More March Madness: Spring Maple Sugaring Is Afoot in Western New York

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The warm spring weather invites forays into the Western New York countryside for a little maple sugar action -- and here's where to learn all about it.

University at Buffalo librarian Dave Bertuca has beefed up his maple sugaring Web pages to help you make the most of the region's offerings. His "Tapping Into Spring: The Art & Science of Maple Sugaring" at http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~dbertuca/features/maple.html will give you everything but a ride, a pail and a spigot to tap into a tree.

It offers a wealth of information on the background, history and science of maple sugaring, a section called "Regional Sugarbushes," which tells you where to go throughout the area to see and taste the products of maple sugaring, and a list of recipes from cooks in New York, Vermont, Michigan and Massachusetts.

Bertuca is the maple-sugaring Internet link king and will connect you with the celebration of New York's Maple Weekend -- two weekends, actually: this weekend (March 21-22) and next (March 27-28) -- sponsored by the New York Maple Producers Association. You will also find a map of the names, locations and Web sites of participating maple syrup producers in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Ontario and Wyoming counties.

Look, too, for events that will run throughout the summer and fall, courtesy of the NYMPA and the Ontario Maple Producers Association.

In addition to the events, recipes and faqs, the Web site also reminds us that maple syrup is actually good for you, containing as it does, calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and iron, as well as a few vitamins and amino acids.