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Make local maple syrup the star of a spring dinner party
Kathryn West
Photo by Maki Strunc Photography
“You can savor maple syrup like a wine,” says Don, adding that—similar to coffee and wine—maple syrup takes on characteristics from its environment and preparation. When late winter/early spring rolls around, Don, Mary, and their 28-year-old son, Peter, tap the more than 700 maple trees on their farm, boiling down the sap for several hours to create their own sweet syrup. “It’s a Zen experience,” Don says.
Luckily, the experience is not limited to those who tap the sticky stuff. You can also celebrate the high-quality, local ingredient by making it the star of a seasonal gathering. “Maple syrup is a wonderful harbinger of spring that complements and contrasts many different flavors, from pork and duck to crème brulee,” says Teresa Marrone, local chef and author of Abundantly Wild (Adventure Publications, 2004).
Maple syrup’s sophisticated sweetness brings to life savory meat dishes, such as Maple Beef Teriyaki and Maple Seasoned Salmon With Rosemary-Orange Glaze (see recipes) to life. It also adds warmth and depth to root vegetables, and complements the deep, smoky flavor of bacon (see recipes).
Photo by Maki Strunc Photography
Later in the season, the syrup darkens, first becoming a golden honey color (Medium Amber) with flavor notes of light brown sugar and baked apple, then a reddish-brown hue (Dark Amber) that tastes of caramelized sugar and cinnamon, and, finally, a deep, robust syrup with hints of molasses, toffee, and anise (Grade B). Dark Amber and Grade B syrups are delectable in meat and vegetable dishes, as well as more confectionery delights, such as Maple Cream Cheesecake (see recipes). Light and Medium Amber syrups are excellent in lighter desserts, such as Maple Fondue (see recipes) or maple cream, which is maple syrup whipped to a butter-like consistency. Serve this delicacy to your guests in place of butter or olive oil, and then use the leftovers in the morning to drizzle on hot cereal or in coffee.
Even the watery sap that drips from maple trees can create a gourmet experience for guests. Marrone taps the two maple trees in her south Minneapolis front yard each spring and uses the raw sap in place of water when she cooks rice or steeps tea. “The sap tastes like super-clean, super-sweet spring water because it has actually been filtered through the tree,” Marrone says. “It gives the tea or the rice a wonderfully subtle maple essence.”
Or, if the pioneer spirit moves you, finish your dinner party in the style of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family. They tapped the maples in the Big Woods and then enjoyed one of the finest pleasures of late winter: maple syrup boiled to 240 degrees and drizzled onto freshly packed snow.
Go with the Flow
March is a wonderful time to indulge in pure maple syrup.The Sugarbush Pancake Brunch at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on March 29 and 30 includes all-you-can-eat pancakes topped with butter, pecans, and real maple syrup made right at the arboretum. 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska, 952-443-1400, www.arboretum.umn.edu.
Don and Mary somers sell their butterscotch-flavored syrup online, straight from their farm in Waconia. Check it out at www.mnmaplesyrup.com.
Farm in the Market sells medium amber syrup from Maple Hills Farm in Prairie Farm, Wisconsin. Lake Street and Chicago Ave., Minneapolis, 612-870-2908, www.farminthemarket.com.
Golden Fig sells dark amber and Grade B syrup from Stanley’s Sugarbush in Miltona, as well as pure maple sugar for dusting on oatmeal or sugar cookies. 790 Grand Ave., St. Paul, 651-602-0144.
Kathryn West is a Minneapolis freelance writer.
For maple syrup recipes, see our Savvy Host recipes page. For more information on featured products and suppliers, please see our Buyer's Guide.
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