Maple Syrup in Massachusetts: A Sweet Tradition

Join us for Maple Day at the Boston Public Market: Sunday, March 20, 11am-4pm

In celebration of March being Maple Month in Massachusetts, join us for a special day dedicated to all things maple, including a pancake brunch in the KITCHEN, maple tastings, Kids’ Nook activities, a visit from the Massachusetts Maple Producers Association, maple candy (made right in front of you!), and special vendor promotions

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Guest blog written by Winton Pitcoff, Coordinator, Massachusetts Maple Producers Association

Every spring, hundreds of maple syrup producers in Massachusetts harvest sap from the state’s maple trees as they begin to thaw, and boil the sap down to make pure maple syrup. Sugarmakers combine modern equipment with techniques that are hundreds of years old to make one of the state’s sweetest and tastiest foods. Sugarmakers use sustainable management practices, carefully stewarding more than 15,000 acres of Massachusetts forest so that each maple tree they tap will yield pure, unadulterated maple sap – the only ingredient in pure maple products – for many generations. Massachusetts sugarmakers lead the nation in direct-to-consumer sales, and state producers have won more awards at the annual international maple contest in the last two years than any other maple-producing state or region.

Many Massachusetts sugarmakers welcome visitors during the sugaring season, allowing people to learn about how maple syrup is made, and taste and purchase pure maple syrup, maple candy, maple cream, and other delicious products. This year’s Maple Weekend is March 19-20, when sugarhouses around the state will be open to visitors who want to see syrup being made, learn about the process and history of maple production, and sample and purchase the Commonwealth’s sweetest crop. Many restaurants will feature menu items made with Massachusetts maple syrup that weekend as well. Lists of participating sugarhouses and restaurants are available at www.massmaple.org.

While most people know maple syrup as a breakfast topping, cooks and consumers alike are discovering the versatility of maple syrup, using it in baking, marinades, dressings, and even cocktails. The www.massmaple.org website contains many recipes that feature the distinctive taste of maple syrup. 

Pure maple syrup is fat-free, allergen-free, and is lower in calories than most other sweeteners. Recent research has revealed that pure maple syrup not only has a lower glycemic index than other sweeteners but also contains important anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.