There are four different kinds of maple trees native to northeastern United States, all of which produce spring sap flows, can be tapped and will produce maple syrup. The four trees are: Sugar Maple (or Hard Maple), Silver Maple (or soft maple), Red Maple (or Swamp Maple), and Ash Leafed Maple (or Box Elder).

The Sugar Maple is the main maple producing tree. The sap from the sugar maple contains about 3% sugar, while the saps from the others contain half to two thirds as much. Also, the syrup made from the other saps are darker and less flavorful.

Maple sap is thin, barely sweet, and as colorless as spring water. The distinctive maple taste comes only through boiling.

Where does the sap come from?

Maple sap is found in the living tissues of the roots, stems, twigs and trunk of the maple tree.

What causes the sap flow?

Sap flow is related to rising temperatures. Warming temperatures above 32 degrees F increases sap pressure. Sap runs in fits and starts from the first spring thaw until the buds turn into leaves from mid-March until April. A good maple season has warm days, but nights below freezing.

The North American Indians were the first to discover 'sinzibukwud', the Algonquin (a North American Indian tribe) word for maple syrup, meaning literally 'drawn from wood'.

They would use their tomahawks to make V shaped incisions in the trees, then insert reeds or concave pieces of bark to run the sap into buckets made from birch bark. Because no proper equipment was available, the sap was slightly concentrated either by throwing hot stones in the bucket or by leaving it overnight and tossing the layer of ice out which had formed on the top. It was drunk as a sweet drink or used in cooking.

The first white settlers and fur traders introduced wooden buckets to the process, as well as iron and copper kettles. Later they would bore holes in the trees and hang their buckets on home-made spouts.

Once the sap is collected it is boiled down into syrup the same day. It takes between 35 to 40 gallons of maple sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup. Once the final boiling is done, friends and family often celebrate with a 'Sugarin' Off' Party. A special treat is Maple Taffy...steaming, hot syrup poured over fresh clean snow.

Pure maple syrup is a natural food, processed from the pure sap of maple trees. During processing, the natural nutrients remain in the syrup.

Sugars: The main sugar in pure maple syrup is sucrose. The darker grades of syrup also contain small, variable amounts of fructose and glucose. In order of sweetness, sucrose is less sweet than fructose and sweeter than glucose.

Minerals and Vitamins: Maple syrup also contains minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. The primary minerals are: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, and iron. Vitamins include: riboflavin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, niacin, biotin, and folic acid.

Calories per tablespoon:

The grades of syrup are actually just differences in flavor and color. All grades are equal quality -- it's just a matter of personal preference. Read about the different grades of syrup.

The syrup grades vary with the seasonal changes of the tree sap. Vermont Fancy, for example, is the most difficult to make. It is only produced early in the season, because it requires colder temperatures. As the spring weather warms up, the syrup gradually darkens, giving us the other grades.