Maple syrup

About

Maple syrup comes from tree sap, though only the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) produces sap clear and sweet enough for large-scale production. The tree needs a specific pattern of freezing nights and sunny days to release sap over roughly one to eight weeks each spring, and the syrup's flavor shifts through the season before an off flavor develops once the tree starts to bud. Large producers typically blend syrup from many small suppliers to create a consistent flavor, similar to how Champagne houses blend grapes from different growers. Modern grading in the US and Canada uses four color- and intensity-based categories: golden (delicate), amber (rich), dark (robust), and very dark (strong), with darker grades becoming more popular.

Pairs well with maple syrup

• CiLemonAdding lemon to maple syrup shifts its flavor toward something closer to a mild golden syrup.
• SuEggMaple syrup is a standard Vermont breakfast topping for eggs, bacon, French toast, pancakes, sausage or biscuits, and even appears in a…
• SpCinnamonA classic cold-weather pairing found in Canadian desserts like grands-pères au sirop, biscuit batter poached in maple syrup and lightened…
• FrAppleMaple syrup isn't particular about which apple it's paired with, as long as the apple is strongly flavored and used generously enough to…
• EaMushroomCertain milk cap mushrooms (including Lactarius camphoratus, L.
• FfVanillaMaple syrup's flavor varies with weather, soil and tree, but vanilla notes are consistently present in early-season syrup across…
• RoCoffeeCoffee and maple syrup share many flavor compounds, which can make the syrup's finer notes hard to distinguish when the two are combined…
• SpPeppercornA little black pepper works well in maple syrup desserts: its fresh, piney note complements the syrup's own woody character, while its…
• SuCornCooked cornmeal mush (hominy), sliced, floured, fried and served with syrup, appears in nineteenth-century American cookbooks; wheat can…
• MuMustardA maple-mustard dressing, roughly equal parts Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive or walnut oil, and a little apple cider vinegar, works as…
• CrBananaFrozen overripe bananas blended with maple syrup, a little lemon juice and optionally vanilla extract make a simple dairy-free 'nice…
• FrPlumMaple syrup carries dried-fruit notes such as prune and raisin, along with hints of grapefruit, mango or peach, and plum responds…
• GrFennelFennel seed's anise character complements maple syrup's cyclotene, or maple lactone, a compound that itself carries notes of coffee, toast…
• BeCranberryNative Americans traditionally sweetened cranberries with maple syrup.
• WoOatMaple syrup can taste too refined for plain oats compared with golden syrup, a milder, citrus-tinged byproduct of sugar refining with a…
• SpFenugreekFenugreek seeds share a lactone compound called sotolon with maple syrup, which is why fenugreek is used in artificial maple flavoring;…
• WoPecanPecan's buttery flavor and maple syrup share a distinctly North American character associated with forests, campfires and coffee.
• WoPine nutMaple syrup contains terpenes, the aromatic compounds responsible for the scent of conifers, giving it a natural affinity with pine nuts,…
• WoSweet potatoDarker maple syrup, with notes of fennel and fruit, complements sweet potato well, and molasses adds a bitter edge in dishes like sweet…
• WoPistachioAmber-grade maple syrup, moderate in color and flavor, pairs well with pistachio's fruit, nut and butter notes.
• WoWhole grain riceTrue wild rice, the grain of an aquatic grass unrelated to rice, is mostly cultivated today rather than hand-harvested by canoe as it…