
Fall is creeping up on us and it is all about the pumpkin spice everything! (hard eye-roll here)
Well, I believe that maple is a fall flavor that has been overshadowed as of late (or latte) and I think it's time to liberate the syrup from the pancake and waffle box!
Let's talk syrup. I mean the real stuff, not "Aunt" so & so.
Here's a little known fact - it takes 30 to 50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup! What many people might not know is that producing maple syrup is an incredibly long, expensive and labor-intensive process. Like any other crop, it's seasonal, when the frozen sap of the maple trees thaws the trees are tapped and the sap is gathered, and then the long process of boiling down the sap begins. The U.S. produced 4.27 million gallons of syrup last year - that means 400 million gallons of sap got processed through tubes and tanks being run by human beings. So, while real maple syrup is more expensive than the fake stuff, the price is a reflection of both its scarcity and its labor-intensive production. It is also better for you than the fake stuff. The delicious elixir contains numerous antioxidants, has a low glycemic index and fights inflammatory diseases. How about that?
Pictured above is a great gift set for, really, anyone. Clearly there's a bottle of pure Vermont maple syrup and next to that is a cookbook that's full of recipes that contain...you guessed it! Maple Syrup! These are not ordinary recipes, folks. How about maple scones with maple-whiskey butter? Or maple miso wings? Or poutine with spicy maple bacon? Or maybe a Maple Alexander to sip with this gastronomic delight!
The author, Casey Elsass is the founder and owner of Bushwick Kitchen, a company that makes a range of versatile and delightful hot sauces. (of course, there's maple) His personal association with maple syrup comes from his childhood growing up in the heart of sap-tapping country.
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