Imitation maple syrup

Many "maple-flavored syrups" are imitations (table syrups), which are less expensive than real maple syrup. In these syrups the primary ingredient is most often high fructose corn syrup flavored with sotolon, with little (2-3 percent) or no real maple syrup content. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS is any of a group of Corn syrups that has undergone Enzymatic processing to increase its Fructose content and is then mixed Sotolon (also known as sotolone, caramel furanone, sugar lactone and fenugreek lactone) is a Lactone and an extremely powerful They are usually thickened far beyond the viscosity of real maple syrup. Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a Fluid which is being deformed by either Shear stress or Extensional stress. Since U. S. labeling laws prohibit these products from being labelled "maple syrup," many manufacturers simply call the imitation "syrup" or "pancake syrup. This article is based around UK Law and some European Union regulations and therefore is region sensitive "
Québécois sometimes refer to imitation maple syrup as sirop de poteau ("pole syrup"), a joke referring to the syrup as having been made by tapping telephone poles. A utility pole, telegraph pole, telephone pole, power (electricity pole, or telegraph post is a Pole used to support overhead

Crescent Foods Inc. In 1905, created the popular imitation maple flavoring called Mapleine. Bought out by McCormick spices, it still distributes "Crescent Mapleine" in limited-production runs. ^[3]

References

1. ^ USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
2. ^ Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association
3. ^ HistoryLink Essay: Crescent Manufacturing Company

See also

• Birch syrup
• Sap (plant)
• Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association
• Rubber tapping

External links

• The North American Maple Syrup Council – includes extensive links to state and local maple syrup producers associations and other maple-related links. Birch syrup is a sweetener made from the Sap of Birch Trees and used in much the same way as Maple syrup. The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association (VMSMA founded in 1893, is the oldest non-government agricultural organization in the United States Rubber tapping is the process by which Rubber is gathered An Incision is made in the bark of a Rubber tree, which cuts through the Latex
• Do More With Maple!
• MapleSource.com Your Maple Product Development Source
• "North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual" (1st edition), edited by Melvin R. Koelling and Randall B. Heiligmann, Ohio State University Extension (Bulletin 856), 1996. The Ohio State University ( OSU) is a Coeducational public Research university in the state of Ohio. (archived at Internet Archive#Wayback Machine) – "The Bible" of maple syrup production. The Internet Archive ( IA) is a Nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining an on-line Library and archive of Web and A much updated 2006 edition is available in printed form.
• "Maple Syrup Quality Control Manual" by Kathryn Hopkins, University of Maine Cooperative Extension (Bulletin 7038)
• Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association & Vermont Maple Foundation
• Cornell Sugar Maple Research & Extension Program
• University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center
• The Massachusetts Maple Producers Association
• The Canadian Encyclopedia: Maple Sugar Industry
• "Pure Pennsylvania Maple Syrup": A Photo Essay by Peter J. The University of Maine, established in 1865 is the Flagship University of the University of Maine System. Singhofen, 2005.
• "A Sugarbush Tale": Short documentary about small-scale maple-syrup production in Vermont
• Cooking For Engineers - Kitchen Notes: Maple Syrup Grades
• "Fresh From Vermont’s Maples, a Taste of Terroir" by Jane Black, New York Times, December 20, 2006.
• Statistics by State (June 2005).