What? No maple syrup on HAL?

[kazu]

Oh My, It never dawned on me that HAL does not have Pure Maple Syrup..On the Prinsendam we had French Toast about once a week & usually had breakfast in the Lido..We had either the small bottles of pure Maple Syrup or occasionally the staff served the small white cups filled with the syrup..I would be lost without my pure Maple Syrup..:(We've been purchasing the 32 oz pure Maple Syrup (Dark Amber) in either Sam's or B.J's in the past.. Hope they still have it..

I'll put pure Maple Syrup on my next list..

erin_cruisers...Thanks so much for posting your interesting pics of your Maple Syrup operation.. Hopefully, you will have a better crop this year..

Cheers...:)Betty

 

we had maple syrup on the Prinsendam too Betty - we have to remember she's not a standard HAL ship:)

 

As to maple syrup - our neighbour taps many trees in the neighbourhood and shares the spoils with the neighbours whose trees he has tapped.

 

Quite the procedure. It's a lot of work. but worth every bit of it:)

[sammygoose]

I saw a news story just yesterday of them boiling the maple syrup and they say this will be a good year. All the cold and wet were good conditions for the trees to produce well. :)

 

 

Sail, We are hoping!

I am knee deep in the syrup season here in Lanark County.

I am lucky enough to participate in the annual event from tapping, to collecting to boiling to the dreaded cleanup.

Last year was a complete write off but this year is trending normal. We have 400 taps and collect by hand and fire by wood. I am the chief wood sorter and provider and have worked up to junior evaporator fireman. My arms,back and shoulders would also mention lugging the pails of sap too!

I know what it takes to make the stuff and at 40 litres of sap to one litre of syrup that stuff is gold. We are currently pre sold out at $19/ litre with a waiting list.

My point is that IMHO it is just to expensive to be given away on a cruise ship for such a limited product in a limited season, in a limited area of the world.

I just don't think that HAL's price point allows for it.

For example when HAL gives away a free glass of champagne is it really from the champagne region of France? No. I'd make the same argument with maple syrup.

I personally don't eat the syrup offered on Hal ships because I too am spoiled by what I make with terroir. Also I enjoy the fruits of my spoils but if it was that important I'd just bring my own real stuff but with luggage weight limitations it's just too heavy!

[sammygoose]

As a (backyard hobbyist) Maple Syrup Producer, obviously it has to be 100% REAL! :D

I know most cruises and restaurants try to pass off the flavoured corn syrup as the real McCoy, but there is no substitute.

It IS more expensive, but isn't that the case with many other "real" foods?

 

For this reason, when we have it, I take my own Maple Syrup on the cruise.

(I only make 40 - 60 liters of Syrup a year)

I've also packed it in small 100 ml bottles and brought them on the cruise to give away at the Meet & Mingles.

 

Last year was a bad year for producers in Ontario and Quebec as another poster pointed out. Quebec manages the Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve,

and sits on approx 20 million kilos of bulk Syrup at any one time, and its pupose is to look after peaks and lows in supply and demand.

 

So in other words, if HAL decided to make a deal with one of our Canadian suppliers, I'm sure it could be done. :p

 

I enjoy making Maple Syrup just as a hobby (here in southern Ontario, you better enjoy doing something in the winter. LOL)

Thought you might enjoy a couple of pics of my "operation"

 

^ I'm old school - collect the sap in aluminum buckets

 

^ A look inside the sugar shack at my wood-fired & direct-air-injected evaporator.

 

^ My main pan at full boil. I boil for 8 hours to end up with approx 10 liters in one day.

The other pan at the right of picture is the supply pan and constantly drips fresh sap into the main pan.

I also have a smaller gas fired finishing pan that I use near the end of the operation. (visible far left in the 2nd pic).

 

Anyway, wherever and however you enjoy real Maple Syrup - Enjoy!!

 

Great pics Erin_cruisers! The first one could have been from our sugarbush with the aluminum buckets and lids. We pump and filter into a 1000 gallon holding tank to the evaporator then a separate finishing pan. No pipeline, no electricity,no automatic draw off.

We got 37 litres of syrup this Sunday after melting 150 gallons worth of ice and 125 gallons of fresh run sap . It was a 13 hour 'day off' from my other full time job!

[SwissMyst]

Aha, we always thought out West that a "sugar shack" was a candy store!

[erin_cruisers]

L:DL - Sugar shack = Candy Store.

