Why Maple Syrup Is So Damn Expensive (And So Delicious)

Come winter, when the temperatures drop below freezing and the amount of ice on the ground makes walking from your house to car a dangerous feat, our appetites quickly go from craving fresh, light produce to needing heavy, warm, stick-to-your-bone, add-a-layer-of-fat-for-warmth meals. We're talking stews, roasts and big, big breakfasts. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, French toast -- all at once -- and real maple syrup is a must.

Maple syrup doesn't come into sugaring season until the end of winter, when the temperatures finally start warming up again, but it's right now in the dead of winter that we need its sweetness more than ever. It helps us get through these long, cold days by making our oatmeal worth eating and our Saturday morning pancakes even richer.

But the sweet nectar of the sugar maples doesn't come easily -- or cheaply -- and there's a reason for that. We're about to explain why, along with some other maple syrup info everyone should know, because it's cold out and what else are you going to do?

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