Sweet Reward

Finally, the home stretch.  Finishing off the syrup. 

 

Once the sugar water is concentrated, it's moved to a large pan over a propane burner.  There's it's cooked over a slow heat until the hydrometer floats.  This shows that there is a consistent amount of sugar.  You can just guess at this stage, but the hydrometer ensures that the syrup is the same thickness and sweetness every time.

 

Finishing off over the propane

Measuring with the hydrometer.  The glass valve floats when it's the right sugar level.

Relaxing in front of the fire.

My sister made this sign for my Pap sometime in the 80s - it's still there.

When it's ready, the syrup is filtered through a wool and cloth filter and then poured into jugs to seal. 

Pouring the finished syrup into the jug.

Finally, we eat!  I'm always amazed that for a little bit of effort (and a lot of time) we're able to take what nature gives and turn it into something sweet to enjoy all year.  It's one of the world's little miracles. 

The syrup is sweet, but all of the time spent with family, and sharing this tradition with my children and my father is the sweetest reward of all.  I hope that we continue to make syrup at the farm for a long, long, long time to come.  It's too sweet of a tradition to ever stop.

Banana Berry Nutmeg Pancakes

2 c. flour
2 c. milk or water
1 T baking powder
2 T sugar
1 t. salt
1 mashed banana
1 egg
1 t. nutmeg
blackberries or blueberries

Mix and cook as usual.

Banana Berry Nutmeg Pancakes with sausage biscuits and gravy  - Yum!

Tappin' Time - Part III

Once you bring all the sugar water back to the sugar house it's time to boil it down. Dad pumps the sugar water out of the tank on the tractor, and into the holding tank in the sugar camp. 

The amount of water is measured in the tank to approximate the number of gallons collected.  On this day we collected 90 gallons of sugar water.

Priming the Pump



Then the sugar water gets pumped into the evaporator pans. It's important to make sure that the temperature in the evaporating pans doesn't drop below 200, and that the water level doesn't drop below two inches in the pan.

 

 

Evaporator Pan

 

As the water boils down it gets sweeter and sweeter.  One of the best parts of sugaring season is drinking the sweet sugar water right from the evaporating pan.  It's hard to wait for the sugar water to be cool enough to drink.

It's hard to see in this picture, but this sugar water is already getting a nice caramel color.

Getting ready to sugar starts well before you bore the first tap.  All of the wood that's too hard to split, or too punky goes on the sugar camp pile.  It takes a lot of wood to cook down the sugar water into syrup.  It takes 40 - 50 gallons of sugar water to make 1 gallon of syrup.  That's a lot of wood.

Stoking the fire is a great reward after being out in the cold and being all wet and muddy.

Farmer Dan with his fourth generation sugarers in training

Tappin' Time - Part II

After we tapped trees, it was time to collect the sugar water from the trees that had been tapped by Dad previously.  It's funny... when my sister and I were the same ages as the kids we had to trudge out to the trees with the buckets - now my dad brings the buckets to them so they can fill their little buckets and dump it into the tank.  It's great to see my dad spoil them in this little way.

 

The kids have a great time riding behind the tractor, and there's a lot of laughing and giggling, and also a lot (I mean a lot) of mud.

 



The sheet filters out any bugs or dirt that might have fallen in the buckets. 

These were the origional trees my Dad tapped and they're still going strong.

On the last stop she carried a big bucket up to the trees and back by herself.

The hill was very muddy, so they worked to bring it down together.

Tappin' Time- Part I

Coming home to help with sugaring leaves me with a vast mix of emotions:  Nostalgia, Joy, Thankfulness, and Guilt. 

 

I love returning with my kids to share an experience I had every year as a child.  I get to revisit a little of my childhood, and I get to enjoy watching their enthusiasm.  Sugaring season is one of the most magical on the farm.

 

I'm so thankful that my Dad is still able to tap trees, haul buckets and spend long hours up at the sugar camp turning all that sugar water into wonderful, golden, sweet syrup.  I'm thankful for the conversations we have while sitting near the fire, and for the information he's passing on to me when he shows me how to do different parts of the process.

 

But, I'm also filled with a lot of guilt.  It's hard, really, really hard to live so far away from the farm. Although we make it up about once a month, especially at times like these, I miss being able to be there on a daily basis. 

 

My grandfather was able to run the sugar house until he was 87.  But, he wasn't doing any of the physical labor.  He spent long hours dozing in front of the fire, checking the level of the water, and tasting to decide when to move on to the next step.  During sugaring season, one of my first stops after school was to go out to the Sugar Camp to see Pap.  I have wonderful, warm childhood memories of sitting next to the fire with him.  I'm glad my kids get to experience sugaring once a year, but once a year just doens't seem like enough.

 

My Dad will turn 70 in just a few years.  He loves sugaring, but he knows that he can't tap as many trees, or haul as many buckets as he used to.  Hauling full buckets through deep snow, and then through even more treacherous mud is really a job for a younger person.  I can't help wishing at this time of year that I was close enough to come by every day to collect sugar water for my dad - just like he used to do for his dad. 

