Maple syrup is part of a complete breakfast, but there are so many tantalizing opportunities to use it in other meals. Lunch, dinner, dessert and cocktails offer canvasses that cry out for the rich flavour of maple syrup. Grab a bottle of maple syrup and try it out in our mouth-watering recipes. You’re welcome!

Fancy Maple Grilled Cheese

Not just your average grilled cheese! Step outside the ol’ cheese and bread box and enter the future of the gourmet grilled cheese. Your taste buds will thank you.

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• 1 cup of cheese – Mix of grated Gruyere and white cheddar
• 1 thin slice of Muenster (Pick up your fancy cheese at La Jolie Cheeseshop in Aurora or Port Cheese Co in Port Perry.)
• A healthy amount of 100% pure maple syrup
• Half of a small yellow onion
• Teaspoon of butter
• Fresh minced rosemary to taste
• Fresh minced thyme to taste

Directions

1. Caramelize a yellow onion with salt, pepper, and equal parts minced rosemary and thyme.
2. In a skillet, melt butter, sprinkle with rosemary and add two slices of bread side-by-side.
3. Immediately add a mix of grated Gruyere and white cheddar on one side, topped with a thin slice of Muenster*.
4. As cheese begins to melt, add caramelized onion.
5. When bread is golden brown, sandwich the pieces and cook on low until cheese is fully melted. Remove from pan and drizzle with a generous amount of maple syrup.

Maple Beer Baked Ham

In honor of tapping season, treat your family to a sugar shack inspired meal with all the maple fixings. This maple beer baked ham is a true taste of Canada!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 1/3 cups strong beer of your choice (Suggestion: GoodLot Farmstead Brewing, Market Brewing Co. or The Second Wedge Brewing Co.)
• 1 cup chicken or beef broth
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup from Canada, divided
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 5 1/2 pound smoked pork shoulder (bone in)

Directions

1. In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt butter.
2. Add onions and garlic, sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add beer, chicken or beef broth, 1/2 cup maple syrup, mustard, cloves, cinnamon, coriander and pepper, whisking until well-combined. Bring to a boil.
4. Add pork to pot. Return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
6. Carefully remove pork from pot and transfer to a baking dish.
7. Continue cooking liquid until reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup.
8. Baste meat with maple glaze. Transfer to oven and bake until ham begins to crisp, about 20 minutes, basting with maple glaze every 5 minutes.
9. Carve ham and serve with vegetables of your choice.

Recipe credit – Maple from Canada

Dark Side of the Moonshine

This Canadian twist on the classic whiskey cocktail made with Darker Side whiskey from Last Straw Distillery is the perfect way to warm up this winter.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz. of Darker Side whiskey
• 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
• 1 tsp of maple syrup

Directions

1. Pour ingredients into glass and stir well.
2. Add 1 or 2 large ice cubes.
3. Stir to chill.
4. Garnish with an orange peel and a single maraschino cherry.
5. Enjoy by a warm fire.

Maple Mousse Dessert

This light and flavourful mousse is just what the doctor ordered! Not to mention, very simple to make.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, separated
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp powdered gelatine, dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 ½ cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Beat the yolks together with the brown sugar in a glass or metal bowl. Add the maple syrup, set over a water bath, and cook, whisking, until the mixture reaches custard consistency and coats a spoon, about 15 minutes. It should be quite thick. Remove from the heat and stir in gelatin. Set aside to cool completely. This is important: if warm it will deflate the egg whites.
2. When cool, beat the whites to peaks and beat the cream to peaks, separately. Fold them into the custard. Whip the cream to peaks and fold it in. Turn the mixture into a serving bowl. Cover, and chill for at least four hours before serving. Alternatively, pipe into parfait glasses and chill.

Recipe credit – Food Network

Fire Side

Enjoy these stunning flavours with our maple and grapefruit cocktail. The Fireside Cocktail embodies the flavours of maple season and is sure to warm your spirits.

Ingredients

• 40 ml vodka (find locally made vodka at Durham Distillery in Ajax)
• 10 ml maple syrup
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 pinch of salt
• 50 ml pink grapefruit juice

Directions

1. Add the maple and salt to the bottom of your glass
2. Crush some rosemary in with it
3. Fill with ice and add your vodka
4. Top with grapefruit juice and stir well
5. Garnish with an extra sprig of rosemary

Maple Latte at Home

No need to spend $8 on a latte when this simple maple latte is easy to make at home with no special equipment!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces strong coffee (suggestion: you can find lots of local coffee roasters in YDH like Mochaberry Coffee & Co., Coywolf Coffee, My Indie Coffee Roasters, Treblecock Coffee, Jacked Up Coffee Roasting Co., Balzac’s, and so many more)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1-2 tablespoons REAL maple syrup

Extra for more Flavour:

• pinch of ground cloves
• pinch of allspice
• pinch of fresh nutmeg

Directions

1. Add maple syrup and spices to the bottom of a mug, stir to combine.
2. Heat milk on the stove or in a microwave.
3. Add milk to a jar, screw lid onto jar and shake for a few seconds, until milk is foamy.
4. Pour hot, strong coffee over maple syrup and spice blend.
5. Top with foamy milk. Garnish with more spices if desired.

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