Maple Syrup is Both Healthy and Versatile – Maple Syrup Recipes

I send Christmas gifts to people who live at a distance, and though I like the personal touch of wrapping presents myself, I trust the guys in the catalogue business more to ship things guaranteed to arrive in one piece. This year even the mail-order firms seem to be starting their holiday specials early, and I wanted to avoid the stock shortages I’ve encountered around Cyber Monday, so I placed orders this week. During “couch shopping” my interest was caught by maple syrup in a special seasonal bottle and I thought of a relative who loves maple candy, but dosen’t eat baked goods, including pancakes and waffles. It got me thinking about how little I know about maple syrup and its other uses.

I did know that maple products are made from the sap of the Sugar, Red and Black Maple trees, all indigenous only to the colder climate of the North Eastern United States and Canada, making them highly specialized items.  I also knew that the trees were “tapped” to release the sap, or” maple water” as the farmers call it and that this was then boiled down, but I didn’t realize that it took 90 gallons of this fluid to reduce to 1 gallon of syrup and that is not even the “syrup” we use, but rather a concentrate. At this time it is strained to remove impurities, such as sugar crystals called “sand” and be made into syrup or further boiled to produce maple sugar and to make candy.

In a process known to the indigenous peoples and adopted by the European settlers, a tree is tapped when it’s about 40 years old and can yield around 3 gal. “water” per day for almost 70 years during the season, which ideally begins in late winter and lasts for 6 to 8 weeks into early spring. It can be started earlier, but not extended later because the sap, which is a starchy fluid that flows upward from the roots through the trunk, becomes thin and unpalatable. This process is still depicted by a bucket hung on a peg drilled into a tree, but since the 1970s is conducted with plastic tubing and shut-off valves. That’s progress! However, it’s still labor intensive which makes its price quite reasonable.

Frankly, the thing I used to find the most perplexing in buying Maple Syrup was the grading, which, differs in the U.S. and Canada, but falls into similar general categories.  It’s grades within grades determined by density of color and flavor; the darker the one, the stronger the other.  The purist with the most delicate flavor is Grade A light amber, followed by Grade A medium amber and Grade A dark amber. Grades B and C are successively darker and stronger flavored. Grade B is recommended for baking. I was confused because the catalogue I had offered a choice of B in some designer bottles. A phone call cleared this up. Some customers prefer to buy the syrup for multi-purpose, and dilute it for table use. Grade C is chiefly used commercially. One of its main applications is as an additive to flavor corn syrup thus creating many “Pancake Syrups”   found on store shelves.

Once opened, Maple Syrup can keep for a year in the refrigerator, I’ve kept some longer. It may crystallize, but that can be remedied by about 10 sec. in the microwave on medium. Stored. It may form a light mold, which is harmless; simply strain the syrup into a clean bottle, heat it through in the microwave, let it cool and re-cap. Glass is best for this. If the bottle cap sticks, run it under hot water, and be sure to wipe the bottle well so it doesn’t become sticky. If pouring from a pitcher, rub the spout with oil to prevent drips.  Before we married my husband gave me a small Pyrex pitcher with the request that his maple syrup always be heated. Now I understand, like pepper, chilling mutes the flavor and heating intensifies it.

Nutritionally, maple sugar is similar to cane sugar calorically, but contains manganese and zinc. It has more calcium and less sodium than honey. Recently scientists have found that two of its natural antioxidant compounds may be inhibiting to type 2 diabetes. It’s clearly within the category of “Healthy, natural foods”. Agriculture Canada has identified 91 separate flavors which contribute to its taste and declared it “Unique”. The only thing to be cautious of in buying it is to be sure the label states “Pure” as required by U.S. and Canadian law. The best comes from Vermont and Quebec.

So I decided that the maple Syrup in its decorative bottle would be the perfect gift for my relative, but how to explain that I hadn’t thoughtlessly ignored her diet? Simple, I’ll research some tasty other uses, print them up and enclose them in her card with a note. If she’s reading this, I know she’ll be discreet and not let on. So on to the “other uses”……

1) To begin with, if economy is an issue, buy maple sugar. You can always make syrup by dissolving :
1 cup maple sugar in 1/3 cup boiling water= about 1 cup syrup.
2) Maple sugar can be used to flavor icings, cakes, meringues, puddings and many other dishes by replacing equal amounts of sugar in the recipe with the maple. To substitute syrup would ruin the texture of most recipes.

Marinades and Glazes:  Remember that sugar burns quickly and leaves a bitter taste, so none of these are suitable for grilling or broiling.

Marinated Salmon: Per portion –to be multiplied as needed
(1) 5-6oz salmon filer – skinned
1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs maple syrup
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. bourbon
Whisk the oil, syrup and vinegar and bourbon to combine well.  Pour the marinade over the fish in the baking pan, and turn the filet over a few times to coat both sides. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hr. and up to 4 hrs.  Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 8 min. per inch of width. Baste occasionally with pan juices. Serve at once, with any pan juices that remain and garnished with a sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper.

Glazed Pork or Poultry: For Pork roasts and all poultry, parts or whole birds.
These quantities make about 2/3 cup glaze-enough for about 3lbs of meat. Adjust recipe amounts according to size of roast.
½ cup Maple Syrup
1 Tbs. Worchestershire sauce
1Tbs. oil
Whisk ingredients to combine well. Brush often onto roast during last 40 min. of cooking.
Omit the oil, substitute cider vinegar for the Worchestershire sauce and it becomes a Ham Glaze.
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Glazed Vegetables
Carrots: Serves 4
(!) 1 lb bag of baby carrots – steamed until crisp tender @ 8 min.
½ cup orange juice + ¼ cup water
1 Tbs. maple syrup
1 Tbs. butter
Juice of ¼ lemon or about 2 drops bottled
2 tsp. grated orange peel
Combine everything but carrots in a sauté pan and stir over medium heat at a simmer until sauce thickens and reduces by half. Add carrots and continue simmering until carrots are well glazed, about 8 mins. stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, if needed, and serve garnished with chopped cilantro, chives or parsley.

This recipe can also be used to flavor Brussels sprouts, Turnips and Sweet Potatoes. Garnish with toasted chopped walnuts and/or crumbled bacon and/or sautéed onions.
Mashed or double baked sweet potatoes also benefit from the addition of maple syrup rather than brown sugar for a change of taste as do Baked Beans.

Maple Dressing: Makes about 2 cups. This is excellent over fresh fruit or any fruit dessert.
¼ cup maple syrup
1 egg yolk
¾ cup heavy cream—whipped
Juice of ½ lemon
Beat the yolk in the top of a double boiler  until it doubles in size, add the maple syrup and cook until thick and registers 160 deg.- about 2 min. Remove from heat, cool and fold in whipped cream  then  the lemon juice. Keep chilled and serve within a few hours.

Frozen Maple Delight: This replaces Maple Mousse, which requires raw egg whites.  Though it is possible to heat them to a safe degree and still beat them until stiff, it calls for some extra steps. I thought I’d offer a simpler dessert recipe that is very similar. Serves 4 to 6
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup heavy cream –whipped
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Mix the syrup, buttermilk, lemon juice and salt. Pour into a refrigerator tray, or baking pan, and freeze until firm, 2 hrs or more. Also chill a mixing bowl. Break into pieces in the chilled bowl and beat until smooth but still frozen. Fold in the whipped cream and return to the tray or pan. Freeze until firm—at least 2 hrs. Serve garnished with toasted walnut or pecan pieces if you want. As an option, you can fold ¼ cup of nut pieces into the dessert with the cream.