In 2007, Robb and Lydia Turner bought an 800-acre estate in Dover Plains, NY, as a country escape for their family. They soon discovered that the property had a forest of syrup-producing sugar maples. Today, Crown Maple produces a highly esteemed maple syrup that appears on the menus of some of Westchester’s and Manhattan’s best restaurants.
“We’re kind of a rarity in maple syrup because we’re estate produced,” says Crown Maple CEO Mike Cobb. “Most of the maple industry purchases maple syrup from several providers of various quality and blends it together. We’re taking care of everything from the tree to the table.” Mid-February through March is the main season for maple syrup, when freezing and thawing conditions cause the sap to start to flow. Crown Maple makes four grades of syrup: golden, amber, dark, and very dark, plus a special bourbon-barrel-aged variety. The golden syrup is very delicate, while amber has rich flavor that’s perfect for topping pancakes or sweetening apple pie. Dark and very dark are have a robust maple flavor for cooking. (Find recipes like maple-bourbon-glazed short ribs on their website.)
Crown Maple also offers tours at Madava Farms (named for the Turners’ daughters, Maddie and Ava). It’s a picturesque slice of the Hudson Valley, with hiking trails, a café serving maple-centric dishes, and, of course, tours and tastings. Tours ($10) run year-round, last about 60 minutes and track the process from “bark to bottle,” ending with a five-stage tasting of the farms’ sugary products.
Crown Maple
Dover Plains, New York
www.crownmaple.com