If you live in New England, maple syrup season is something many of us look forward to each year. As a First Nations Métis, it is woven into the fabric of who I am.
Early in the 16th century, First Nations people shared their process for making maple syrup with Europeans. In 1521, Peter Martyr wrote that “honey is found in the tree and is gathered amongst the briar and the bramble bushes.”
I recall many maple memories from childhood that still hold a special place in my heart.
Maple taffy drizzled over snow was one of my favorites. As children, we couldn’t wait to swirl a teaspoon through the taffy so we could savor the sweet maple flavor.
Trips to Canada to visit our family land always included a stop to buy mini maple taffy cones topped with maple cream. We loved visiting the sugar shack and watching the traditional wood fire burn as sap boiled and maple steam billowed from the roof vent.
The smell of crepes cooking in the kitchen filled the air while my siblings and I lined up for a plate so we could drizzle fresh liquid gold over our breakfast treat.
For years I believed these traditions came from my French heritage. Through research, however, I learned they actually originated from my Métis heritage.
I always admired the ingenuity of early settlers, but what I did not realize was that First Nations people first revealed the secrets of the sugar maple. Discovering that was a joyful realization.
Rolls of birch bark were peeled from trees in early spring and formed into wide, shallow containers. The seams were stitched with thin strands pulled from spruce roots or basswood and sealed with pine pitch.
Women often maintained hundreds, sometimes more than 1,000 of these containers. Each was filled and refilled countless times during the season.
Sap buckets were also created from birch bark and reinforced with a thin wood strip around the rim to prevent tearing. A cord handle allowed the buckets to hang from either end of a yoke carried across the shoulders.
Small cuts were made in the tree trunk. Sap trickled over the surface of a shingle or through a wood reed inserted into the cut before dripping into a birch bark bucket.
Our ancestors had a unique method for creating syrup. Sap was poured into a container made from a hollowed-out log. Heated stones were then placed into the sap to bring it to a slow rolling boil, a cooking method documented as early as 1555. More sap was added as the water boiled off.
The process is remarkable compared with modern maple syrup production.
First Nations ancestors stored maple syrup as sugar cakes, granules or taffy. The syrup was poured into tight-fitting boxes called mokuks made from birch bark panels sewn together with thin strips of elm bark. Inside the mokuks, the syrup crystallized and formed sugar cakes that weighed about 20 to 30 pounds. Mokuks became an important part of First Nations commerce.
Small amounts of maple sugar were often added to water to sweeten foods. Sometimes warmed syrup was poured over snow to create maple taffy.
For many First Nations communities, maple season was celebrated as a gift from the Creator.
It is a gift I cherish. Knowing my ancestors recognized this natural resource and developed ways to use it means that centuries later we can still enjoy the flavor and health benefits of maple.
Maple remains an important ingredient in many recipes today, especially when paired with wild game. One of my favorites is maple moose poutine.
WildCheff’s Maple Moose Poutine
This recipe is a delicious way to enjoy wild game with maple.
Ingredients
4 pounds moose roast cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces (bear or deer can be substituted)
4 cups beef bone broth
2 cups red wine (Beaujolais)
1 cup Maine maple syrup (dark amber)
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 bay leaves
2 stems rosemary and 2 stems thyme tied together
1 sweet onion
4 tablespoons cornstarch diluted in a little cold water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bag frozen French fries
1 to 2 packages cheddar cheese curds
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Coat the roast with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the game meat. Remove the pieces and place them in a large bowl until all the meat is browned.
- Return the meat and the juices to the pan. Add the broth, wine, maple syrup, mustard, bay leaves, herb bundle and onion.
- Cover and roast in the oven for 3 to 4 hours or until the meat is fork tender.
- Remove the onion and herbs.
- On the stovetop, add the cornstarch slurry and gently whisk it into the broth. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens.
- Bake the fries at 400 degrees, turning occasionally until crispy. Place on serving plates.
- Top the fries with cheese curds, then ladle the game meat and gravy over the fries and curds.