FAQ's
Q: What are some recipes using maple products?
A: Maple syrup is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of recipes. It adds a unique sweetness and depth of flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. Some popular recipes using maple products include:
- Maple-glazed salmon
- Maple-roasted vegetables
- Maple pecan granola
- Maple bacon-wrapped chicken
- Maple cinnamon rolls
Q: What are some other uses for maple syrup?
A: In addition to being a delicious sweetener, maple syrup can be used in various ways:
- As a natural sweetener for coffee or tea
- As a topping for pancakes, waffles, or French toast
- As a glaze for meats and vegetables
- As an ingredient in salad dressings or marinades
- As a flavoring agent in cocktails or mocktails
Q: What is the history of maple syrup?
A: Maple syrup has a rich history that dates back centuries. Indigenous peoples in North America were the first to discover the process of tapping maple trees and boiling the sap to create syrup. They used it as a sweetener and for medicinal purposes. European settlers later adopted the practice and maple syrup became a staple in their diets. Today, maple syrup is enjoyed worldwide and is synonymous with Canadian and American cuisine.
Q: What are the ingredients of pure maple syrup?
A: Pure maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees. The sap is collected and then boiled down to remove the water content, resulting in a concentrated syrup. The only ingredient in pure maple syrup is maple sap. No additives or preservatives are used in the production process, making it a natural and wholesome sweetener.
Q: When is maple syrup season?
A: Maple sap is generally collected in late winter early spring. Here at Big Lake Maple we generally tap our trees in mid February and finish in early April. Every year is different as the syrup season is strictly weather dependent. larger operations with many more trees will start tapping their trees as early as December 1st.
Q: What type of weather do you need to make syrup?
A: The perfect weather for trees to produce sap is warm during the day and below freezing at night. A typical sap run will occur when day time temperatures approach 40 degrees F and night temps are in the low 20's. This temperature swing forces the sap to travel up and down inside the tree. We are trying to extract the sap while it is moving from the roots of the tree, to the branches up above.
Q: What is maple sap?
A: Sap is basically the blood of the tree. During the winter it is stored in the roots of the tree. When the weather begins to warm and the tree thaws, natural pressure within the tree, draws the sap up into the branches. Sap is water that has sugar and other minerals that the tree uses to grow leaves. The typical sugar content is 2% sugar, with some trees getting up to 5%.
Q: Can anyone make maple products?
A: Yes, anyone can make maple products with as little as one maple tree. You can find beginner kits online or at your local Agriculture store or Tractor Supply. Plenty of videos for beginners exist on the internet as well. Making maple products is a great family activity and a lot of fun once you get into it.
Q: What is the minimum equipment required to make syrup?
A: To make maple syrup you do not need much, many things you probably already have.
- A pot to boil your sap.
-A thermometer
- A drill to tap your tree
- A spout and a.bucket to collect your sap.
- A stove or turkey fryer as a heat source to boil.
Thats the bare minimum and you will be off making your own syrup.
If you have any more questions about maple products or would like to explore our range of maple-inspired items, please feel free to contact us. We are here to help!