Dear Curiosity Journal,
Batch #1 of the 2024 maple syrup is in the jar, coming in at 21 quarts and a pint (plus the amount I ate in the taste testing process – probably close to another pint). I’m happy to report that there were no incidents of boiling over and every lid popped off a seal of approval. Over the years, we have liquidated several stoves by way of the maple volcano. One miscalculation can lead to a gurgling molten glaze and nonfunctioning burners. Now I’ve learned to read the bubbles and anticipate the surge of foam, lowering the heat before eruption. It’s a toothsome tango, marking the heat, and translating it into your next move, in step with time, temperature, and escalating concentration, a dance done best with no distractions. Hopefully we can make 3 more batches of this size to reach our annual quota of 20 gallons. Giving gratitude to the maples for the first crop of the season 🙂
~Joy
