Sunday, January 4, 2009

The Maple Syrup test



I was reading my Feb Cooks Illustrated and got to the maple syrup reviews. I honestly have never had "Real" maple syrup that I know of. Aunt Jemima and Log Cabin were the staples of my youth. I realize they are all corn syrup, but it worked for me. CI recommended Maple Grove Farms Grade A amber. It wasn't cheap. Almost $8 for a 12oz bottle. To test, I made some pepper bacon and a pot of coffee. Then I screwed around with my pancake recipe to make them lighter. In the end I made them a little raw. I still need to tweak that. I digress; on to the tasting. I think the big pancakes were not the ideal vehicle to taste the syrups. The "earthiness" of the maple was overwhelmed by the pancake. It is much thinner than the corn syrup varieties and when tasted straight up, it is very powerful. Heather had the same thoughts about the flavors being hidden in the big pancakes. I guess after 18 years together we have similar thoughts about a lot of things.
I think I will reserve the Maple Grove Farms syrup for something more worthy. Maybe some cookies that can highlight the flavors better. Suggestions?

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