Liquid Gold
Did you know that it takes approximately 40 litres of sap to be boiled down to 1 litre of syrup? A mature sugar maple produces about 40 litres of sap during the 4- to 6-week sugaring season, so that’s basically one bottle per tree per season. Talk about a precious resource. Fortunately for us, Canada makes more than 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup (75% of that coming from Quebec).
And maybe as a result of the high level of Olympic-induced patriotism, we’re feeling like a little maple syrup on everything these days at my house. Naturally the kids love to pour it all over their waffles—a family breakfast fave—so much so that I have to pre-pour their ration into a shot glass just so they think they are controlling how much they are having.
For me, I get my maple fix with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette. You can mix up a batch and keep it in the fridge—it’s especially good with goat cheese on salad greens.
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
You’ll Need
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
Prep and Cook
- Mix together in a jar by hand and serve.
Maple syrup makes a great marinade for fish, too. Just combine ¾ cup maple syrup with ¼ cup soy sauce for every one pound of salmon. Marinate fish for at least 4 hours, turning occasionally, and cook as desired.
How do you like to enjoy maple syrup?