 

Most of the time I'm really content with my life, and with where we live.  But, there are definitely times like these when living so far away from the farm really creates a conflict in my soul. 

 

I'm trying to be content in the moment - it sure was a wonderful day. 

 

Step One - Tap the Trees



 

Load up the tractor with buckets, spiles, lids and kids - head out to the sugar bush

Tap - now we use an electric drill.  As a kid we used an old hand cranked one.  More romantic, but also a lot more work.

Blow out the hole, then catch the first drips on your tongue.

Tap in the spile

Hang the bucket

Add the lid

Hang out on the tank while you're waiting to drive to the next spot.

Rest up - Part 2 is harder...

Winter's Last Hurrah

Last week we used up the last of our store hot chocolate mix.  I don't plan to buy any more, but I'd like to have some on hand.  Thankfully, a good friend shared this recipe last week.  I can't wait to try her variations.  If we get any more cold weather I'll be pairing this with some homemade marshmallows and indulging with a good book.  

Cheryl's Hot Chocolate Mix

 3 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/4 cups cocoa
1 tablespoon table salt
Whole milk for serving
 
Optional:  cut the recipe in half and make one half special dark by adding more coco powder.
Also good with the addition of a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to the finished cup. 
For an adult version - add an "Irish" touch.

I'm still hopeful that we'll get in one more skiing day.  We went last week and had a fantastic time!  We joined up with two other families and found several other friends out on the slopes.  Soccer Boy decided to spend some of his birthday money to rent a snow board and he spent the whole afternoon perfecting his snow boarding technique.  I'm so proud of him for getting up and trying again each time he fell down - and he fell down a lot!  I love those moments where you're able to see your kid's rising maturity levels in action.  

How did these two get to be so big?  It seems like only yesterday when we were picking them up from their preschool classroom.  They've grown into such great kids.

Skiing is one of those activities that just doesn't get boring.  I think that we could ski all year if the slopes stayed open.  I know that lots of people are ready for spring now that we've had one big snow.  The kids and I are the opposite.  This morning Soccer Boy was asking when we're heading to PA again.  He wanted to know if there would still be snow there.  I found myself wishing that I had taken Friday off so we could have spent one more day skiing on real snow.  It was such a treat yesterday to be on real powder instead of our normal hard icy machine made snow.  

Joy at the top of the mountain!  A perfect day.

I often lament the end of winter because it means that I'll have less time to spend with the kids and more time to spend in the garden.  I know that my mind will change when I'm able to have one of those early mornings in the garden where the air is fresh and warm and the birds are singing.  But right now, I'd like to hold on to winter (with all of its family time and simple cooking) for a little bit longer. 

In which we finally go buy groceries...

We've bought very, very little since the middle of December.  It's been good to use up all of the odds and ends in the cupboards and the goodies from the root cellar, pantry and freezer.  We could have gone on for a while without buying anything, but impending storms have a way of making us all want to treat ourselves.  '

We stopped by the grocery store after school on Monday and splurged.  Everyone got to choose something special to throw in the cart.  The Woodsman bought grapes (from Chile, almost  $7.00 for the bag - and I didn't say a word), a bag of carrots, celery and bananas. The kids chose BBQ chips and Cheese Doodles.   I bought hazelnut coffee, tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded mozerella cheese, 2 potatoes, canned mushrooms and a generic block of Velveeta like cheese product. 

I've been missing cheese, and dreaming about using it in a few recipes before winter was over.

The mushrooms and mozerella went into a winter squash lasagna.  Basically, I alternated pureed winter squash, mozerella cheese, alfredo sauce and mushrooms and chickpeas sauteed with garlic, onions, tarragon and sage.  I made one for dinner last night and one for the freezer.

Half of the Velveeta, a bit of the cheddar and the potatoes went into a turnip casserole.  It was simple and fantastic.  It baked up into a melted puddle of cheesy comfort.  Perfect for a windy, cold night.

The other half of the Velveeta and some more of the cheddar will go into tonight's taco soup.  No real recipe here.  I'm going to dump cooked pinto beans, a jar or two of tomatoes, taco seasoning, bulgur burger taco "meat" and some Velveeta cubes into a pot and cook it until it's hot.  Then I'll top it with some shredded cheddar.  There will be some Velveeta left so I'll use it, and some salsa to make queso dip.  We'll eat both of these with tortilla chips downstairs while we have a family movie night - Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Considering that we have eight inches and it's still snowing, I'm assuming that school will be out again tomorrow.  If that's the case I'll use the last of the cheese to make omlets in the morning.  Then we'll ski and come home in the evening to French Lentil Soup simmering in the crock pot.

I'm afraid to jinx myself by making a snow day meal plan for Friday.  I'll plan that one if we get it. 

Hope you're enjoying this day as much as I am.  I'm planning lots of snowy play time, reading and knitting. 

Today's Post Brought to You by the Color Orange

So - it's almost the end of winter.  What's left in your stores?  Me -in addition to what's living in the freezer and what's canned -  I have winter squash (one big Hubbard), a few nice big sweet potatoes, garlic and some turnips. So, here are some squash and sweet potato ideas.  I think they're pretty much interchangeable.  I frequently substitute sqaush for sweet potato.    I don't often do it the other way around, but that also works.

