A DELICIOUS MAKEOVER FOR A SAPPY BUT SWEET CANADIAN TRADITION.
CANADA’S SWEETEST TRADITION IS GETTING A DELICIOUS MAKEOVER
March is not among the favourite months for very many Canadians, owing to its slushy, sloppy walking and/ or driving conditions and equally messy month- long mix of rain and snow. But while the gentle uptick in temperatures may be bad for our non- waterproof footwear, it’s great news for the product for which we are ( arguably) known best: maple syrup.
Yes, it’s maple- tapping season, that time of year so many of us will recall with great nostalgia from the sugar bush field trips of our youth.
They’re happening right now in the parts of the country in which maple syrup is commonly produced, which — for the most part — means Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes ( the Prairie provinces, territories and B.C. also produce maple syrup, but on a small, mostly local scale).
And as any good Canuck will tell you, maple syrup is for more than just pancakes: it goes well in baked goods, pairs perfectly with pork and even makes a great coffee sweetener — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg according to Katie Webster’s new book, Maple, a veritable treasure trove of sugary sweet recipes using the quintessentially Canadian ingredient.
And while you’ve surely got a bottle in your pantry (which you can use to make Webster’s recipe for Caramelized Onion Pizza, below), Canadian maple syrup producers across the country are starting to bottle up some interesting brews that break with tradition and stand on their own.
Here are five of our favourites.
FORBES WILD FOODS PURE MAPLE SYRUP #3 DARK
250 mL, $11.95
What: The Ontario- based Forbes Wild Foods specializes in wild and foraged ingredients, including spruce tips and a delicate syrup made from rose petals. Foraging is de rigueur these days, and you could almost say maple syrup is Canada’s OG foraged food.
Why: Forbes sells three grades of syrup, and it’s # 3 has the deepest flavour. It’s perfectly fine as a topping, but this syrup will really add depth to any baked good that calls for maple syrup, from tarts and pies to muffins and loaves.
Where: wildfoods.ca
DESEVE GRANDE COULEE MAPLE SYRUP
500 mL, $40
What: DeSeve’s stuff is made from twice- filtered sap boiled in kilns made from reclaimed trees in a process overseen by the company’s Master Sèvier. It all sounds a bit Portlandia, but it’s worth it: This is the Mercedes of maple syrups.
Why: DeSeve has been making maple syrup in rural Quebec since 1798, so you know t hey know what they’re doing.
Where: deseve.ca
PURE INFUSED MAPLE SYRUP
200 mL, $15
What: This is not for maple syrup purists. Nova Scotia’s PURE syrups are flavourful gourmet novelties in four available blends: Vanilla, Cinnamon & Star Anise; Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Clove; Lavender & Chai; Chipotle & Lemongrass; and Maple Gastrique.
Why: Because you want to do cool stuff with your maple syrup, that’s why! PURE’s infused syrups are ideal for cooking, yes, but they’re even better in cocktails: Try Valliere’s Sin, a combination of Cinnamon & Star Anise syrup, Canadian whiskey and bitters, which is a nod to Richard Valliere, the infamous maple syrup heist ringleader.
Where: pureinfusedmaple.ca SWEET TREE VENTURES BIRCH SYRUP
125 mL, $14.95
What: While maple syrup is more commonly harvested in Eastern Canada, the Western provinces make a product of their own: birch syrup, whose bold taste and deep sweetness means a little goes a long way.
Why: While it’s perhaps too much for pancakes, birch syrup’s almost spicy finish makes it well suited to cooking and for use in baked goods, sauces and salad dressings.
Where: sweettreeventures.com
REALLY HORRIBLE OAK-AGED MAPLE SYRUP
120 mL, $10
What: “This is the syrup your grandfather used to make,” the Really Horrible website claims, “If you had an i ncredibly awesome grandfather.” Syrup aged in charred oak barrels is smoky and sweet in equal measure, making it anything but really horrible.
Why: Remember t hose maple syrupy cocktails we were talking about earlier? This stuff ’ s another contender for that type of experimentation, but would also do well paired with some classic Canadiana recipes — just think what it would add to baked beans.
Where: reallyhorrible.ca
RECIPE:
Makes 4 2- piece servings Active time: 40 minutes Total time: 55 minutes
❚ 1 tablespoon organic canola oil
❚ 1 large sweet onion, sliced
❚ 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
❚ ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
❚ 2 tablespoons cornmeal
❚ All-purpose flour for dusting
❚ Maple Wheat Pizza Dough, or your favourite storebought dough
❚ 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (4 ounces)
❚ 2 ounces crumbled feta, preferably reduced fat
❚ 2 tablespoons pepitas
❚ ¼ teaspoon salt
❚ Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
❚ 3 cups loosely packed baby arugula (2 ounces)
❚ 2 tablespoons dark pure maple syrup
Place oil in a medium saucepan. Add onion, cover, and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes, until onion is soft and starting to brown. Reduce heat to mediumlow if they are browning too much before softening. Stir in vinegar and thyme, cover, remove from heat, and set aside while you prepare the pizza.
Place a rack in the bottom position of the oven. Preheat oven to 450° F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal. Dust clean work surface with flour. Roll out dough to the size of the baking sheet and transfer to the sheet.
Spread caramelized onions over dough. Top with cheddar and feta. Sprinkle with pepitas, salt, and pepper.
Bake, rotating once halfway through, 13 to 16 minutes, until crust is crispy and cheese is bubbling and just starting to turn golden. Remove from oven. Scatter arugula over pizza and drizzle with syrup. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.
Excerpted f rom Maple by Katie Webster. Reprinted with permission from Quirk Books.