Maple Syrup Not Just for Your Sweet Tooth

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Title: Maple Syrup Not Just for Your Sweet Tooth
Categories: Syrup, Maple, Text
Yield: 1 servings


By Carol Ferguson.

It's no contest: Eastern Canada is the world's number one producer of
maple syrup, supplying about 75 percent of the world's stock. The
rest comes mostly from the northeastern United States, mainly
Vermont. Of Canadian production, about 90 percent comes from Quebec
and the remainder from Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
"Sugaring-Off" season has become a popular tourist attraction,
particularly in Quebec, where visitors enjoy sleigh rides or
snowshoeing, old time music and dancing, a warming drink called
CARIBOU made with red wine and maple syrup, and a feast of
traditional cooking. Dishes made with maple syrup include ham in
maple syrup, maple baked beans, eggs poached in maple syrup, relishes
and chunky ketchups (often served with tortiere's) delectable crepes,
and maple syrup pie. Everyone loves 'tire sur la neige' (hot syrup
dribbled over fresh snow to make maple taffy).

During pioneer times in good sap-producing regions, maple syrup and
maple sugar were used every day in cooking, including many savory
dishes as well as sweets. Today we're inclined to associate maple
syrup with pancakes or dessert recipes, but we shouldn't forget that
maple syrup is not just sweetness. It is also a seasoning that
enhances many dishes. Its flavour is smooth and mellow, with a subtle
sweetness that's compatible with meat (especially pork), poultry, and
vegetables. It adds character to simple egg or bean dishes, enriches
breads and muffins, and rounds out the flavor of piquant sauces and
spicy condiments.

Origin: The Old Farmer's Almanac, Canadian Edition, 1996. Shared by:
Sharon Stevens, Nov/95.

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