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What Is It? |
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As spring approaches in eastern Canada, two traditions are repeated
each year. The first is a rather sad and somber affair, with
the recurring elimination of the Toronto Maple Leafs NHL team
from a successful run at the coveted Stanley Cup. The other
is the fascinating ritual of tapping the maple (Acer spp.)
and the creation of treasures that tantalize the palates of
those who are fortunate enough to have access to maple products,
be it at the sugar bush (cabane à sucre), candy store or in
one's home.
As
early as 1540 European explorers, travelling on the St. Lawrence
River, observed the abundance of the North American maple forests
and by 1606 the maple syrup process of sap collection and subsequent
evaporation had been fully recorded. Under the guidance and
generosity of the indigenous peoples, the process of harvesting
maple sap has turned into a large, sustainable industry in parts
of Canada and the United States.
Early explorers and settlers noticed that the indigenous population
slashed certain trees and then collected the sap. The harvesting
process evolved, with producers boring small holes into trees
and inserting a device (spile) that allowed the sap to be collected.
This less invasive system limited damage to the maple, so the
tree's health was not compromised as it was by the hack-and-slash
method.
The collected liquid was then boiled down to create sweet syrup
or cake that was used to sweeten foods or eaten as candy. Once
discovered by the settlers, it was thought that its commercial
production might lessen dependence on sugar cane products from
the Caribbean.
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