The All-American Breakfast consists of pancakes and waffles, bacon strips, and of course Maple Syrup. Breakfast just wouldn’t be hearty enough in its absence. This sweet, liquid gold is a staple in both savory and sweet dishes, elevating flavors and adding a natural sweetness that’s neither cloying nor suffocating.
Maple Syrup Trivia
- 40 is a magic number for Maple Syrup production. A Maple tree takes 40 years before it’s big and matured enough to be tapped. One liter of Maple syrup takes about 40 – 50 liters of sap.
- North American Sugar Maple trees are one of the sweetest varieties in the world.
- Native Americans were the first people to boil the sap of Maple trees to make Maple Syrup.
Maple Syrup Buying Guide
Buying natural Maple syrup is a safer option than purchasing commercially processed ones. Natural Maple syrups have darker colors and more robust flavors. It contains thrice the number of vitamins and minerals, has higher antioxidants, and has a lower glycemic index.
GRADE A MAPLE SYRUP
Grade A: Golden Color & Delicately Flavored Maple Syrups – Formerly called Fancy, this is derived from the early first harvest. It has the palest color and mildest flavor.
Grade A: Amber Color & Rich Flavor – Also known as Medium Amber, this Maple syrup has richer color and fuller flavor.
Grade A: Dark Color & Robust Flavor – This Maple syrup mimics the caramelized flavors of brown sugar. It’s the smooth aroma and mouth feel makes you feel as if you’re in a deep forest.
Grade A: Very Dark & Strong Flavor – This one can be likened to treacle lava, exhibiting the rich flavors of molasses. It is impossible to buy this in grocery stores. This variety is rarely commercially produced and is exclusively made for pâtissiers, candy makers, and chocolatiers.
Maple Syrup Production & Farming in Texas
Maple Syrup producing trees do not thrive in Texas due to its inadequately cold winters. Although some tried to grow the Maple trees, the syrup producing trees require long, hard, cold winters to keep the sap flowing in large quantities to make maple syrup. This is the reason why real Maple syrup is very difficult to find in Texas.
Michigan native Anna Alridge and her company Blackberry Blossom Foods produce organic maple syrup sourced from their farm in Blachard, MI. Every spring, they monitor all 6,000maple trees in their farm to collect and boil the sap using wood-fired evaporators. No additives and artificial flavorings are used in production. Aldridge’s natural Maple syrup can be found in farmer’s markets and local stores around Texas.
Preservatives and Chemicals
Most commercially produced Maple syrup is considered fake maple syrup. This sticker version is artificially processed and dyed to imitate the natural maple syrup. However, it doesn’t taste anything like raw Maple syrup.
Artificial Maple syrups contain large quantities of both corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup – these two artificial sweeteners can spike glucose levels and is harmful to people with diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
Food-grade carbohydrates and acids give artificial Maple syrup its caramel color. This variety contains carcinogenic chemicals.
You can either choose to buy raw Maple syrup or make one on your own to ensure that you’re using all-natural, organic, and sustainably-sourced ingredients.
Packaging
Maple Syrup packaging can be stored in plastic or glass bottles. When making home-made Maple Syrup, it’s best to sterilize and re-use glass bottles for a more sustainable and eco-friendly option.
Re-use the empty, glass bottles from your commercially-sourced Maple syrup or buy new glass bottles to pack Maple syrups as edible gifts.
Enjoying Maple Syrup
Maple syrup can be used as a natural sweetener for desserts such as cakes, cookies, bars, pies, cheesecakes, and even ice cream. You can also use it as an ingredient to your salad dressing, or basting to your roasted meats.
Storage
Keeping Maple syrup in glass bottles, store it at room temperature, and keep it away from sunlight to prevent it from evaporating. Although freezing is the best way to preserve its flavor. Don’t worry as it won’t freeze solid. Just be careful of using glass bottles as it may shatter during the freezing process.
Cooking
Why buy Maple Syrup when you can make your own!
HOMEMADE MAPLE SYRUP
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 tbsp maple flavored extract
Procedure:
- In a saucepan, boil water, brown sugar, and white sugar over medium heat.
- Reduce to medium heat and add the maple extract.
- Simmer for three minutes and let it cool.
Additional information: Double the amount of brown sugar for a thicker Maple syrup.
