In the interest of full disclosure, I must first make it known that I am a maple syrup addict. I acknowledge this and have no intention of seeking help for it. Having said this, it should come as no surprise that my heart shattered into a thousand pieces when I first moved to London and found that most people here just pour a synthetic sticky substance called Golden Syrup all over their pancakes and waffles. It is a travesty that must be fought aggressively, and I do my level best—after scouring specialty stores for real maple syrup—to show my friends of the non-North American variety what they are missing.
This cookbook makes my heart sing. As the title states, it delivers recipes that go beyond breakfast (although it does dish up heavy helpings of maple breakfast fare), and this is where the cookbook shines. The winners of the sweet-savoury meaty mains were the Maple Glazed Chicken Wings and the Maple-Mustard BBQ Sauce. I'm not a pork eater, so there was quite a lot I'm not able to try, but I will be applying the ingredients and methods of the Crispy Maple Spareribs to SOMETHING as soon as I can figure out what (beef ribs are the obvious choice, but perhaps big 'ol turkey legs?). I'm also excited to try the Maple-Roasted Root Vegetables, which will kick my usual maple-glazed carrot recipe up a notch with the addition of parsnips and turnips.
The dessert category is maple gold, and the Crème Brulee and Tawney Maple Cheesecake were standouts to me. The Spiced Maple Pears and Maple-Walnut Ice Cream were in my employ before I ever saw this book, but having new tricks for my old recipes will be fun.
The pictures are amazing, the recipes are unique enough to stand out without making you second guess their practicality, and the insight into maple production, history, and grading is a super bonus. This book would make a wonderful holiday gift alongside a beautiful bottle of high-quality syrup, and I sincerely thank Net Galley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the cookbook in exchange for my honest opinion.
FIVE STARS
Amazon Link: Maple Syrup Cookbook, 3rd Edition: Over 100 Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This post contains an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the Amazon link and buy the book, I may receive a commission.
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