Cooking with Maple

To compliment our March Special http://berkshireramblings.blogspot.com/2012/03/march-farm-foods-finds-special.html

Maple syrup is a syrup usually made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, although it can also be made from other maple species. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before the winter; the starch is then converted to sugar that rises in the sap in the spring. Maple trees can be tapped by boring holes into their trunks and collecting the exuded sap. The sap is processed by heating to evaporate much of the water, leaving the concentrated syrup. For more information and background about Maple Syrup please visit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_syrup.

What many people don't know is that the highly sought after and more expensive Grade A syrup while lovely for pouring over pancakes and waffles is not the best grade to use for cooking. Grade B which has a deeper, richer, more mapley flavor is much better.

A few of my favorite maple dressing recipes:

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 cup Grade B maple syrup

1 cup good quality balsamic vinegar

3 tea. fresh chopped garlic

2 tea. fresh chopped rosemary, approximately 6-7 stalks

Mix well and whisk in slowly

1 1/2 cups pure (not XV) olive oil.

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

-storage in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks

Miso Maple Ginger Dressing

4 Tble. Grade B maple syrup

8 tea ponzu lemon or lime

2 Tble.

4 Tble. fresh lime juice

3 Tble. fresh chopped or grated ginger

1 tea. smoked paprika

3 tea. whole grain mustard

Mix well and whisk in slowly

6 Tble. pure (not XV) olive oil.

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

-storage in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks

Raspberry Maple Dressing

4 Tbsp. Grade B maple syrup

1/2 cup raspberry vinegar

1 1/2 cup pure (not XV) olive oil

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

-storage in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks

For little zippier version of this, add 2 Tble raspberry jam and 3 tea. Sriracha hot sauce.