By Kate Abbott
Definitely. It can be aged in a bourbon barrel, whipped with butter to spread on corn muffins, laced in a marinade with sriracha…around here, maple syrup has a life beyond pancakes (though the pancakes joyfully remain).
Rob Leab and his wife, Missy, have been tapping their trees at Ioka Valley Farm in Hancock since midwinter, whenever the weather warms enough to encourage sap to flow. They open their farm “Calf-A” for maple brunch on weekends through the sugaring season, into early April.
They are the third generation of farmers at Ioka Valley Farm and their spring sugaring breakfasts have grown over the years. On Massachusetts’ and New York’s Maple weekends, March 16–17 and 23–24, they will share some new recipes to sample—sauces, granola, ice cream, and more.
Early in the season, they see the lightest syrup, Missy said. They save much of theirs for maple cream and candy. As the season goes on, and the trees wake and their internal ecology changes to prepare for the growing season, the syrup naturally turns amber, with a bolder flavor. Later in the spring, the syrup becomes dark and robust, good for baking.
The season ends naturally when the trees’ buds open. Attention to flavor makes them aware of time. At Ioka, the Leabs are working to adapt to the changing climate and care for their trees. A practice that began with an outdoor fire pit and a kitchen stove has grown into a sugar shack with state-of-the art, energy-efficient equipment. They now use a process of reverse osmosis to remove water from the sap, concentrating the liquid to reduce the boiling time. Some things change—but the barn still fills with families on early-spring weekends, pouring fresh syrup over their pancakes.
More Maple!
Mike Patten’s team at Woodlife Ranch and Farm Market in New Lebanon, New York, is adding flavor to their sustainable forestry. At their farm store, you can try their syrups for breakfast on weekend mornings, with French toast and pancakes (and eggs and sausage). They also work with organizations that support Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Breakfast served 8 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays (kitchen open for lunch and early dinner every day)
woodlifefarmmarket.com
