[marmalady]

Shroom - Do you ever switch out sorghum or cane for molasses or dark Karo? Are the quantities the same in switching?

[Pete]

Shroom, in Vermont the grading system changed, I don't know about the rest of the country. In Vermont they went from Fancy, Grade A, Grade B Grade C, etc., to Fancy Light, Fancy Light Amber, Fancy Dark Amber. These are all consumer grade maple syrups. They reserved grades B & C for industrial use maple syrups. Those used to make maple flavoring and in items baked by large companies.

I am not sure how they make maple granules or maples sugar as they tend to be harder, almost like sugar. Maple candy is made by cooking maple syrup down further and seeding it with maple crystals to cause the syrup to crystalize. They then take this and pack it into molds and let it dry. I would assume (though I am not sure) that maple cream would be made the same way as honey cream, where they allow the syrup to start to crystalize but whip rapidly while it crystalizes to keep th crystals so small that they are not perceptable.

[Pete]

As for pricing, I would worry about any maple syrup that sold for $10 a 1/2 gallon. Chances are it is a lower grade syrup and will be overly strong and harsh. Most of the good stuff sells for around $35-40 a gallon, unless you know someone who makes it.

[shroomgirl]

I sometimes switch out sorghum for molasses in soft gingerbread, I do not use cane in cooking....I do use dark corn syrup in pecan pie....Dk. molasses is pretty darn strong and pretty thick, I think thicker that any of the others.

Um, well I ate the Sams syrup this morning and it wasn't harsh....but it also didn't sing like some of the lighter amber ones do...guess it's comparable to a less expensive wine....drinkable, affordable but not prime.

[starlite]

You would be much better off trying grade B as it is stronger and a little thicker, closer to what you are used to. Check out my post right above yours.

I'll try that because I've always wanted to try the "real" thing - and marma, I have seen that "imitation" on those store bought bottles and never did like that!

One time I used maple extract in some recipe calling for it and it was horrible! On the flip side of the kind I bought, this was way too strong. When I looked closer at the label it was "imitation". That's when my curiousity in regard to REAL maple syrup began and led me to trying that kind from Vermont. I wish I could remember the name of that store..

I'm from Wisconsin and when I was in grade school, we did see the process of making real maple syrup and I do recall it is a big job. I think they even make some here in WI yet. I just always read/hear about maple syrup from Vermont. Maybe I should go looking my own back yard first, huh!

[Isa]

MAPLE TIGER SHRIMP

1/4 cup butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup fruit salsa
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup lemon juice, strained
1/2 cup vinegar
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 lb. fresh tiger shrimp
1 cup sliced mango
1 cup orange segments
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

1. Heat the butter over medium heat until it starts to bubble.

2. Add onions and garlic and simmer over low to medium heat until onions are translucent.

3. Add ketchup, fruit salsa, chili powder, cinnamon, lemon juice, vinegar, maple syrup and soy sauce.

4. Cook the sauce over low to medium heat for about 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside, covered.

5. Meanwhile, steam shelled and deveined tiger shrimp, with tails attached, for five to six minutes, or until they are opaque.

6. Add tiger shrimp to maple sauce and add the mango slices, orange sections, salt and pepper.

7. Serve over a bed of rice or angel hair pasta.


BAKED MAPLE SQUASH

5 cups steamed butternut, acorn or spaghetti squash
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/3 cup maple syrup
4 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup slivered almonds

1. Steam the squash in advance in a steamer or wrapped in tin foil and bake in a oven until it is completely soft.

2. Remove the squash from the oven and peel off the skin. Cool and mash the squash until it is the consistency of mashed potatoes.

3. Mix squash, egg whites, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon and almonds together. Grease an eight inch square baking pan and spoon the squash mix into the pan. Bake at 400 F for 20 to 25 minutes.

MAPLE GOUDA SOUP

1/3 cup unsalted butter
4 cups chopped leek, white parts only
2 medium yellow onions, chipped
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
11/2 cups chopped Portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 cups vegetable stock
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups water
1 tsp. sea salt
1 whole baby Gouda cheese, diced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and saute the leek, onions, garlic and mushrooms over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and add syrup and vegetable stock. Blend in the flour and water and return to the heat. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Add the cheese for the last five minutes. Stir and heat until cheese is melted.

3. Add the parsley just before serving. Serve immediately with a crusty baguette.


MAPLE MANGO SPINACH SALAD

6 cups fresh spinach
6 cups romaine hearts, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups seedless red grapes
1 cup dark raisins
1 cup macadamia nuts, halved
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into wedges

VINAIGRETTE

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Toss all salad ingredients together in a large salad bowl.

2. Shake the dressing ingredients together and toss with salad. Serve on chilled glass plates.


SWEET AND SOUR MAPLE CHICKEN WINGS

2 lb. chicken wings or drumettes
1 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. water
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1/2 cup vinegar
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 onion, finely chopped

1. Separate the chicken wings at the joints. Discard the tips.

2. Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs and water. Dip the chicken wings into the egg mixture, then into the flour mixture. Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the chicken wings.

3. Place the wings in a large baking dish. Combine the vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce and onion and pour over the chicken wings. Cover with lid or aluminum foil and bake at 350 F for one hour.


