– Sources:
– Sugar maple, black maple, and red maple are primarily used for maple sugar production due to their high sugar content in sap.
– Red maple has a shorter season than sugar and black maples, affecting the sap’s flavor.
– Other maple species like box elder, silver maple, and bigleaf maple are occasionally used for sap.
– Birch and palm trees can also be sources of similar sugars.
– Maple sugar can be produced from various tree species.
– Preparation:
– Maple sugar is the solid sugar left after boiling sugar maple sap longer than for syrup or taffy.
– It consists of about 90% sucrose with varying amounts of glucose and fructose.
– Sold as pressed blocks or translucent candy, it requires skill to prevent burning.
– The process involves boiling off most of the water content.
– Maple sugar is a concentrated sweetener alternative to cane sugar.
– Regulation for product labeling:
– In Canada, maple sugar falls under regulations that require business identity and country of origin on product labels.
– Canadian regulations also cover other maple products like maple butter and maple taffy.
– The Food and Drugs Act and Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act govern maple sugar labeling.
– Proper identification of maple sugar products is mandatory in Canada.
– Maple sugar labeling ensures consumer information and product traceability.
– History:
– First Nations/American Indian peoples historically made maple sugar for its portability and long shelf life.
– The Anishinaabeg refer to maple sugar as “ziinzibaakwad.”
– Maple sugar was transported on ships like the Blessing of the Bay in the early 17th century.
– Maple syrup and sugar were used during the American Civil War as alternatives to cane sugar.
– Abolitionists like Lucretia Mott distributed maple candies with anti-slavery messages.
– Uses:
– Maple sugar is used to flavor various products and as a substitute for cane sugar.
– It has been historically significant for its transportability and longevity.
– Native American techniques for making maple sugar have been demonstrated.
– Maple sugar offers a unique flavor profile compared to cane sugar.
– Maple sugar has cultural and historical importance in North America.
Maple sugar is a traditional sweetener in Canada and the northeastern United States, prepared from the sap of the maple tree ("maple sap").
 Ziiga'igaans (maple sugar cubes) being made in a ziiga'iganaatig (sugar press-mould) | |
| Type | Confectionery |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Canada and the United States |
| Main ingredients | Sap of the sugar maple tree |
