Now offering a new way to get your maple kicks. Maple sugar is a cooked-down version of pure maple syrup which has been boiled and stirred/strained down into a granulated form with minimum moisture content and nothing added. This was the traditional preservation method early settlers used for a sweetener before refrigeration or cane sugar was readily available.…
Just in time for Easter we are offering a Maple Sugar Bunny! This 4.5 ounce bunny is made from 100% Pure Vermont Delicate Maple Syrup. Also available are our gift boxes of smaller bunnies, chicks and butterflies to complete any Easter Basket!
It’s the first of January, our thoughts are turning to tapping our sugarbush and the sugar house once again looks like a disaster zone.
The chaos is once again in the sugar house as we begin to improve our operations. The arch is torn apart and the pieces create paths through the sugar house. This year we bought a new air- tight door and blower for our arch. The arch is a frame that contains the firebox and supports the pans we use to boil sap make syrup. The new air-tight front will make the boiling more efficient by using less wood, which is a natural and renewable resource for us.
We also bought 2 new front pans ( there are 2 pans on the rig, a smaller front pan and a much larger rear pan). By having 2 front pans where the sap is the most concentrated while cooking we can switch the pans out and clean one while using the other.
The change is tapping in January, this is directly tied to the seasonal changes occurring here. When I was young ( I’m talking 25 years ago), we tapped during winter vacation – this is the end of February until the first Wednesday in March ( the day after town meeting which here in Vermont is considered a holiday). Due to weather pattern changes we are tapping up to six weeks earlier and making syrup a month before we use to. Its change, so far it doesn’t seem to be a huge issue as far as being able to produce maple syrup. I admit, When we tap in January we’re not fighting with huge amounts of snow, so it goes so much faster and easier. I can’t view that as a negative.
Loaf of Maple Oatmeal Bread
While I’m not complaining about the much-needed rain we’ve been having, it does make me change my menus a little bit! I dusted off my bread machine (which hubby says has a Lot of dust from in frequent usage!) and made this simple loaf of Maple Oatmeal Bread. We had it with a nice roast chicken dinner and tonight I’ll serve the last of it with the chili that’s in the crockpot.
Bread Machine Maple Oatmeal Bread
From the Second Edition Official Vermont Maple Cookbook
1 cup very hot water
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons softened butter
1/4 cup Pure Vermont Maple Syrup
3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar (granulated maple or white)
1 teaspoon salt
1 package of dry yeast
1 large egg, unbeaten
Maple Oatmeal Bread
Combine hot water , rolled oats, butter, maple syrup and salt in a dish. Let cool to lukewarm. Add egg. Follow your bread machines directions for adding wet and dry ingredients and yeast. Use a white bread setting.
2 lbs of sausage links
3/4 cup Robust Maple Syrup
5-6 apples
Core and slice apples into a baking dish. Cut sausages into bite size pieces. Bake at 400* for 15 minutes, stir, reduce heat to 350* and bake 15 minutes more.
Nice for breakfast or even better a late night breakfast/supper. Pair with scrambled eggs and panfried potaotes!
