Interesting article about maple syrup

[Jenise]

From The Atlantic online.

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/11/making-the-grade-why-the-cheapest-maple-syrup-tastes-best/239133/

Wish I'd read it before going to Vermont last month. There, I bought a bottle in the small town of Pittsfield that suffered badly at the hands of Hurricane Irene. At the general store there, they had quite a few from small area producers, and I chose what I chose strictly because it was a tall narrow bottle that would fit in the wine carrier, where almost every other was short and fat. Then, I noticed that the color was different even among this producer's bottles, one a very pale amber unlike any maple syrup I've ever seen, and the other just a shade darker, a medium amber compared to most.

For waffles and pancakes I do use grade A amber, but for cooking I keep the Grade B. The flavor is much richer and doesn't get lost when blended with other ingredients. It is wonderful in a brine, on sweet potatoes or even in chutney.

Unfortunately they don't sell much Grade B around here, probably for lack of demand. They must ship it all someplace else. I agree with the article 100%.

I've had a quart jug of pure maple syrup, grade B in my pantry for a long time now. It is so rich and luscious, I love it. Bought it from Highland Sugarwarks, in Websterville VT. I use it as a glaze for roasted carrots, yams and squash. It is great on pancakes, French toast, in cereal, maple vinaigrettes. I like it better than grade A, actually.

Thanks for posting, Jenise. I'm proud to say my kids have never had anything but 100% real maple syrup. I forwarded the article link to them.

[Jenise]

Hmmm...something happened to my post. I had typed another paragraph to finish it off, saying that had I gone to Vermont armed with this knowledge I'd have likely bought both colors just to compare. Even now, though, it's interesting to learn what the significance of the color difference was.

Hmmm...something happened to my post. I had typed another paragraph to finish it off, saying that had I gone to Vermont armed with this knowledge I'd have likely bought both colors just to compare. Even now, though, it's interesting to learn what the significance of the color difference was.

Jenise,

I have to say that I was surprised that someone with your background was not aware of the difference between grade a and grade b maple syrup. I have kept both in my pantry for years now although I tend to use grade b more often than grade a.
This is not the first time that this issue has been discussed on the forum.

What the heck... there is so much out there that I do not know either.

Tim

[Jenise]

Jenise,

I have to say that I was surprised that someone with your background was not aware of the difference between grade a and grade b maple syrup.

Well, I kind of knew. What I didn't know was that within a Grade A, coloration's an indication of where in the season that product was tapped, and what would then be the difference in taste.

You need to understand that I'm not the normal American breakfaster. it takes me about ten years to go through a bottle of maple syrup, which I use mostly as a seasoning: I have not even once in all my life made a pile of pancakes and put out a bottle of syrup to pour all over them.

You need to understand that I'm not the normal American breakfaster. it takes me about ten years to go through a bottle of maple syrup, which I use mostly as a seasoning: I have not even once in all my life made a pile of pancakes and put out a bottle of syrup to pour all over them.

I hear you about normal breakfast eating Jenise. I don't/can't eat pancakes, waffles, sweet gooey stuff, or large breakfasts. I am happy with a salad, left over veggies, always fresh fruit with cinnamon and dried pomegranate seeds. Now and then, I will have a bagel, or whole grain bread toasted in a non-stick pan, with some really good cheese melted over the top. In summer, I use Parmesan, tomatoes and basil. Sometimes it is celery sticks, with laughing cow herb cheese. I also like dry cereal, usually Kashi Go Lean, with a dollop of good Greek yogurt, and cinnamon.
Curious.....what do you serve your overnight guests for breakfast?

Me, three. I will eat French Toast but never pancakes and waffles only when Jay makes them. (He uses a leavened batter and it makes all the difference.)

[David M. Bueker]

Maple syrup runs in my veins. "Medium amber" is my most frequent purchase, though when i used ot spend more time in VT I would buy all different types, even down to grade C (not seen anymore) for very focused cooking uses.

...had I gone to Vermont armed with this knowledge I'd have likely bought both colors just to compare. Even now, though, it's interesting to learn what the significance of the color difference was.

Liz, apart from being a college professor, volunteers for the local county and state parks/natural resources organizations. One of her annual events for children is to do a taste test of maple syrups. She'll include one sample of 100% real syrup and several popular, national brands which usually have no real syrup in them at all. Her not-scientific results show that all kids like the fake syrups because they are sweeter. I will ask her to include Grade A and Grade B 100% maple syrups next time to see if there's any change to the historical results. Like the article said, I better go out and get some Grade B before it's all gone.

[Jenise]

I hear you about normal breakfast eating Jenise. I don't/can't eat pancakes, waffles, sweet gooey stuff, or large breakfasts....Curious what you serve your overnight guests for breakfast?

Pancakes are in my first food memory. I'm sure I've told this before but here goes again: it was a family camping trip somewhere near the Golden Gate bridge. Grammy was along and she made pancakes on the campfire. I had never eaten them before and didn't like the maple syrup one bit which didn't go over well with the adults. Making matters worse, I was only a year old and strapped into a high chair for this attempted force feeding while my three year old brother ran around free wearing a Mickey Mouse hat, so it was probably my first experience with infant envy, too. Now it's something I can eat but would never choose to, finding a plate full of carbs about the worst way to start my day. I eat more like you do.

For company, always savory, usually more protein-based than carb, or at least all in moderation. I don't like big breakfasts and as you know I don't care for eggs. Typically I do things like homemade corned beef hash, steak and egg tacos, omelettes, and other small meat-egg things that work well on a plate with fresh fruit.

[Jenise]

She'll include one sample of 100% real syrup and several popular, national brands which usually have no real syrup in them at all. Her not-scientific results show that all kids like the fake syrups because they are sweeter.

I've never put a spoon of Aunt Jemima into my mouth so I don't know, but I'd guess they're not only sweeter they're simpler. Kiddie tastebuds tend to like singular, vs. complex, big flavors: think McDonald's hamburgers.

... think McDonald's hamburgers.

...with sugar!

Lived in Brattleboro Vermont when I was in the 2nd & third grade. Remember going with the local hoodlums and sipping on some of the sap contained in those little buckets hanging on the sugar maple trees. The sap was just a little sweet and of course we were just sampling in very small amounts, all in the name of science.