ANE SYRUP IS ESTEEMED in kitchens all across the South. Creating the sticky-sweet goodness is a tradition born from an economy that was based on sugarcane production. This is especially true in Louisiana, where sugarcane is an integral part of its history. Brought to the area by Jesuits more than 200 years ago, sugarcane helped define the lifestyles of the people who depended on its success. While the sugarcane business focused on the exportation of white granulated sugar to Europe, those who actually grew the cane learned to use what they had available to them. This old-fashioned sweetener is the product of the first boiling of sugarcane juice, a process that greatly reduces the liquid content and caramelizes the sucrose in the juice. The
