Maple Syrup: A Short History of Canada's Sweetest Obsession

A forester's enlightening journey to uncover the story behind Canada's iconic sweet nectar. Blending history, culture, science and personal reflection, this illustrated love letter to maple syrup will appeal to fans of Canadiana and those interested in how maple syrup became Canada's obsession.

Maple syrup flows through the spirit of Canada and has done so since it was first extracted from the forests by Indigenous Peoples. In eastern Canada, especially in the heart of maple syrup country in Quebec, the arrival of sugaring off-season in spring offers an excuse for feasts with dancing in the cabanes à sucre, or sugar shacks. But behind the parties lies a high-tech, high-stakes business. A cartel controls every aspect of the syrup cycle in Quebec and decides who may make maple syrup, where and how much. To skirt this iron grip, sugar bush rebels sneak their barrels of syrup out of Quebec in the dark of night, risking crippling fines and banishment from the syrup business.

In Maple Syrup, forester and journalist Peter Kuitenbrouwer leads us through the sugar maple forests, from the syrup's semi-legendary beginnings to its commercial explosion and global conquest, weaving in his own story of tapping the forest along the way. For him, "sugaring off" is a magical season, when the days start to get longer and the snow begins to melt. It signals a time of togetherness and shared experience as his family battles the elements in the indomitable forest to produce bottles of pure, golden, delicious sweetener.