(and in Amsterdam's red light district means another thing entirely)

 

Great pics Erin_cruisers! The first one could have been from our sugarbush with the aluminum buckets and lids. We pump and filter into a 1000 gallon holding tank to the evaporator then a separate finishing pan. No pipeline, no electricity,no automatic draw off.

We got 37 litres of syrup this Sunday after melting 150 gallons worth of ice and 125 gallons of fresh run sap . It was a 13 hour 'day off' from my other full time job!

 

Now THAT'S a professional operation! ;)

I've been to a couple of similar sized operations in Quebec.

At least you get to sell your product - I give all mine away.

 

My little evaporator is (proudly) homemade, and my holding tank is two 45 gallon olive barrels. :p

I've been boiling since we moved into our house 21 years ago. The first two years I boiled outside, (yes, even on rainy days).

 

I have to say though, that its given me an appreciation of many unique products that are still made by hand, the old fashionned way.

I appreciate the work that goes into it.

Thanks for sharing.

[TiogaCruiser]

Very cool operation, Erin. Its neat to see the buckets. (I have an old one from our family's operation in the 30's). Last time we visited it seemed like alot of the farmers are using the pipe and gravity instead of hanging the buckets.

Here's something you probably have seen but its a grin for those who may have not:

 

[SwissMyst]

....

Here's something you probably have seen but its a grin for those who may have not:

 

 

Could this be why you Yanks won the Civil War? :p

[TiogaCruiser]

To Serindipity (Betty): I sometimes buy the Dark Amber (B Grade) too for cooking as it has a stronger taste and is produced later in the season. That doesn't impress my family. Dad prefers what used to be Fancy- the first run of the season. It is (at least used to be) more expensive as it was coveted by the farmers who gather. A family member used to send us some of his very first run- which was almost clear and very delicate in flavor and not generally available for sale. (My family keeps it :D)

 

Personally, I prefer the old (vermont) Grade A light amber as it has a stronger flavor. But then, as a California native, I'm only part Yankee (but I'm Yankee at heart). Its my understanding that the old Grade A (Light Amber) is more expensive now as it is in more demand. Glenn, do you have anything to add on that????

 

Speaking of Yankees- family says that to most people a Yankee is someone from New England. To a New Englander, a Yankee is from Vermont. To a Vermonter, a Yankee eats pie for breakfast, to my family, a yankee eats pie for breakfast with syrup on top.

[TiogaCruiser]

Could this be why you Yanks won the Civil War? :p

 

 

Uhh, and don't forget the pie!

[TiogaCruiser]

Hey, do you think that HAL personnel would confiscate that bottle of Northern Comfort? Or charge a corkage fee????:eek:

[sammygoose]

L:DL - Sugar shack = Candy Store.

(and in Amsterdam's red light district means another thing entirely)

 

 

 

Now THAT'S a professional operation! ;)

I've been to a couple of similar sized operations in Quebec.

At least you get to sell your product - I give all mine away.

 

My little evaporator is (proudly) homemade, and my holding tank is two 45 gallon olive barrels. :p

I've been boiling since we moved into our house 21 years ago. The first two years I boiled outside, (yes, even on rainy days).

 

I have to say though, that its given me an appreciation of many unique products that are still made by hand, the old fashionned way.

I appreciate the work that goes into it.

Thanks for sharing.

 

Erin you are too kind! The cast iron arch for our evaporator was brought in during a winter 40+ years ago by a team of horses and stone boat. The pans were bought new last year courtesy of a government grant to get rid of the old lead soldered pans.

We only break even but you are totally right- we are outside after a long cold winter.

The first pic is the ice we melted Saturday in the old cast iron pan that was originally used to make the syrup. Propped up on cinder blocks or course. I noticed yours and laughed in solidarity. The other pics are for fun.

BTW we are SMALL fry! We drive by 2 one million dollar plus operations just to get to our Camp- Dunworkin' Farms.

[SwissMyst]

To add to the California take on all of this, I remember as a grade school kid seeing a movie about making maple sugar in New England and pouring it on the snow to make candy!.

 

So a friend and I scraped down the sides of our home freezer and poured some pancake syrup (fako maple I am sure) on our "snow" and couldn't understand why this glop did not turn into candy, just like in the movies.

[startwin]

I think Erin and Sammygoose should combine forces and make a proposal to HAL to provide them with the maple syrup:)

[TiogaCruiser]

I used to have a clipping from the newspaper from the 60's with Dennis the Menace holding a hand drill, a palm tree next to him, saying "I can just taste that syrup aleady".

