Maple Syrup

Deeply sweet with distinct notes of caramel, vanilla, and toasted wood. There is a subtle earthiness and a slight hint of smoke that prevents it from being one-dimensionally sugary.

Maple syrup gives you manganese, which helps your body turn food into energy and keeps your bones in working order. Riboflavin is in there too, for a happy nervous system.

It's sugar, though. Don't kid yourself. Use it sparingly.

Avoid anything labelled "pancake syrup". That is usually just flavoured corn syrup. You want 100% pure maple syrup.

Darker grades generally have a more intense, robust flavour, while lighter grades are more delicate. Go dark for baking and light for drizzling.

Once opened, you must keep it in the fridge.

Because it is a natural product with a specific water content, it can grow mould if left at room temperature.

If you bought a massive jug, you can even freeze it; it won't go rock hard because of the sugar content.

It is more than just a topping for waffles. Use it to glaze roasted carrots or parsnips, sweeten salad dressings, or balance a spicy marinade.

It also works well in coffee or cocktails where you need a liquid sweetener that dissolves instantly.

Real maple syrup is the sap of sugar maple trees, boiled down. That's it. "Pancake syrup" / "maple-flavoured syrup" is corn syrup with caramel colour and a tiny amount of maple flavouring. Two different products.

The grading system isn't about quality — it's about colour and timing. "Golden / Delicate" is from early-season sap and tastes subtle. "Amber" is the middle. "Dark / Robust" and "Very Dark / Strong" are from later in the season — more intense, more caramel and molasses. Many people prefer the darker grades for cooking and baking because the flavour holds up.

Real maple syrup is expensive because it takes about 40 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup. If a bottle is suspiciously cheap, read the label.