The Sap is Running!

Maple syruping time throughout New England has arrived. Syrup enthusiasts from Maine to Connecticut are outdoors tapping their maple trees and allowing the clear tree sap to trickle out of the tree trunks into collection buckets or hoses. After hours of boiling down the winter sap over hot fires, the liquid will be reduced and a thick amber syrup with a taste like no other will remain…maple syrup, one of nature's true and pure bounties. 

We all have our favorite ways to enjoy our syrup, but maple syrup on pancakes with golden butter is as Amerrican as apple pie. Churn your own butter and it is even better! 

You can also try making maple butter and spreading that on toast, English muffins or waffles. 

Ingredients for Maple Butter

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter, at room temperature
3 tsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. crushed pecans, lightly toasted
a pinch of sea salt

Preheat overn to 300 F. Toast crushed pecans for 5 minutes in oven. Watch them closely - they are easy to burn! Once lightly toasted, set pecans aside to cool. Place butter in a mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula or spoon, thoroughly mix maple syrup into butter. Next, mix in toasted pecan bits. Add a dash of sea salt. Be sure to taste it as you add salt.  Once mixed, pack butter into a ramekin or shape into a log using plastic wrap.