 

Sure wish I still had it.....

[zorrosuncle]

Hi -- The maple syrup is right next to the tin containing the caviar. I know this as a fact!

 

ZU

[TiogaCruiser]

I think Erin and Sammygoose should combine forces and make a proposal to HAL to provide them with the maple syrup:)

 

 

And at least get some good OBC

[sammygoose]

I think Erin and Sammygoose should combine forces and make a proposal to HAL to provide them with the maple syrup:)

 

You are onto something Startwin, I am taking names. Taking them names.

Someday there will be a roll call with my name on it...and maybe a couple of others by chance and we are going to have a maplefest. It won't charter a ship but if fate throws us together I will damn the torpedos and bring my best to share! Blind tasting at breakfast-no winner. Everyone wins. I'd love to sample Erin_cruisers gold.

[two4me]

I am not to far from Erin... so let me try first!:D

[sammygoose]

I am not to far from Erin... so let me try first!:D

 

You're in two4me!

[superoma]

I'm on the other end of the province (windsor) when I am home but I love maple syrup. So if you get a Maple Syrup Charter going, count me in.

[SwissMyst]

At last, the name for HAL's new ship: the Acersacchardam! :cool:

[erin_cruisers]

A Maple Syrup Charter! :) I like it!!!

 

And I like the idea of trading Maple syrup for OBC on a HAL cruise.

(I'm not sure I'd get enough to offset my typical alcohol consumption though. :o )

 

 

To Serindipity (Betty): I sometimes buy the Dark Amber (B Grade) too for cooking as it has a stronger taste and is produced later in the season. That doesn't impress my family. Dad prefers what used to be Fancy- the first run of the season. It is (at least used to be) more expensive as it was coveted by the farmers who gather. A family member used to send us some of his very first run- which was almost clear and very delicate in flavor and not generally available for sale. (My family keeps it )

 

Personally, I prefer the old (vermont) Grade A light amber as it has a stronger flavor. But then, as a California native, I'm only part Yankee (but I'm Yankee at heart). Its my understanding that the old Grade A (Light Amber) is more expensive now as it is in more demand. Glenn, do you have anything to add on that????...

Yes its true that the first run of the season is the lightest and clearest.

Its called "Fancy" by some.

As the season progresses it gets darker and darker (and more flavouful some say). Finally, when the trees bud, and days and nights are consistently above zero its time to stop taking the sap.

In my case, because I only boil on weekends, and need the snow to keep my barrels cold, I have to stop when I run out of snow. :(

 

Here is a pic showing some of mine. Typical colour for me:

 

 

Now you might laugh if you knew what I usually put the majority of my syrup in - re-used and sterilized Grolsch bottles.

Since DW likes that beer, and buys the bottles with the pop-tops, we just re-cycle them.

For give-aways or special occasions I buy and use the basque bottles shown above.

 

And here is a sample of the fancy hand-painted bottle that a very good friend from Ottawa made for me:

 

She has a real talent. and all it cost me was a lifetime supply of maple syrup. LOL

 

To add to the California take on all of this, I remember as a grade school kid seeing a movie about making maple sugar in New England and pouring it on the snow to make candy!.

 

So a friend and I scraped down the sides of our home freezer and poured some pancake syrup (fako maple I am sure) on our "snow" and couldn't understand why this glop did not turn into candy, just like in the movies.

 

Yes, it works if you use the real stuff.

 

Another thing that we do out of tradition is pour some Canadian Club rye whiskey in a jar of boiling sap, and let it cool. Its good.

Although the official drink of our shack is lets face it - - - Beer.

[TiogaCruiser]

"She has a real talent. and all it cost me was a lifetime supply of maple syrup. LOL"

 

Hmmm.... THAT could be alot of syrup!

[catl331]

Our local garden club has an auction of items members received as gifts throughout the year and they don't really need. Every year there is a gallon of maple syrup. It is the main attraction. I get a kick out of the competition. You'd think they were auctioning off Biebers tee shirt! It usually goes for about $30 and the same member gets it every year. Ya gotta be there!!:p

 

(not me, I am laughing too much)

[dr.dawg]

now you've gone and done it -- all of you!!!! i'm going out right now on a maple syrup hunt. there WILL be pancakes, sausage, butter, and maple syrup -- regardless of the cost -- on the table in my mountain cabin today. yummmmm.