FireFly

• Introduction

A History of Maple Syrup

• A Gift from the Natives
• Pioneer Sugar Makers

Making Maple Syrup

• Rarer than Gold
• How Maple Syrup is Made
• Sugar on Snow and Other Details

Enjoying Maple Syrup

• A Many-Flavored Thing
• Cooking with Maple

• Acknowledgments
• Selected Sources
• Photo Credits
• Index

Introduction

My fascination with maple syrup began when I was ten years old, when my parents moved us into the old farmhouse on the family farm. We had a woodstove for the very first time and there were two maple trees in front of the house that seemed perfect for tapping. Dad helped me and my brother put the taps in. We hung the pails diligently and every day after we hopped off the school bus, we checked for sap. We hounded our mother relentlessly until she let us use her best pot. We filled it with every drop of sap we'd collected and then we sat beside the woodstove and watched that proverbial pot boil.

When you're ten or eleven, making maple syrup can be a very disheartening experience. We watched all of our sap disappear, leaving only an inch or two of syrup in that pot. But mom used to be a Grade Three teacher, so the experience became a lesson in math, science, social science and geography, an opportunity to help us understand what was happening. A lot of her teachings came back to mind when I started work on this book.

The romance of maple syrup is unmistakable. Sugar shacks, wood fires, sleigh rides, traditional feasts and energetic folk music are woven into the fabric of a northeastern North American springtime.

Next year, I will be able to once again make my own maple syrup -- a few of the maple trees outside my country home are finally big enough to tap. I hope you enjoy this book and either try syrup making for yourself or visit a local sugar shack for a little hint of this springtime tradition!

Janet Eagleson

 

Offer readers a wonderful taste of the history of maple syrup... There is also a romance attached to making maple syrup... sugar shacks, sleigh rides, traditional foods, folk music.
- Barbara M. Houle  Telegram and Gazette News (Worcester MA)  2006 03 29

Great recipes ... cover the history of maple syrup and educates the reader in the making and grading of maple syrup today.
- Lois Cooper  Muskoka Today  2007 06 14

Full of information about our North American delicacy ... a complete volume that will teach children and adults everything that they wish to know about syrup making.... Well written in an easy, conversational style, it's also a great reference for teachers who want to incorporate syrup-making and sugaring into class programs.
- Deborah Quaile  Diversions  2007 04

A lovely little book... full of beautiful photos (historical and new) and descriptions of the cultures and customs centered on making maple syrup.
- Al Sicherman  Minneapolis Star Tribune  2006 04 27

Eagleson brings maple syrup to life in this fascinating look at the history, making, and enjoyment of this popular sweet liquid... Overall this is a fun and fact-filled work guaranteed to delight folks of all ages.
- Lisa A. Ennis  Library Journal  2006 08

The full story on maple syrup... This useful resource is also a beautiful book to view.
-   Due West Magazine  2006 04

Copiously illustrated with photographs.
- Julian Armstrong  Montreal Gazette  2006 03 08

Rosemary Hasner's joy in maple syrup and its production are evident in her writing... well written in an easy, conversational style, it's also a great reference for teachers who want to incorporate syrup making and sugaring into class programs.
- Deborah Quaile  Halton Compass  2006 03 10

The book explains the different colours, flavours, and grades of the golden syrup, with a brief history, tips and techniques for making your own, and delicious maple syrup-based recipes.
- Laila Mallouf  Destinations  2007 03

Fun and fact-filled ... guaranteed to delight folks of all ages. ... A complete and fascinating resource filled with history, romance and sweet flavours.
- Rob Mooy  Kingston This Week  2007 03 02

[Captures] every aspect of maple syrup--from its history to tapping and collecting sap to its various grades, flavors and colors. The book even offers recipes for using your hard-earned maple products. Vivid photos help tell the story of this North American tradition. The Maple Syrup book is your complete resource for maple syrup.
- Stephanie Staton  Hobby Farms  2009 03