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Saturday, January 16, 2010

A History - Maple Syrup

/ On : 8:08 AM

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By Veronica Carrillo

It is likely that what is being talked about here isn't the "waffle syrup" or "pancake syrup" that you keep in your cupboard or fridge. Those most likely are just imitations of genuine maple syrup, simply maple-flavored to please your palate.

As time progressed, I kept seeing David introducing foods that were from all over the world. Some he called "superfoods" which was the first time I began hearing that word. Over the last three years, I have seen more and more reference to "superfoods" - both pros and cons. Plus including a lot of our traditional foods in this category. I fell into this same hole, logically associating superfoods with the dictionary definitions of both "super" and "food." When I realized this wasn't making sense, I went looking to see what David Wolfe had to say.

It all begins with the trees, or more specifically their barks. An incision or hole is made in them, deep enough to let the sap from within flow through spouts or taps which are placed on the hole. The sap is collected in buckets or through piping which leads to sugarhouses or evaporators. In these places, the sap is boiled until it turns into thicker, sweeter syrup.

So, Why Eat Superfoods? When you look at superfoods as a whole new class of edible items (different from traditional foods and herbs), what are they good for? I have found a way to replace most of the multitude of vitamin and mineral tablets I began adding to every meal 40 years ago. When I began integrating superfoods into my diet, I found that I no longer needed to take so many vitamin pills and other supplements in pill or tablet form. What a relief! Hemp Seed is one such superfood. I began taking hemp seed a few years ago as I was looking for a natural source of Vitamin E. The hemp seed is rich in Vitamin E and Omega Fatty Acids, and so much more. This item is listed as a superfood in David's book.

I personally use zip-top freezer bags for most of my freezer-meal storage needs. Not only do freezer bags take up less space than boxes, the bags are inexpensive and easy to use. It's important to buy top quality freezer bags - this isn't the place to cut back, money-wise. There's nothing worse for a freezer-meal cook than to have your entire batch of frozen meals ruined by poor wrapping or freezer bags breaking. I recommend double bagging anything with a soupy consistency so you don't end up with a watery mess at the bottom of your refrigerator after the meal thaws. Sometimes bags can develop small holes, or the zip-top can open slightly.

Maple syrup, however, is not just for pancakes. It can be eaten with waffles, oatmeal, French toast, crumpets, and a number of other desserts. It can even be boiled further to make maple candy (maple taffy or sugar on snow), maple sugar, or maple butter, all of which can give you a whole new dining experience when you add even just a dollop of them on your dishes. So go on, experiment. You know your sweet tooth wants to. - 24553

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