SAP is running

The day dawned bright, not a cloud in the sky. Surely it must be the first day of spring. The plan was to visit the Mountsberg conservation area to sample some pancakes and maple syrup.

We set off early that Saturday morning. Before long the car was trapped in the queue to enter the reserve, despite being early. Finding a place to park not far from the entrance was an added bonus when it came to leaving later in the contested parking area.

To garner an appetite we followed a trail through the trees for half an hour or so. It was muddy in places. The hiking boots took care of the bog. The dogs chased every new smell and likely covered twice the distance we did.

The tables outside surrounding the café were almost full when we returned.

We found a half empty table and settled in. The line-up to order the pancakes was not yet unbearable. The family behind us included two very young girls who were going to buy for their group. They clutched a twenty dollar bill and a credit card eager to transact the importance bestowed on them.

We ordered the family combo that came with two pancakes each, butter, drinks (cider and coffee) and a big cup of maple syrup which satisfied any nagging appetite we had. We lingered for a little while enjoying the sunshine. The remaining morning cool breeze was enough to keep our jackets on despite the feeling that spring had sprung.

It was time to explore. The colorless dripping sap tasted like water, nothing special really, until the transformation yielded the syrup we know.

Fires burning. The smokehouse was filled with people so a glance through the window was sufficient to see the grand version of this cooker at work.

What a great way to experience some maple syrup with pancakes thrown in. Something to look out for next year with a walk in the woods to boot.