Idiom; to attempt an ill-advised, mildly unpleasant shortcut to avoid a more complicated process, with a high probability of failure. The idiom itself is an example of such an experience, since licking
trees is unpleasant, and even maple trees rarely taste
sweet just by licking the bark. The idiom also implies that tried and
true methods, rather than blind experimentation, yield better results. Drilling into the trunk of a maple tree with a tap, is the correct way to obtain maple syrup.
"Kicking the
car to try and make it start again won't work. That's just licking a tree and hoping for maple
syrup, honestly. Let's call a tow
truck instead."