Pumpkin pudding (Gluten Free)

8 oz cream cheese softened
6 eggs
2 c. pureed winter squash
1/2cup sugar
2tsp Pumpkin pie spice, or more for your taste ( or the equivalent of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc.)
2tsp vanilla
Mix the cream cheese with the hand mixer until smooth...mix in all other ingrediants...Put in individual glass cups or ramekins...cook at 350 degrees for 45 min...put in fridge.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

 

8 cups of milk

6 cups of fresh brewed strong coffee

1 cup of winter squash puree

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup sugar

1-2 tbsp vanilla

Combine in crockpot and cook on high for 2 hours, then top with whipped cream  and a little cinnamon.

 

 

Winter Squash Souffle

from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

A souffle sounds intimidating.  Really, it's not.  It's a great way to take simple ingredients and make them feel very special.  If you have a good mixer a souffle is also not time consuming.  You'll wind up with two extra egg yolks.  I throw them in my freezer to use as a egg wash on bread, or I add them to the next bit of scrambled eggs I'm making.  The family cat also likes it when I have leftover yolk - hey, it's cheaper than cat food. 

 

 Make sure that the rest of your meal is ready, and your guests are at the table.  Your souffle will look really pretty for a few minutes when it's all puffed up.  After that, it will still taste wonderful, but it won't look as fancy.

 

Butter a 6 c. souffle dish, an 8 c. gratin dish, or individual ramekins and coat them with parmesean cheese.

 

Heat 1 1/4 c. milk or cream on low with 1 bay leaf, several thyme sprigs and 2 thin onion slices.  Bring to a boil, then set aside for 15 minutes - strain.

 

Melt 3 T butter (don't use margerine), then stir in 3 T flour, 3/4 t. salt a few twists of pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Remove from heat, and beat in 4 eggs yolks (one at a time).  Then stir in 1 c. goat cheese, and 2 c. of squash puree.

 

Beat 6 egg whites in your mixer with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks.  Stir a quarter of the whites into the base to lighten it, then stir in the rest.

 

Bake at 375 for 30 min.



Winter Squash Souffle, Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Winter Beet Salad

 



Liberian Squash

Fry up some good sausage (pork, turkey, vegetarian - it all works).
Cook cubed butternut squash in broth (vegetable or chicken) and cook for 8-10 minutes until soft, but not mushy.
Make some quinoa or millet.
Layer - quinoa, squash, sausage - top with a bit of hot pepper flakes if desired.

This is so fast, so simple and so good that we often have it for Sunday lunch right after church.  It's great as a leftover too.  I don't think I've ever made enough for it to wind up in the freezer though, it's always eaten right away.

 

 

Red Lentil Curry

This is another great favorite from Simply in Season.  It uses sweet potatoes, cauliflower and any other vegetable you have.  It's super simple, comes together quickly, makes the house smell heavenly, makes a ton, freezes well and everyone likes it.  Winner!

Red Lentil Coconut Curry and Peanut Apple Salad

Roasted Root Vegetables

Peel and chop root vegetables approximately the same size.  Choose a few sweet (carrot, sweet potato, beet) and a few not so sweet (potato, turnip, parsnip).  Toss with minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast at 400 for 20 min - or until tender.

Baked Squash with Maple Syrup

This is as simple and basic as it gets.  It's also one of the best ways to use acorn type squash.  Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Place upside down in a big pan with a few inches of water.  Cook at 350 for 30 min.  Then turn the squash over, fill 1/2 way with maple syrup (the real stuff folks) and bake for another 30.  Scoop and eat!

Sweet Mama with Big Oaks Maple Syrup, Roasted Root Vegetables, Nut Loaf

Sweet Potato Gratin

Oh, my.  If you still have sweet potatoes make this now.  You do not want to wait until next winter to try this one.  Fantastic!  I made several and froze a few.  So warm, comforting and cheesy on chilly winter nights.  It so simple to pull together and yet so very satisfying.  I love all of the garlic and fresh sage.  I substituted Swiss cheese.

Butternut Squash Salad

This salad is incredible.  It satisfys everything you want at this time of year.  I saved my last butternut squash to make this salad, and I've guarded the leftovers from everyone else.  I never want to share. Well, I did offer to let a jealous co-worker take a bite, but I don't think I really meant it. 

 

Winter Squash Shepherd's Pie

I made this on a blustery February night.  Baking it in individual ramekin's and putting a piece of cheese on top made a simple supper super special.  The kids, who have about had their fill of squash at this point, couldn't get enough of it.  The original version was from Better Homes and Gardens, but I adapted and simplified it.

I baked and mashed a Turk's Turban squash (any kind would work though).  Then I added garlic salt, pepper and a little bit of Parmesan cheese.

I made two fillings:
Cooked sausage, spaghetti sauce and beans
Bulgur buger with taco seasoning, tomato sauce and beans

I filled the ramekins half full of filling, then topped with the mashed squash. Then I put a piece of cheese on top and baked them until they were bubbly.  About 20 min. at 350.  Pure heaven.