Take a Dip

As a kid (a younger kid, I should say), Jake would always ask for "dip" with his pancakes or waffles.  "Dip" to him, was maple syrup.  Real maple syrup. 

There are some who are just fine with "pancake syrup"--the corn syrup-based, maple-flavored stuff (Log Cabin, Mrs. Butterworth's and the rest).  Maybe I'm a syrup snob, but we can't be without our real stuff.  When we travel to Maine each year, we pick up a big jug of it (much cheaper up there) and keep it in the freezer to use as needed. 


About 80% of the maple syrup sold in the US is produced in Canada.  Vermont produces the most US-made syrup (as you might expect) followed by New York and Maine.  What you might not expect is that Pennsylvania ranks 8th in US maple syrup production.



Sap lines running from tree to tree at Shelburne Farm in VT.



Warmer days come earlier here than in New England, so production starts earlier in PA.  A week or so ago, Peace Valley Park had Maple Sugar Day where they talked about the historical significance of maple syrup as well as the processing.  They toured you through the woods and showed how the trees were tapped.

While PA syrup is only a fraction of what is produced in Vermont, it's still a long, time-intensive labor of love for those who do it.  And when the sap starts to flow, it's time to celebrate.  Read more about Northwestern PA's maple syrup and get some maple-infused recipes in an article from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Dip anyone?

PA's Rich Food History

Here in Bucks County, we're blessed with many wonderful culinary options--fresh produce, PA Dutch food, wines, Philly soft pretzels and cheese steaks, locally made delicacies.  The list goes on and on.  In fact, our whole state is full of food traditions and history.

William Woys Weaver, noted expert on Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking, is in the process of creating the Keystone Center for the Study of Regional Foods and Food Tourism.  He has broken our state up into 5 culinary regions: Philadelphia Region (includes parts of South Jersey), Pennsylvania Dutch Region (the largest region), Northern Tier Region (influenced by New York and New England), Allegheny Mountain and Southwest Appalachian Region (including Pittsburgh) and Northwest Lakeshore Region (influenced by the wine made there).  The map below (courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) shows how these regions are laid out.

According to a Post-Gazette article, PA has the most culinary regions of any state--mainly because of it's status as the "Keystone State".  From early in our country's history, PA has been physically and politically in the center--a mid-point from the South to the North--both influencing and being influenced by those cultures around it.  That, says Weaver, is what makes PA's culinary diversity so wide. 

Anyone who has traveled around the state knows that this is true.  Italian food in Philly, Polish food in the Northeast and Pittsburgh, PA Dutch food in the center of the state, etc.  For food lovers, PA seems to be the place to be!