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The production of maple sugar, or “sugaring,” hasn’t
changed much since the time of the Indians. According to legend,
Indians first produced maple syrup when a brave stuck a tomahawk
in a maple tree. The sap flowed into a container that had been
left at the base of the tree, and the Indian squaw, believing
the clear liquid to be water, placed the container over the
fire. The boiling resulted in a sweet flavor, and the production
of maple syrup began!
Although there are many such stories told, we do know that early
settlers produced and used maple syrup as a basic sweetener.
In early times, gashes were cut in the maple trees to allow
the sap to flow, but it was soon discovered that drilling a
hole in the tree resulted in good sap flow and less damage to
the tree. Today, even as equipment has been modernized, the
basic process of producing maple sugar remains the same.
S&S Maple Camp, one of Maryland’s largest producers
of maple syrup, is located in Corriganville, Maryland, ten minutes
west of Cumberland. This family business has been in operation
since 1968, but founder, Leo Shinholt, proudly states that he
has been making maple syrup for nearly 50 years!
The maple sugar season generally runs from the first part of
February through mid-April. The right weather conditions determine
the length and success of the maple season. Warm, sunny days
and frosty cold nights are ideal for mapling. The maple season
may last for 8 to 10 weeks, but the heavy sap may only run 10
to 20 days. The harvest season ends with the coming of spring’s
warm nights and the first stages of bud development of the trees.
According to Mr. Shinholt, last year (2001) was a good year
for the maple sugar industry. With a lifetime of experience
in the business, it comes as no surprise that he has some tried
and true methods of predicting the sap run for the season. They
are:
“Wind from the North, sap comes forth.” “Wind
from the West, sap runs best.” “Wind from the East,
sap runs least.” “Wind from the South, sap is a drought.”
During a normal year, S&S Maple Camp brings in 8,000 to
10,000 gallons of sap each day. But it may surprise you to know
that it takes between 48 and 60 gallons of sap to make just
one gallon of maple syrup! When the sap has been collected,
it is brought to the sugar house, and it is here that the actual
processing is done. The evaporator, or large tank used for boiling
the water from the sap, domin-ates the sugar house. Most evaporators
are covered by hoods, which carry steam from the boiling process
out through vents in the roof. Great white plumes of steam rising
from sugar houses are a familiar sight in spring. As the sap
becomes more concentrated, it flows to the syrup pan, a flat-bottomed
pan where the sap cooks slowly to prevent burning. Sap becomes
syrup at approximately 7 degrees above the boiling point of
water. The finished syrup is then filtered to remove any impurities,
graded and packaged either in drums for later use, or in smaller
containers for immediate sale.
100% pure maple syrup is a true delicacy of nature. Many people
think they have eaten maple syrup all their lives, but most
are wrong. When you buy pancake syrup at the grocery store,
it is usually corn syrup with a small amount of maple syrup
added for flavor. True maple syrup can be kept for a very long
time. Once the contain-er has been opened, the syrup should
be refrigerated. If pur-chased in a large container, it’s
a good idea to transfer the syrup to several smaller containers.
Even if the syrup begins to ferment, or in some cases, mold
may appear, the syrup can be reheated to the boiling point and
skimmed. This process should restore the flavor of the maple
syrup.
Although there are over 200 different species of trees in the
maple family, the two most preferred and most commonly tapped
are the sugar maple and the black maple. The maple tree is usually
30 years old before it is tapped, and each tap will yield approximately
10 – 15 gallons of sap per season. The commercial production
of maple products in North America occurs primarily in the northeastern
United States and southeastern Canada, since this is the geographic
area with the greatest abundance of sugar and black maple trees.
Two species also tapped for commercial production, but to a
lesser extent, are red and silver maples. The red maple, as
compared to the sugar and black maple, is a relatively short-lived
tree, rarely living longer than 150 years. Also, the red and
silver maples begin growth in the spring earlier than the sugar
and black maples, resulting in a much shorter collection season.
Here in Western Maryland, the S&S Maple Camp exclusively
taps sugar maple trees, and they process the sap from 6,000
to 10,000 taps on their beautifully maintained farm in Corriganville.
You can order pure maple syrup by calling or writing the S&S
Maple Camp, but if you are in the area, stop by for a visit!
Generous with their time and talents, the Shinholt family welcomes
visitors anytime. They are proud and delighted to share their
expertise in the maple sugar business. In fact, Mr. Shinholt
was featured in a Maryland Public Television special on the
maple sugar industry in the mid-1980’s, a program that
is still shown today!
Although modern technology has streamlined the industry in some
ways since the Indian first threw that tomahawk, the pure and
simple goodness of maple syrup remains the same. Also unchanged
is the enduring commitment of a family-run business like S&S
Maple Camp. The Shinholt family, and all those who work with
them, are a testament to the timeless principles of hard work,
dedication and service with a smile – pure and simple!
Maple Recipes
BAKED BEANS
1 quart parboiled beans (dried limas, navy, etc.)
1 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Dry mustard
1/4 lb. Sliced bacon
Place all ingredients together in a casserole dish, placing
bacon slices on top. Bake in a 300° oven for 4 hours. Serves
6 - 8.
MAPLE FUDGE
1-1/2 cups maple syrup
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 TBSP. Butter
1 cup nuts (optional)
Cook maple syrup, sugar and milk for 12 minutes after it begins
to boil. Remove from heat. Add butter and nuts (if desired).
Stir until thick and pour into buttered tin.
MAPLE PUDDING
3 TBSP. Tapioca
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 egg, beaten
1-3/4 cups milk
3/4 tsp. Maple syrup
Mix first five ingredients in a pan and let stand for five minutes.
Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat
and stir in maple syrup. Stir once after twenty minutes. Serve
warm or cold.
MAPLE SPRING CHICKEN
1 (2-1/2 to 3 lb.) chicken, cut up
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
dash of pepper
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp. Grated lemon rind
Place chicken pieces in a shallow, buttered baking dish. Mix
remaining ingredients and pour evenly over chicken. Bake uncovered
at 325° for 50 – 60 minutes. Baste occasionally. Excellent
over rice. |
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