Maple Moon

Where we live they have started tapping the trees.  I always get excited when I start seeing buckets and hoses on trees because it means the end of winter, which, where we live, seems eternal at the moment.  When Tim and I lived in rural Connecticut, we lived down the road from a little old man (he was probably in his 80s) who tapped the 20 or so sugar maples in his yard and had his own sugarhouse in his backyard for making it in to maple syrup.  At the time–we were in our early 20s and really didn’t know much–I did not appreciate just how involved this process was.  It takes 30-40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup!  Now, I appreciate that a man in his 80s would sweat in a sugarhouse waiting for his sap to start sheeting.  Actually, I have come to believe that if you want to live into your 100s, move to Connecticut.  They have the healthiest and most active bunch of elderly people per capita in the world, I think.  So, now, our book basket is filled with books about maple syrup.  One of our favorites is Maple Moon:  http://www.amazon.com/Maple-Moon-Connie-Brummel-Crook/dp/0773760989/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298935821&sr=8-1.  It’s a story about a Native American boy who discovers that he can overcome physical adversity (he has a bad limp) through ingenuity.  I highly recommend it.  And tonight, in honor of this story, we are having maple syrup-flavored spaghetti.  (This story also tells how his tribe used the maple sap to sweeten their deer meat.) 

Maple Syrup Spaghetti:

Brown 2-3 lbs. of lean ground beef and drain

Add 1/3 cup maple syrup to drained meat

Saute 2 bulbs garlic and 1 onion (all finely chopped) in olive oil until very tender

Combine with meat, including olive oil

Stir in 2 jars of your favorite tomato/basil sauce (or make your own)

Serve with spaghetti that has been lightly tossed with olive oil

Now, I’m off to eat!