Mohawk Valley Trading Co. Maple Syrup #Giveaway

Maple syrup is made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, black maple, or red maple trees, however it can also be made from other maple species. Maple syrup production is mainly located in northeastern North America; specifically the northeastern states (including New York, Vermont and Maine) and the southeastern parts of Quebec and Ontario, Canada. Given the correct weather conditions, it can be made anywhere in the habitat range of the maple trees. In cold environments, the trees store starch in their trunks and roots before the winter; the starch is then turned to sugar that rises in the sap in the spring. Indigenous peoples from the northeastern part of North America were the first group known to produce maple syrup and maple sugar. Aboriginal oral traditions and archaeological evidence suggest that maple tree sap was being turned into syrup long before Europeans arrived. European settlers adopted the practice and advanced production methods. Several tribal legends passed on through oral story telling explain how maple syrup production began. Some stories give credit to the squirrel, the Nanabozho or the Glooskap. Another popular story claims that venison was cooked in tree sap and served to the chief. The sugaring season became an important time for aboriginal tribes. Rituals were celebrated based around sugaring and celebrating the first full moon of spring, the Sugar Moon. Maple syrup was used as a sweetener and a flavor enhancer. Native Americans collected syrup using primitive tools. They carved v-shaped notches into the tree trunks using sharp stones, they diverted the sap flow with concave pieces of bark or reeds into birch bark buckets. The sap was concentrated by freezing the sap and removing the frozen water or by dropping hot stones into the buckets to evaporate the water. The production of maple syrup is one of the only agricultural processes that evolved in North America. Pretty cool huh?

Mohawk Valley Trading Company maple syrup is made primarily from sugar maple sap, which is preferred for maple syrup production because it has an average sugar content of two percent. Sap from other maple species is usually lower in sugar content, and about twice as much is needed to produce the same amount of finished syrup. We eat a lot of pancakes and french toast, etc. in this house. One of our favorites. And I have to tell that this is thee best maple syrup we have ever had! Yum!

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