Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is widely enjoyed for its complex flavour. Naturally occurring in the various maple trees as the sap, it is then concentrated to make the syrup. A majority of the production is based in Quebec, Canada; making up for more than half of the worlds production. The darker it is the stronger the taste is, and real maple syrup is quite a bit more expensive.

It is sweet and the other flavours include vanilla, prune and the depth and warmth of caramel. Often used for pancakes, French toast and waffles, maple syrup is also drizzled onto other desserts or inside them, such as with pies and cakes. It can also be added to porridge or other things to make them sweet. Some people use it with yoghurt, muesli and fruits as a quick breakfast.

Certain recipes for savoury foods also make use of maple syrup to add complexity to the taste. These uses include it being used as glazing or in the marinade for meats and in dressing for salads. 

As maple syrup contains sucrose as the sugar and makes up for somewhere over 60% of the syrup, it should be avoided by people who are trying to keep their sugar intake at bay. Given it is naturally produced it is still considered to be better than processed white sugar as it also has vitamins and minerals in it.

Maple syrup is generally expensive as it is not very common and also is labour intensive to produce.