Wonderful PURE Maple Syrup
By Alice Osborne
Christopher Kimball, publisher and founder of America's Test Kitchen, sends out a regular letter to subscribers. The most recent talks about the maple sugaring going on in Vermont right now (this is where he's located). He says, "Sugaring has come early this year. Boiling started in late February, and by the first weekend in March, some sugarhouses had made more than 1,000 gallons of finished syrup."
Have you tasted wonderful PURE maple syrup? It's considered a miracle of nature, and I am embarrassed to admit that until a couple years ago, I hadn't. I'd always bought the high fructose corn syrupy imitation maple flavored junk or made my own (again with imitation maple flavoring). When I finally tasted the real McCoy, I wasn't prepared for how subtle and pleasant the flavor was. Now I'm sold on the real thing and committed to stocking up on it.
When you want to satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthier way, consider using maple syrup. Although it's still a sugar and processed by the body as a sugar, it contains fewer calories and a higher concentration of minerals (manganese and zinc) than honey.
Maple syrup is also a good sweetener to use because it protects heart health. The zinc supplied by maple syrup, in addition to acting as an antioxidant, has other functions that can decrease the progression of atherosclerosis. Zinc is needed for the proper function of endothelial cells and helps to prevent the endothelial damage caused by oxidized LDL cholesterol and other oxidized fats. (The endothelium is the inner lining of blood vessels.) Endothelial membranes that are low in zinc are much more prone to injury.
The quality of the syrup varies in characteristics such as color, taste and consistency. All maple syrups are labeled with a grade based upon an official USDA grading system. There are three versions of Grade A maple syrup, including Light Amber, Medium Amber and Dark Amber. The lighter the color, the more subtle the flavor. Maple syrup is also available in a Grade B version, although since it has the most pronounced taste, it is usually reserved for cooking.
It's true that pure syrups are more expensive than "flavored" syrups, but their health benefits and rich unique flavor make them worth the extra money. And think of it this way - a little goes a long way.
While unopened containers of maple syrup can be stored in a cool dry place, they should be kept in the refrigerator once they are opened. Maple syrup can also be frozen for long term storage.
All this said, I thought it would be neat to talk about other things you can do with pure maple syrup besides doctor up pancakes and waffles. From the whole foods website (whfoods.com) I found some great ideas for quick use:
Use in place of table sugar as a sweetener; it gives tea and coffee a unique taste.
Pour on oatmeal topped with walnuts and raisins.
Add maple syrup and cinnamon to pureed cooked sweet potatoes.
Combine maple syrup with orange juice and soy sauce and use as a marinade.
Spread peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat toast, top with sliced bananas and then drizzle maple syrup on top for a sweet, gooey treat.
And here are a couple ideas I came up with:
Mix pure maple syrup with canola oil and water and pour over oats and other ingredients to make a maple-flavored granola. The recipe I use calls for honey, but the next time I make it I'm substituting maple syrup for the honey. Yum!
Add 1 teaspoon to your morning green smoothie for a little mineral boost.
Do you have ideas for using pure maple syrup? We'd love to hear what you do with it. Talk to us on the Forum, and in the meantime, why don't we start a cookbook in our Cook'n Recipe Organizer software titled something such as "Maple Syrup Recipes?" I bet we'll be using more of this wonderful sweetener now that we know what a miracle it really is!
