Part of the syrup-making process included boiling the sap to remove the water. A large pot would be heated over an outdoor fire, bringing the sap to a boil and releasing the water as steam. Frequent stirring would keep the sap from sticking to the pot as it boiled. A spoon such as this would be used to stir the sap, and also to see how thick it was getting. The long handle helped prevent steam burns, and the wood did not get hot as quickly as a metal spoon would when inserted into boiling liquid!