Nourishments—

The Sweet Season

By Nancy K. Crevier

I remember following in the snowy footsteps of my friend as he led the way deep into the Minnesota woods, the late afternoon sun rapidly dipping and taking with it the remnants of the day’s warmth, to where an enormous kettle hung over an outdoor fire. A slightly sweet smell scented the air as we drew near the bubbling pot, and he worked quickly to stoke the fire beneath it. It was his turn to watch the sap-filled pot, gently stirring it and coaxing it into amber-colored maple syrup. It was an annual spring event for his family, and carried on in much the same manner that the Chippewa Indians of that area had done for generations.

It was my first encounter with genuine maple syrup, having grown up in a household where bottled Log Cabin syrup was the topper for our pancakes, or in some instances, brown sugar and water boiled down to a viscous topping. Maple syrup was considered a rare luxury.

When I moved to New England in 1978, though, it did not seem right that anything other than the regionally famous maple syrup should be on our table. Our northern neighbor, Vermont, produces the greatest quantity of maple syrup each year in the country, with New York, Maine, and New Hampshire following. (Connecticut produces less than 5 percent of the maple syrup produced in the New England states each year.) It was a big outlay of money for our newlywed budget, but worth every drop. I have never reconsidered, and the thought of using pancake “topping” instead of genuine maple syrup seems such an atrocity to me now, that I will eat my pancakes straight up if “topping” is the only option.

Maple syrup is a luxury, and there is good reason for that, whether the sap spills from metal taps in the trees into buckets and is boiled over an open fire, or whether it is collected by a modern network of plastic tubing that drains the sap into a single large collection unit in the sugar shack.

“Sugaring” takes place in late winter or early spring, when daytime temperatures are moderate and nighttime temperatures still fall below freezing. For each gallon of maple syrup produced, 30 to 40 gallons of clear sap must be collected and boiled down. The season usually lasts just four to six weeks, so those who want to “sugar” must pay close attention to the forecast and make haste when the sap begins to run.

Using precise boiling and cooling temperatures, maple syrup farmers are able to make not only three (four, in Vermont) grades of syrup, but granulated maple sugar, maple cream, maple fudge, and maple sugarcakes/candy — every bit of it containing nothing more than the pure sap from the tree.

Grade A or Fancy is the  palest maple syrup, and is also the most delicate in flavor. Use it judiciously on plain pancakes, waffles, or a mild vanilla ice cream, where its flavor can shine through. Grade A medium has a more pronounced flavor and can stand up to and enhance spices used in cooking or baking. Grade B is the darkest amber color and the strongest flavored of maple syrups, and considered to be ideal for baking purposes or in any instance when a strong maple flavor is desired. In Vermont, the grades include Fancy, Grade A medium amber, Grade A dark amber, and Grade B.

The flavor of maple syrup is as rich and luxurious as the price it demands — averaging between $33 and $70 per gallon in New England in 2010, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

A quarter cup of maple syrup contains 200 calories, with most of those calories coming from sugars, a fact that might scare you off. But like many of Mother Nature’s foods, there is an up side. Maple syrup contains respectable amounts of calcium, iron, manganese, and zinc, unlike the mass produced and very unmaplelike pancake topping wannabes.

Like baking with honey, baking with maple syrup in place of white sugar takes a little finessing of the recipes, and it should be remembered that maple syrup will add its own flavor and color to the finished product. It is somewhat more intense in sweetness than refined sugar, so replace one cup of sugar with just 2/3  to ¾ cup of maple syrup when altering a recipe. (This also means that less is more when pouring it over waffles or French toast.)

Cut back on other liquids in the recipe by about 3 tablespoons per cup of maple syrup substituted for sugar. Because maple syrup is more acidic than sugar, adding ¼ teaspoon baking soda per cup of maple syrup used will help with leavening the baked goods. Reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees when using a sugar-to-maple syrup converted recipe. It will take some playing around, honestly, to get the best results, but even the “failures” will be delicious ones.

It is not just for baking, of course. Maple syrup makes a delicious glaze for roasted meats and fish, brushed on in the last several minutes of cooking, or brushed over winter squash or carrots before baking.

Dark, leafy greens like spinach, arugala, and watercress tossed with dried cherries and toasted walnuts can be pleasantly dressed with a lemon-maple syrup salad dressing, and maple sweetened whipped cream complements fresh berries quite nicely. Sweeten plain yogurt with maple syrup and toss in granola and berries for a good start to the day or for a bedtime snack.

A hot breakfast of oatmeal or other cooked grains, dried fruits, and nuts cries out for the gentle sweetness of maple syrup.

Once maple syrup becomes a staple in your cupboard, there will be no going back to cloying “toppings” or “maple-flavored” items. You are worth the luxury of maple syrup, and you don’t even have to tromp through wintery woods to find the source. It’s right around the corner.

 

 

Wild Rice Porridge

2 C cooked wild rice (an aquatic grass or “rice” sold in specialty sections of the supermarket)

¼ C uncooked old-fashioned oats

¾ C whole milk or unsweetened soy

    milk

¼ C maple syrup

Pinch salt

½ tsp cinnamon

1/3 C dried cranberries and/or raisins, dried blueberries or cherries

1/3 C toasted, chopped walnuts or

     pecans

Stir all ingredients together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium low heat, reduce heat, and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Serve hot.

Goat Cheese and Greens

With Maple Vinaigrette

In small bowl whisk:

2 Tbs Grade B maple syrup,

   or dark amber maple syrup

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

2 tsp stone-ground mustard

½ C extra virgin olive oil

Grated rind of one lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Set aside.

 

2 C washed and well drained baby

       arugala

1 C washed, stemmed, drained

       watercress

2 C washed, stemmed, well drained

       baby spinach

4 oz goat cheese feta, crumbled

½ C toasted walnuts (350° oven for 5 to

       7 minutes; cool)

¼ C dried cherries

Toss greens together and divide among four salad plates.

Sprinkle cherries and walnuts over greens, and top with goat cheese.

Top each with some of the salad dressing.

Remaining dressing can be passed separately, or refrigerated, covered, for later use.