Few things go better with changing fall colors and plaid than a heaping stack of pancakes, smothered in maple syrup. And how lucky are we in Crested Butte to have our own, boutique purveyor of maple syrup right here in our backyard? 

Meet  Vermont Sticky, a small-batch maple syrup company that sources directly from a family farm in Vermont and has been operating out of Crested Butte since 2016. We caught up with owner, Krista Powers, to find out just how many gallons of sap it takes to make a single gallon of maple syrup, her favorite recipes, and more.

How does a small batch maple syrup company find roots in Crested Butte?

I moved to Crested Butte in 1999, but didn’t officially start Vermont Sticky until 2016. The years in between, my dad, Bob, would come to visit and bring bottles of maple syrup to give as gifts to all my friends. That grew into the theme of my friends asking, “When is Bob coming? And would he bring me a gallon of maple syrup?” Then, with the encouragement of my husband and father, I launched Vermont Sticky in 2016. 

Read the whole story at  VermontSticky.com.

Maple syrup is a great, natural source of energy for endurance athletes (and novice ones, too). What makes it such a good alternative to other fuel options on the market?

Vermont Sticky goes in my pack for any adventure, big and small. Sometimes it’s in a small bottle in lieu of gels. Other times I have a bottle of Tree Juice  sports hydration drink mix. And other times, I use maple syrup or maple sugar to make energy bars that I take on the trail.  

Maple syrup has a lot of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals–like manganese and riboflavin–and as far as a sweetener goes, it has a lower glycemic level than others. (Maple syrup clocks in at  level 54, even beneath honey). Because of this, it provides for a longer-lasting source of energy rather than a quick spike and crash that athletes would receive from other sugar sources. 

Find a standard maple syrup nutritional label and comparison breakdown from the state of Vermont,  here.

Harvesting maple syrup is a lot more complex than some might think. Can you give us an idea of just how much work goes into a single bottle of Vermont Sticky?

• It takes roughly 45 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup.
• Maple sap that comes directly from the maple tree is mostly clear water with about 2 percent sugar content. So, we have to boil off most of the water to get to the maple syrup we know and love.
• A typical sugaring season lasts four to six weeks. For us in northern Vermont, it is usually mid-March until mid-April. The perfect weather window is needed for the sap to flow: below freezing at night with daytime high temps in the 40s and 50s. Sugaring season ends when the warmer days of late spring arrive and when the temperature no longer drops to freezing at night.  

What are a few of your favorite ways to incorporate more maple syrup into your life?

I use Vermont Sticky in my coffee and tea. I also substitute either our maple syrup or sugar for all of cooking and baking, no matter what other sweetener is called for in a recipe. 

Our  Hot Cocoa Mix is a must for any winter day. 

No need to ever buy a mixer for cocktails/mocktails…just use maple syrup, juice concentrate or fresh fruit with some water and you have your mixer. It saves money and produces less plastic waste from buying mixers or lemonade/limeade…and it might just be better for you!  

As for right now? It’s zucchini season in the Gunnison Valley, and my favorite recipe is the following. 

Vermont Sticky Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 ½ cup Vermont Sticky maple sugar OR 1 ¼ cup maple syrup…if using maple syrup you’ll need to adjust for the extra moisture buy adding ¼ c of flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups zucchini grated/shredded
• ¾ cup vegetable oil or butter (melted and cooled)
• Optional: chocolate chips or walnuts (if choosing walnuts, I like to toast them in a skillet before adding).

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare two loaf pans with either parchment paper or cooking spray. 
2. Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, Maple Sugar if using). Set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the zucchini, oil and if using maple syrup add here.
4. Add dry ingredients to the wet. Add chocolate chips or walnuts if desired. 
5. Divide evenly into the pans and bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 
6. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, remove from pans and cool on a wire rack. 
7. Keeps great for a few days or longer in the fridge. This bread also freezes really well. 

Find more Vermont Sticky recipe inspiration  here, and  stock up on this local brand online or in person the next time you’re in the shop!