STRAWBERRY MAPLE CREAM

2 cups small strawberries
1/3 cup maple sugar or maple syrup
1/4 cup maple cream liqueur
1 1/4 cup whipping cream
3 Tbsp. maple sugar

1. Reserve about 10 strawberries for decoration. Place the remaining strawberries in a medium-sized bowl and blend in a blender. Add maple syrup and mix well.

2. Whip maple cream liqueur, whipping cream and maple sugar until the cream holds stiff peaks. Fold in mashed strawberries.

3. Spoon strawberry cream into individual dessert dishes or parfait glasses. Garnish with fresh, whole berries.


MAPLE FRUIT SALAD

2 bananas, peeled and thickly sliced
2 peaches, peeled and sliced
lemon juice
2 cups hulled, sliced strawberries
2 cups sliced mango
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 cups blueberries
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup maple whisky
1/2 cup maple cream liqueur
2 cups whipping cream
6 Tbsp. maple syrup

1. Sprinkle the banana and peach slices with lemon juice to preserve colour. Add remaining fruit and combine in a large salad bowl.

2. Mix the maple syrup with the maple whiskey and cream liqueur and pour over fruit.

3. Add the six tablespoons of maple syrup to the whipped cream and top individual servings of salad with flavoured whipping cream right before serving.

[starlite]

Wow...lots of goodies! I found this one - sounds so simple after all those I read, but I thought it sounded interesting - haven't tried it yet though..


MAPLE RICE PUDDING

1 quart skim milk
2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
1/3 cup sugar free maple syrup plus 2 tablespoons sugar free maple syrup
1 teaspoons grated orange rind
1/3 cups broken walnuts

Combine the milk and rice in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring, over
medium-low heat until the mixture boils and thickens, about 25
minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup maple syrup and cook 10 minutes more. Add
the orange rind and vanilla. Pour into 4 (8-ounce) dessert bowls or
custard cups; then allow to cool at room temperature. Meanwhile, heat
the walnuts in a small heavy frying pan over low heat, stirring,
until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons
maple syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the syrup boils
and coats the walnuts, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle on the puddings.

[Dunk]

Ok, i've been "hanging out" at Cheftalk for awhile now, yet somehow I missed this chat...and me being a "Real Vermonter" and all and not one of those d*mned flatlanders.

Maple syrup runs like blood in my veins. When my older brother lived at home, he would boil sap -- a looooong process to actually get the syrup, and then store it in canning jars and we'd have maple syrup all year long.

I made maple syrup pie for Easter -- to die for!!!!! I'll post the recipe later -- can't right now being at work and all.

Dunk

p.s. funny story - when I lived in New Jersey, I worked with this guy who said, and i qoute "I don't understand what the big deal is. I know how maple syrup is made; I saw Bugs Bunny do it - you put the tap in the tree and maple syrup comes out." I laughed long and hard after that and he never did live it down. For Christmas, I had to get him real maple syrup, because he had never tried it. My goal in life is to convert everyone to the "real thing."

[Dunk]

p.s. did you know that you are only a "real Vermonter" if you were born in the state. You could have moved here when you were a day old, but since you weren't born here you will Never be a real Vermonter.

Just a quick fact for the day

[marmalady]

Okay, Dunk, now that we've captured a real Vermonter, the question of the day IS:

Grade A or B? What's your favorite???

[Kimmie]

We've got the real thing here in Quebec. And the answer should be B!

[Dunk]

I must say I prefer light amber (grade A) on my pancakes, waffles, cream of wheat... -- it's thinner and I love it when it soaks right into the pancakes. When I cook or bake, I always use the darker syrup -- like for baked squash, pies, fudge...my dad just made maple syrup fudge last weekend - I call it mystery fudge, because other than I know there's maple syrup in it, he always adds all kinds of things, usually whatever happens to be in the kitchen (and people wonder where I learned to bake...). This time I think he added coconut, walnuts and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Wicked sweet and definitly delicious.

Some favorite food memories...since you all got me the topic of maple syrup now...maple butter on hot rolls just out of the oven; dipping homemade buttermilk donuts in maple cream; sugar on snow, again with buttermilk donuts and lots of pickles .

Ok, I'd better stop now...I'm kicking myself for not bringing some of my dad's fudge to work with me arggg.. now I have to wait till I get home.

Dunk

[annie]

Starlite -
I used to make syrup on a Vermont dairy farm. A lot of syrup comes from Canada, and it's good, but I'm biased to VT. VT. also has standards for the density, color and grading of VT. syrup.
I wonder if syrup should be sold with the vintage year on the label. The lovely delicate flavor of first run grade A is most pronounced in fresh syrup. We always tried to use ours within a year.
That said, I think the stronger flavor of B is better for cooking. Grade A gets lost!

[marmalady]

I have to say I'm definitely getting to really like the punchy Grade B even on pancakes and French toast - a real flavor POW! I'm afraid the A would taste woosey after that. But then I'm still working off that half-gallon that my generous brother-in-law sent me!

[Isa]

These days I'm into raspberries and maple syrup. They are just so good together. I even stuffed raspberries with maple sugar just to snack on.

As for maple syrup, the darker, the better.