It’s been a while since we updated you on current goings on in the world of maple. We’ve got a whole season to catch you up on. What happened in maple this summer? Here you go!
Lots and lots of industry things happened in maple this summer. One of the oldest and biggest US maple syrup equipment manufacturers, Leader Evaoporator Company, was acquired by H20 Innovations of Canada. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture published a report on the state’s maple products that wasn’t all good. And a long-awaited third edition of the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual has hit the shelves. It’s 434 pages long! And free. Another rant against the maple monopoly was published, and accoring to reports, inflation has yet to touch the price of maple. Both New York and Wisconsin have recently named maple as among their most valuable crops; while this may not surprise you, some of the other crops may!
In other surprises, sweet potato syrup is a thing. Who knew!?
The following new ways to consume maple emerged this summer: in a mushroom-infused syrup product called Forest Juice, in a new maple line at Tim Hortons, and in baked goods developed by some “seniorpreneuers,” a word we had to look up, and now love. As for a not-so-new way to consume old maple: scrape off the mold and boil.
Also in maple this summer: lots of coverage on indigenous foodways. Thanks to that reporting, we’ve got a book influenced by Abenaki heritage and culture to review for you entitled A Year of Moons: Stories from the Adirondack Foothills. In news that makes us regret the distance between here and the twin cities, award-winning Chef Sean Sherman is revitalizing indigenous cooking in Minneapolis, uplifting the culinary traditions of his Oglala Lakota ancestors. Work that is happening in tandem at local, native-lead farms like Dream of Wild Health Farm in Hugo, Minnesota. All of which brings us to another book we need to review for you: Sherman’s The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen. Even further west, the Hupacasath First Nation of Vancouver Island have a new business venture: making maple syrup from the big leaf maple. Not all of these pieces of news are really new, but the reporting is, and we appreciate it.
Also in maple this summer, several Canada-related matters. The goods on the real reason the Canadian flag has one red maple leaf (spoiler alert: it’s not about the syrup). The 28 other uniquely Canadian foods you need to try. And a funny thing the Canadian government has started doing: hiring foreign influencers to market maple syrup and poutine to . . . wait for it . . . Germany. Listen, if you haven’t had poutine yet, you just need to. It’s amazing, and we’re very excited for the German people!
And now you are all caught up!