Maple Syrup, It’s not just for breakfast
anymore and is finding its way into many savory dishes on Chef’s menus across
the country. Maple and apples compliment
pork and a touch of maple on roast vegetables helps brings out their natural
sweetness and earthy flavors.
Maple syrup and sugar are unique to New England. When the first settlers arrived they were
introduced to the sweet stuff by the local Iroquois. Not only was the sweet sugar locally
available, it was free and not subject to the high “sugar tariffs” of the day. Can you say “Thank You Native Americans”?
The Iroquois had a process that by today’s standard would seem
daunting, but it worked for them for hundreds of years. The process involved slashing large gashes in
the trees, collecting the liquid in hollowed out tree trunks, and transporting
the trunks back to the village where they were placed fireside. Smooth granite rocks were placed in the fire
until they were “white hot” and then placed in the trunks filled with the
liquid, causing it to evaporate. This
process was repeated until the liquid eventually turned to maple sugar which
was nonperishable and lasted throughout the year.
The settlers helped streamline the process with their more
modern tools. While the process has been
modernized the original concept remains the same and the process can still seem
daunting. It takes about 40 gallons of
sap to make one gallon of syrup. The sap can only be harvested during a very
short window during March and April.
Above freezing temperatures during the day and below freezing nights are
required to keep the sap flowing, however if the days are too warm the tree
budding process begins and the sap loses its natural sweetness.
Chefs here in New Hampshire don’t have to go far to find
locally produced maple. I didn’t even
have to leave Lucia’s. Chris from “5
Pour Saps” a local sugar house hand delivered some of this year’s first production,
beautiful Grade “B” Amber. And yes it’s
great for pancakes and the star ingredient in this month’s recipe.
Some people never even have to leave home to enjoy New
England Maple Syrup. While recently
sitting at the Poodle Parlor – excuse me Doggie Spa, I learned that our friend
Mark has had his own “maple syrup experience” years ago. You never know who you will run into at the
“Doggie Spa”.
He found that there
were several maple trees on his property and his curiously was tapped. He started with a drill, a copper tube and a
pail from his garage. Sooner than
expected his pail was overflowing.
So as any good New England Man would do, he searched his
home for anything to contain the sticky situation. He found several empty Folgers cans to gather
the sap, brought them to the kitchen and started the maple reduction
process. After three days of boiling
sap, Mark had one whole table spoon of New England’s best maple syrup. Needless
to say from that day on he was stuck on New England Maple Syrup. This year he harvested over one hundred
gallons in hopes of producing at least three cups of syrup.
If you are like me and your wife has a dog that everyone
mistakes for a rat, and the “rat/dog” needs a spa day, please visit “Artistic Dog
Groomers”. And if you need more than a
table spoon of maple syrup visit www.5poursaps.com
for the best Maple Syrup around.
Maple Stuffed Mushroom Caps
3oz Sweet Italian
Sausage – diced fine
1 Tsp Garlic
Pinch Crushed Red
Peppers
2 Cup Cooked Spinach
1Tbl Olive Oil
¼ Cup NH Maple Syrup
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Shredded
Mozzarella plus some for topping on top before baking
24 Mushrooms, stems
removed and chopped, reserve
In pan, heat oil, add
garlic and crushed red peppers
Add spinach, diced
sausage and chopped reserved mushroom stems
Removed from heat, add
maple syrup, bread crumbs, and mozzarella
Stuff caps with
mixture, cover with left over mozzarella
Bake at 350̊ for 10 minutes until mushrooms are warmed
through and mozzarella is melted.
