March is my favorite winter month…longer days, the sun is higher in the sky, and the winds that blow hold the promise of spring. Time to plan the gardens, start seeds, and repot the houseplants. Another sure sign of the changing season is the galvanized metal buckets hanging from the maple trees that line the roadways, and the miles of plastic tubing that provide the continuous flow of sap to sugar house.
On March 21 and 22, Maine will celebrate one of our oldest customs, the production of maple syrup. More than 100 sugarhouses across the state will welcome families to learn about maple sugaring, a process deeply rooted in the Maine’s history and culture. One of the largest producers of maple syrup in the United States, behind Vermont and New York, Maine sugarbushes produce over 575,000 gallons of maple syrup, employ over 800 full-time and part-time jobs, contributing more than $55 million to our economy.
Spring is the perfect time for folks to explore the outdoors and indulge in Maine’s official state sweetener. Warm sunny days and below-freezing nights start the flow of sap from sugar maple trees. Learn to identify these trees, help collect sap buckets or observe a maple gravity tubing system. Enjoy breakfast, sugar on snow, and maple cotton candy.
Maple sugar, the product of maple syrup reduced even further, was an important food for Native Americans. Because sap is a large percentage of water, they would allow the sap to freeze and discard the ice to produce syrup. The syrup would then be emptied into wooden troughs, and hot rocks used to reduce it further. Because the early settlers had iron pots and metal tools, the process became streamlined. Today many sugar houses use reverse osmosis to remove the water, and wood fired evaporators to produce syrup.
Tree to table or tap to bottle, the distinct flavor of real maple syrup cannot be duplicated. When our tribe was young, we participated in this annual rite of spring, enjoying the steamy aromas of boiling sap and wood fires, baby farm animals, and maple treats. Maine maple producers, like winemakers, take great pride in their product and their art. Each batch is uniquely different, and we love tasting the different variations and procuring four gallons, our year’s supply of syrup.
Because the syrup doesn’t freeze, the freezer is the best place to store open one-gallon jugs. Or the syrup may be heated to 180 degrees and canned in sterilized jars. A boiling water bath for 10 minutes seals the pint or quart jars.
Maple syrup is delicious in salad dressings, as a sweetener for whipped cream, tossed with roasted root vegetables, and even in baked goods, although the original recipe may require a bit of tinkering. The recipe for Apple Maple Gingerbread is from my archives and uses two important Maine foods: apples and maple syrup.
Like a pineapple upside down cake, the taste of Apple Maple Gingerbread reminds me of the great French dessert, Tart Tatin. The apples are cooked until soft in butter and maple syrup, then covered with a cake batter made with grated fresh ginger and maple syrup. Once baked and inverted, the result is a pretty, golden, crispy, caramel and apple cake. Delicious! Served with a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream, this confection is the perfect dessert or snack with your morning coffee.
Check out the Maine Sugar Houses offering fun family activities on March 21 and 22 by visiting www.mainemapleproducers.com. Bring your snowshoes and be sure to wear boots and warm clothing. Bring home your stash of Maine maple syrup and bake this springtime treat, Maple Apple Gingerbread.
Sugar Houses open this year in our neck of the woods include Back Ridge Sugar House in Winterport, Nutkin Knoll Farm & Sugarworks in Newburgh, Honeybee Acres Farm in Orrington, Beaver Hill Plantation in Freedom, Church’s Sugar Shack in Columbia Falls, and Williams Family Farm in Clifton.
Apple Maple Gingerbread
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup Maine maple syrup divided
- 1- egg
- 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1- teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 apples peeled, cored and cut into quarters
Instructions
- Assemble ingredients and tools. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt the butter in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet or ovenproof pan. Set aside.
- Grate the ginger and set aside. Peel, core, slice the apples and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and ground ginger. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, grated fresh ginger, ½ cup Maine maple syrup, sugar and yogurt. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
- Add the dry ingredients, whisk to blend
- Add ¼ cup Maine maple syrup and the sliced apples to the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter in the skillet.
- Cook the apples in the syrup, turning, until they start to soften, about 5 – 8 minutes.
- Space the cooked apples evenly in the pan and spoon the batter over the top and smooth.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 35-42 minutes. If the cake starts to brown before the center is done, turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes.
- Invert it onto a plate and cut it into 8 slices.
- Serve with a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream.
Nutrition