I was invited to this supper club as a media guest and, as such, my food and drinks were provided on a complimentary basis. However, I was not obliged to feature the event on my blog.
This post contains an affiliate link and if you make a purchase through this link, I will receive a modest commission fee, at no additional cost to you.
When you think of maple syrup, what dishes spring to mind? Maple-glazed sausages, maple syrup with smoky bacon and pancakes or waffles, maple taffy (a popular order at Quebec’s La Buche restaurant) or perhaps even some French toast with maple syrup and cinnamon?
Well, you might be surprised to hear that maple syrup actually has many uses in cooking, besides indulgent brunches. I was intrigued to discover just how versatile maple syrup can be when I attended a supper club hosted by legendary duo, Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn of iconic former Barry-based BBQ restaurant, Hangfire BBQ (whom I had the great pleasure of hosting this year’s Welsh Street Food Awards alongside!) and Maple From Canada UK yesterday.
Held at the beautiful Cora restaurant, situated above Milkwood in Pontcanna, Cardiff, the supper club featured a four-course menu designed to reflect the diversity of Canadian maple syrup, paired with freshly made cocktails and wines chosen by Canadian creative consultant, bartender and barista, Ericka Duffy.
What’s so special about maple syrup from Canada?
A 100% natural form of sweetener, Canadian maple syrup has a distinctive, quality taste which has a number of versatile uses in cooking. It’s also completely vegan!
The production process
Hailing from the forests of Québec – the source of at least 72% of the world’s maple syrup – Canadian maple syrup originates from maple sap which is beginning to thaw, having frozen during the winter. The local climate provides the perfect conditions in which for this process to occur, with its cold spring nights and warm daytime temperatures.
Every year in spring, the maple sap is extracted from the trees through a natural process known as maple-tapping, whereby the frozen maple sap is ‘tapped’ from the base of the tree as it starts to thaw.
After harvesting, the maple sap is taken to a sugar shack, where it’s boiled to form maple syrup.
Four different kinds of Canadian maple syrup
There are four different kinds of Canadian maple syrup, each classified according to its colour – which changes throughout the spring harvest – and its flavour profile.
The four varieties of Canadian maple syrup include:
- Golden, delicate
- Amber, rich
- Dark, robust
- Very dark, strong
Each variety has its own unique characteristics, making it best-suited for use in different kinds of dishes. Generally, lighter syrups are best for use in general cooking and drizzling over pancakes and waffles, while darker syrups lend themselves well to bakes and desserts, especially those that call for molasses.
Are there any other health benefits to real maple syrup?
Canadian maple syrup just doesn’t taste wonderful; it could also do your health the world of good, too. Quality maple syrup is packed with riboflavin, or vitamin B2, which helps to keep our skin, eyes and nervous system healthy.
Other studies have found that Canadian maple syrup and, in particular, dark maple syrup, contains antioxidants which can help our bodies to fight off free radicals and diseases.
4 wonderful ways to enjoy Canadian Maple Syrup
From maple syrup and maple sugar, to maple vinegar and Maple Moonshine, Sam served us a show-stopping four-course dinner highlighting the versatility of maple syrup, and maple syrup by-products, as cookery ingredients
Our four-course lunch menu comprised:
- Maple sugar-charred nectarine, mozzarella, pistachio pesto, maple vinaigrette and salad greens (made using maple sugar and maple vinegar)
- Hot and cold maple-smoked trout rillettes, rye, pickled radish, BBQ creole shrimp, dill oil, maple mustard sauce (made using maple vinegar, light golden maple, amber maple, and maple sugar)
- Maple-rub BBQ Welsh Cull Yaw mutton with charred broccolini, southern-style ‘geechie’ grits, red wine jus and salsa verde (made using dark maple and maple vinegar)
- BBQ summer fruits (including strawberries macerated in maple syrup) in Maple Moonshine (a Canadian corn-based spirit, infused with maple), Maple Sabayon, Thyme Maple Syrup and freeze-dried maple (made using maple sugar flakes, amber maple and dark maple)
If you’ve sampled Sam and Shauna’s cooking before, then you don’t need me to tell you that this was an absolute corker of a menu which Sam, unsurprisingly, delivered flawlessly, with Shauna as our lovely host for the afternoon.
My favourite dishes were the maple-smoked trout rilettes with smoky, juicy shrimp, and the BBQ maple-rub Welsh Cull Yaw – quite simply the leanest, silkiest cut of mutton that’s ever graced my palate.
To drink, we sipped on a thirst-quenching selection of maple syrup-inspired cocktails made by Ericka, like this compressed, clarified Bloody Mary, made using artisan tomatoes and botanicals foraged from her own garden.
While I’d love to be able to tell you that you can book in to experience this mouth-watering maple-infused menu for yourselves, sadly, this was a one-off event.
Hopefully, however, my experience has left you feeling inspired to get your hands on some quality Canadian maple syrup and have a go at rustling up your own maple-inspired dishes yourselves at home. Take a look at these maple syrup recipes to get you going!
Where can I buy maple syrup from Canada?
All pure Canadian maple syrup sold in the UK is Grade A, and each individual bottle has to meet several requirements, including being:
- Free of fermentation
- Uniform in colour
- Free of sediment, cloudiness, objectionable odour or taste
- Characteristic of the maple flavour of its colour class
- Produced from 100% concentrated maple sap.
To be confident that you’re buying authentic Canadian maple syrup, check out Maple From Canada’s handy list of reputable Canadian maple syrup suppliers, which includes most big UK supermarkets, in addition to selected health food stores and other branded outlets.
Did you know maple syrup was so versatile? Do you enjoy eating maple syrup from Canada? Share your favourite uses for it by commenting below.
I was invited to this supper club as a media guest and, as such, my food and drinks were provided on a complimentary basis. However, I was not obliged to feature the event on my blog.
This post contains an affiliate link and if you make a purchase through this link, I will receive a modest commission fee, at no additional cost to you.
I’ve definitely not used maple syrup in all the amazing ways it can be used. I’ve had it on fried chicken before, and then in the brunch examples you mentioned x
Oh yes, forgot about fried chicken with maple syrup – that’s delicious too!
I love maple syrup but had no idea that it had vitamins and antioxidants in. I just thought it was all sugar
Yeah, it’s quite nutritious too (although also very sugary!)
I sometimes use Canadian maple syrup on my pancakes. I didn’t think about using it in other meals before.
I love it on pancakes and waffles, and I’ve also used it on tray bakes before now. This has really opened my eyes to other possible uses though!
This looks like a great menu. I love maple syrup. When I went to Canada it was pretty high on my list of Canadian delicacies to try.
It was wonderful! The company was great too. All in all, a lovely experience.
I spent a month in Canada and every meal we ordered came with maple syrup! We quickly learned to enjoy it.
Oh wow! I knew it was popular over there, but I didn’t realise they ate it that often! Wow!