I have to confess that I didn't actually tap the maple trees this year. My husband was at home on President's Day (Monday) and he beat me to it! We have only about 12 trees that produce sap well and they can pretty much be tapped in an afternoon. So, the sap is dripping, and dripping with vigor! When the temperatures drop below freezing during the night, we get the maple sap popscicles like the one in the photo at left.
Maple sap is the first taste of spring; cold and wet and slightly sweet. It is ambrosia! Tasting it is also a good way to chip a tooth, so make certain that your open mouth is below the metal spile. (Writing this from experience - no chipped tooth, but a sore one, nonetheless! Do you think I'd remember to take a small cup with me to collect the sap rather than just tasting it right from the tree? Of course, which is more fun?)
Winter in our area of Wisconsin has been nearly non-existent. We've experienced only fits and bursts of snow, which would melt before the next snowfall could cover it. The temperatures have not dipped below zero degrees Fahrenheit...well, maybe once... so it should come as no surprise that the sap is running quickly this early in the season. In any other year, we'd just be getting our gear ready for the tapping day.
Cooking all that sap to syrup is a long process involving lots of wood, fire, steam, and syrup tasting. Do not try to cook the sap down in your house unless you want the wallpaper steamed from the walls. This is definitely an outside job. I remember collecting sap before catching the school bus when I was growing up, and I remember that my mother learned about the wallpaper trick before she moved the entire process outside onto the open back porch. We still have the old kerosene stove that my mom and my grandmother used for outdoor cooking, but it isn't too reliable and we have better luck cooking the sap in stainless steel pans over wood on our grill. The manner in which we cook the sap down might be primitive and not tremendously efficient, but the end result is a smoky, deep, rich, sweet taste that is unforgettable. Mmmmmmm.
So what does all of this sticky, sweet talk have to do with soap, you ask? We'll be making the maple sap soaps in the next few days, and you are invited to suggest ideas for the scent of a new one! Simply comment on the blog or send me an email by March 1, 2012. If your idea is used, we'll send you a free travel-sized bar of the new soap!
Sometimes the scent coming from the soap pot makes me think of oatmeal cookies, or breakfast, or lemonade. Too bad the soap doesn't taste as good as it smells!
I've made a note of your idea Jill Maria, and I'll keep you posted.
Posted by: Ann Marie | 02/28/2012 at 11:29 AM
I'm thinking that Ginger Maple would be a nice combination, with the invigorating quality of the giner and the smoothness of the sweet maple....
How come I always want to eat your soap?
Posted by: Jill Maria Murdy | 02/28/2012 at 10:18 AM
So glad you like our soaps! Sometimes a soap batch really does smell like a favorite food, such as oatmeal cookies or spearmint gum. Thank you for your suggestions; I'll keep you posted with our decision later this week.
Posted by: Ann Marie | 02/26/2012 at 07:52 PM
How about a french toast with maple syrup. That would be yummy smelling! Or maybe blueberry maple cobbler. Almost sounds like a recipe for eating instead of getting clean. :)
I love all of your soaps. Thanks for making cleaning up fun!
Posted by: Jenny Strohmeyer | 02/26/2012 at 06:12 PM
What great ideas! I can tell you that we do already have Citrus & Patchouli soap, but oops! we don't seem to have it up on the website. It will be available on the website as a rainwater soap ASAP. We do also have Lime Ginger, but not a softer, sweeter soap. I'll make a note of your suggestions for the new soap, and will keep you posted.
Posted by: Ann Marie | 02/24/2012 at 09:17 PM
How about a citrus or orange ginger soap? Now, that sounds good enough to eat, doesn't it? :-) Or perhaps a sandlewood soap? That would be delightful. Those are my ideas. Thanx for reading
Posted by: KELLY TOWLE | 02/24/2012 at 05:44 PM
i wish you had an orange and almond scent or patchlooi(spelling) very spicy.
i love you soap how ever it smells!!!!
Posted by: lisa batton | 02/24/2012 at 03:42 PM