Tapping the Maple tree
Please consider donating to Behind the Black, by giving either a one-time contribution or a regular subscription, as outlined in the tip jar below. Your support will allow me to continue covering science and culture as I have for the past twenty years, independent and free from any outside influence.
Regular readers can support Behind The Black with a contribution via paypal:
If Paypal doesn't work for you, you can support Behind The Black directly by sending your donation by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman, to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
I grew up eating Log Cabin syrup. Then I moved to Vermont!
If you’ve never tried REAL maple syrup, you’ve got no idea what you are missing.
Nectar of the gods! If I may be so bold…
Log Cabin = corn syrup
Maple syrup is great but expensive.
INSOMNiUS–
They have switched from high fructose corn syrup, but not sure if they use sugar now or what. But, zero actual “maple-syrup” content.
Help me out on this– I sorta recall Log Cabin having something like “15%” “maple-syrup,” in the late 60’s/early 70’s. (and it came in these log-cabin shaped metal tins.)
That’s an old brand, Minnesota region I think, but no clue who owns them now.
We have some limited scale maple-tapping going on in Michigan but nowhere near the scale of Vermont. (We do however, grow a lot of Cherries/Apples & assorted fruit-tree crops.)
I thought the “Canadian Strategic Maple Syrup Stockpile,” was hilarious…
Anyway… yes, the real-stuff definitely has a distinct maple taste, unlike any of the synthetic-flavorings one normally encounters.
Sorry, I can’t help you with that info on LogCabin, wayne. But I do remember a story about SueBee Honey pushing through some kind of legislation that allowed them to call their product 100% SueBee Honey if the contents were at least 51% honey.
I still fondly remember a school field trip to the Bailly Homestead, which was making maple syrup in the traditional way, including actual horse-powered production and period clothing. And ever since that day, I would always complain to my mother for trying feed us that ‘maple glue’ crap.