Maple syrup is iconic to Canada. Most likely because so much of the world’s maple syrup comes from Canada, specifically from the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.
In the spring as the weather warms up, the sap begins to run and is collected over a period of about a month. The maple sugar bushes are tapped to collect the sap. Tapping involves drilling a small hole in the tree about waist height and inserting a spout. The sap flows through the spouts and is carried via tubes to collection tanks near a sugar shack. The sugar shack houses an evaporator where the sap is boiled down to the sweet, concentrated syrup we all enjoy – especially on pancakes!
Did you know?
It takes about 160 cups (40 liters) of sap to boil down to 4 cups (1 liter) of pure maple syrup. For maple products such as butter, taffy, or sugar the syrup is further boiled in the evaporator to reach the temperature necessary to produce the different types of maple products.
Video courtesy of White Meadows Farms
Is Maple Syrup Sustainable?
Maple syrup is pure and natural, and producers must adhere to strict guidelines and standards set forth by Canadian law and provincial producer organizations. Each year the sugar trees are tapped in a slightly different area to preserve the health of the tree and ensure the sustainable growth of the maple sugar bushes.
Maple sugar bushes give back to the environment with the forests in Quebec alone offsetting the carbon emissions from 770,000 vehicles each year.
Infographic courtesy of Québec Maple Syrup Producers.
Canadian Food Story: Dietitian Carol Harrison