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The history of maple syrup in Quebec |
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The
maple sugar time is during spring, march and april, when it is freezing
during the night and above 0 degree during the day. It is very
important that freezing is occuring during the night, otherwise no water
will flow from the tree. To make maple syrup, we recuperate the
water circulating between the wood and the bark . This water is
sweetened. We boiled it to evaporate and keep the sugar. We
need forty (40) liters of water to produce 1 liter of maple syrup.
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The
amerindians used their tomahak to split the bark, inserted a little
peace of wood to direct the water in a little bucket made of birch’s
bark. To boil the water, they used a cauldron made of cooked earth.
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One
thousand seven hundred (1700): It was the method used by our ancestors.
They carved the inside of a half log to fabricate a container.
With a branch of cedar tree, they builded a tube to recuperate the water
(spout). The water was poured in the wood container, at the bottom
of the tree. When the log was full, they poured the water in a
cauldron of cast-iron. They boiled outside, in the wood. To avoid
wind and rain, they built a little camp. |
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One
thousand eight hundred fifty (1850): The sugar shack arrived as we know
it today. We improved the method in recuperating the maple water.
We builded wood pail (bucket) and little spout. We poured the
water in large barrel that the horses or the bulls carried to the sugar
shack. At this time, the maple sugar was the only available sugar,
so we call it the “country sugar”.
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One
thousand nine hundred fifteen (1915): The metal was introduced.
At this time, we began to build metalic pails, spouts and evaporator.
This method is still used today for those who own one thousand maples or
less. It is a party in spring, all the family take part to make the
maple syrup. For those who own a lot of trees, the method used is the
tubulure (pipe). Every tree is notched and connected at a pipe to
the main pipe which carry the water directly to the boiler.
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The
maple tree is knotched when it reaches twenty-five years old. It
will produce one liter of maple syrup during the spring time. The
maple tree could live up to two hundred fifty years.. At the end of the
season, we take out the spout. The tree healed by himself and the
next year we drill a new hole to start the process again.
The
products made with the maple water are:
The
maple sugar still good for five years and more. When it is open,
put it in the refrigerator and it still good for two years.
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For
us, quebecers, it is a tradition to go to the sugar shack on spring
time, drink “caribou” and eat a good meal. The caribou is an
animal but it is also a mix of wine and alcohol who put you in the
ambiance in a short time. The meal, also called “Sugar time
feast” is compose of the pea soup, ham, omelet, pork beans, the
“oreilles de crisse” (salted back bacon), meat pie, very good with
the fruit ketchup, and potatoes. For desert, the pancakes served
with maple syrup. It is served family style, they bring big plates
on the table and we served ourselves as we wish.
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