Maple syrup is one of my favorite sweeteners. Its rich, complex flavor is an amazing addition to a wide variety of dishes, though you might use it top top off pancakes, waffles and other breakfast items than for cooking savory dishes. Don’t stop pouring maple syrup over your pancakes because it is a wonderful way to enjoy the flavor of the syrup, but consider flipping through Maple: 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes Featuring Pure Maple Syrup to discover a few new ways to put your bottle of maple syrup to good use.
The book opens with an introduction to maple syrup, including an abridged history of maple syrup production and a crash course in maple syrup grading. The grading is important because different colors of syrup have different flavors. Some recipes will call for a lighter amber syrup, while others want the richness of a robust, dark maple for maximum flavor. The recipes in the book begin with breakfast, but you’ll only find two pancake recipes. Instead, you’ll find homemade breakfast sausage, coffee cake and a variety of fruit- and spice-infused syrups to try. From there, the recipes move into drinks, appetizers, soups, sides and main courses. You can literally eat your way through the day using maple in every meal. The book wraps things up wiht a dessert section that includes recipes for pies, cookies and candies, all featuring maple syrup prominently.
If you are a maple syrup fan, you’ll have a hard time deciding where to start, so I recommend picking both a sweet recipe and a savory one, so you can taste both sides of the syrup spectrum. The recipes are very accessible and many are accompanied by photos that will get your mouth watering for maple. You will go through quite a bit of maple syrup when cooking your way through this book, so consider stocking up with larger containers instead of relying on small, maple leaf-shaped bottles to get the job done.
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