Color and taste
Every year, towards the end of February or the beginning of March, Quebecers are seized by a very particular frenzy. It's as if the blood flowing through their veins is replaced by maple sap. They are rediscovering a desire for this golden sugar which has always been part of their culture.
Although this product is very familiar to us, do we really know it? Do we really know how to distinguish our different tastes? Do we know how to choose it?
In the past, we used the color of the syrup to determine its taste. It was recognized that as the season progressed, the syrup darkened and its taste became more pronounced. But the processes have evolved a lot and it is now possible to produce a clear syrup throughout the maple season.
So how to find your way?
At the start of the season, the syrup is very sweet and has floral and vanilla notes. Over time, the taste becomes more complex. It is normally in the middle of the season that the syrup reveals what could be described as a true maple flavor. At the end of the season, the sap mixes with the maple sap and the syrup is affected. This syrup is often less popular for consumption as is, but it is perfect for cooking.
Did you know that the same maple producer can have up to twenty flavors of syrup in his season?
However, the time of season is not the only factor that influences the taste of the syrup. The time spent cooking and the use of processes such as membrane filtration also have their role to play.
A guide to the rescue
To help consumers, an organization dedicated to the promotion of good practices and the recognition of a quality maple product, the Commanderie de l'érable , is developing a nomenclature based on the concept of SAQ taste tablets. .
Soon we will be able to select our syrup by choosing from the following four taste tablets:
- Hard maple : simple maple flavor
- Floral vanilla : light flavor, usually at the beginning of the season
- Caramel confectionery : caramelized flavor
- Roasted molasses : strong late-season flavor, usually for cooking
Finally, a fifth classification is also in the process of being approved. It will make it possible to identify ancestral type productions, that is to say syrups produced in the traditional way without the use of modern processes. This will be a way of recognizing and encouraging these producers who help preserve artisanal processes and collective memory.
Regardless, there are many passionate maple syrup producers in Quebec who are committed to offering high quality syrups. Among these, Lyne Girard and Richard Rouillard from Érablière Caséal in Milan in Estrie stand out well. Their organic syrup regularly wins great recognition in competitions and has already been ranked among the five best in Quebec. No wonder their products are now exported to Europe!
Would you like to taste their syrup or their maple products? You can purchase them online in our maple products section or in store at Gourmande boutique .
This information is taken from remarks by Mr. Stéphane Guay, biologist, during the February 28 edition of the Radio-Canada show Les Éclaireurs .