maple syrup

Today I am boiling down my first ever batch of maple syrup! Wahoo! I am using a standard grill-type propane tank and an outdoor cooker (like a turkey fryer). I started it outdoors because apparently the steam contains quite a bit of sugar and that's not really something you want all over everything in your house. Unfortunately, it wouldn't boil. Maybe too cold out there, or too much wind, but anyway I brought the whole contraption into the garage, and so now we have boilage! Yeah, the garage might suffer from a coating of sugar, but really, who cares? It's a garage. I started out with 10 gallons of sap and am down to three. By the time it's done I expect it to yield about a quart. A side benefit of doing it in the garage is that now it is warm, steamy, and smells slightly sugary out there. Sort of like a confectionery sauna. Mmmmm, nice.

Perhaps next year I'll do it out in the wood shop. After all, there is a small wood stove out there that really cranks the heat out. I could fortify myself with a thermos of coffee, a good book, and some sculpture projects to work on. You know, that sound so incredibly appealing that I may just have to do it next weekend!