’Tis the season! Not Christmas, but Sugaring season. Much of the northeast, and even some of mid-Atlantic and mid-west states are knee-deep. Yes, some are still knee-deep in snow, but many are knee-deep into tapping Maple trees, running sap lines and boiling that sugary water into magical maple syrup.

If you’re from one of these areas, then you know, quite frankly, that you haven’t yet lived a purposeful life, if you haven’t had REAL Maple Syrup. Forget the stuff on the grocery store shelves, loaded with corn syrup and preservatives. Maple Syrup is all natural, using ONE ingredient. Sap from the Maple tree. As a matter of fact, Maple Syrup is made by taking something out of the sap, rather than adding to it. The trick is to remove, or boil down the water in the sap, leaving a heavy concentrate of all-natural sugar. 

Once you have Maple Syrup it can be used to drizzle on pancakes, French toast and waffles for breakfast, or over your ice cream for dessert. Mix a little Maple syrup in your butternut squash or turnip for a sweet spin on your side dishes. There are also numerous recipes you can find that substitute Maple syrup for refined sugar, turning your cookies and cakes almost into health food! 

But the one thing I find most fascinating is that by boiling the syrup even further to certain temperatures, you can make Maple cream, a delicious spread for scones and muffins, or Maple candies that melt in your mouth. These aren’t recipes you can walk away from, as the temperature and time you boil is crucial to the outcome, but if you put in the effort you won’t be disappointed. So fire up the stove top and make some Maple Magic! 

How to Make Maple Cream  (from Fresh is Real) 

Pure Maple Candy  (from All Recipes)