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DiscoverMaineMagazine.com
It Makes No Never Mind by James Nalley
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t the time of this publication, it will be March, which is consistently voted by Mainers as one of the two worst months in Maine (the other one being November). Typical words for such an “accolade” include: cold, wet, dead, windy, blah, and “I just want to see something green.” Well, since it is always good to look on the bright side of things, March just happens to be the best month for maple tree sapping. Every March, regardless of the snow levels, the cold nights and relatively warm days inspire the maple trees to send their sweet sap up their trunks in order to feed the buds. This is also when “Maine Maple Sunday” occurs, in which maple producers throughout the state open their doors and allow the public to see how, for example, 40 gallons of maple sap are turned into one gallon of pure Maine maple syrup. Held on the fourth Sunday in March, this annual celebration includes more than 100 sugarhouses, each offering various activities such as sap-boiling demonstrations, syrup tastings, guided tours, and culinary delights ranging from pancakes and candies to maple syrup-topped desserts and baked beans.
In regard to maple syrup itself, there are many interesting facts. First, for those that are health-conscious, maple syrup happens to provide up to three times the sweetening power of cane sugar, with only 40 calories per tablespoon. Second, maple syrup is rich in minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, and iron, and it has the same calcium content as whole milk. Third, Maine has a mandatory maple syrup grading law that all producers must follow. According to a March 2011 article in The Free Press, all commercially sold Maine maple syrup must be one of three grades: 1) Grade A Light Amber (a lighter version made from the first, brief flows of the season); 2) Grade A Medium Amber (a slightly darker version with a stronger flavor that is best on pancakes, waffles, etc.); 3) Grade A Dark Amber (a stronger, darker version of Grade A Medium Amber that is not bitter and can be used in both cooking and at the table); and 4) Grade A Extra Dark Amber (the darkest version with less sweetness and more robust flavor that is best used in recipes such as baked beans). Finally, as stated in Maine Living, “Tapping the maple trees does no permanent damage and some
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maple trees can be tapped for more than 150 years.” For those interested in attending one of these events and enjoying “Maine’s Official Sweetener,” the date is March 22, 2020, and a full listing of participating sugarhouses can be found on the Maine Maple Producers Association website at www.mainemapleproducers. com. Well, on this note, allow me to close with the following syrup-inspired jest: A pharmacist returns to work after a short lunch break. He finds his assistant busy behind the counter and a man holding his stomach and cowering against the wall. The pharmacist asks, “What’s going on?” The assistant explains that the man came in with a very bad cough and asked for some cough syrup. “Well, did you give it to him?” asked the pharmacist, after which the assistant says, “No, we didn’t have any.” Then the pharmacist asks, “So WHAT did you give him?” “Oh, just some dark maple syrup and some strong laxatives,” replies the assistant. The pharmacist yells, “What were you thinking?! That combination doesn’t work!” The assistant smiles and says, “Well, his coughing definitely stopped since he’s too afraid to do it anymore.”
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