Real Maple Syrup

My first reaction might be "Do you know you can't buy Cheddar cheese in Caracas?" but that would be very mean :laugh: :laugh:
Maple syrup is very much Canadian/American, so it's not really a surprise. the Spanish don't do pancakes, especially those delicious, fat, fluffy pancakes they make for breakfast in the USA. It's a very regional thing - although I will say we can buy "maple" syrup in Caracas, and it's the awful stuff, but my son loves it.
I once worked with a diplomat from Canada, who gave me some real maple syrup from his uncle's family business.
Unbelievably good.

I thought that as the UK wasn’t really aware of pancakes and maple syrup until McDonald’s arrived with their version and then tv chefs started making the proper thing we weren’t particularly aware of Maple syrup. More likely to have treacle in our cupboards than that 😂
So why wouldn’t it have caught on in other places where McDonald’s exist?

Well I discover because they’re aren’t on the menu here - because most McD’s and Burger King here don’t open til 11.30am or later!!
 
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Perhaps the other issue is the British being sticklers for tradition.
Pancakes are only eaten on Shrove Tuesday, and they just have to have lemon juice and sugar. That's it.
(Now that may or may not be true, but that,s the gist of it)
British pancakes are also a culinary mile away from American ones. Thin, almost like a crepe; American pancakes are thick and fluffy.
Shame, really - I'd quite happily snaffle a few (British) pancakes for breakfast.
 
Perhaps the other issue is the British being sticklers for tradition.
Pancakes are only eaten on Shrove Tuesday, and they just have to have lemon juice and sugar. That's it.
(Now that may or may not be true, but that,s the gist of it)
British pancakes are also a culinary mile away from American ones. Thin, almost like a crepe; American pancakes are thick and fluffy.
Shame, really - I'd quite happily snaffle a few (British) pancakes for breakfast.

I much prefer thin British pancakes to the thicker American type. I also use UK style pancakes stuffed and rolled for savoury dishes.

Maple syrup is fine if you like super sweet syrup, and I am sure the best maple syrup has many subtle notes besides sweetness. But I don't really eat syrups or honey poured onto things (far too sweet for me). I do use honey in some savoury dishes though and I am sure maple syrup could be used instead.
 
Perhaps the other issue is the British being sticklers for tradition.
Pancakes are only eaten on Shrove Tuesday, and they just have to have lemon juice and sugar. That's it.
(Now that may or may not be true, but that,s the gist of it)
British pancakes are also a culinary mile away from American ones. Thin, almost like a crepe; American pancakes are thick and fluffy.
Shame, really - I'd quite happily snaffle a few (British) pancakes for breakfast.
We are very traditional in some ways but also very embracing of other cultures cuisine and perhaps not quite such sticklers for tradition as the Spanish whose shelves groan with Spanish produce but almost no 'world foods'
Not so in the UK, it's easy to get maple syrup and many other non traditional ingredients in any UK supermarket now.

It's such a fantastic ingredient. Completely different to something like honey.
I think I really got into it when I made a simple recipe for chicken liver salad.
They are pan fried and a splash of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup heated in the pan at the end to deglaze and make the salad dressing. So simple and so, so tasty.

I'd no more want to go without maple syrup as an ingredient than I would honey!
 
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