Maple syrup is a genuine product of the north, made only in the northeastern quarter of the United States and adjoining Canadian provinces. The Ojibwe and Dakota used it as a seasoning and also cooked it down to a crystallized state to preserve and transport it. Today, locally produced pure maple syrup is regarded as an artisan product, prized by cooks and bakers alike. Minnesota and Wisconsin are home to numerous syrup producers, from family-run operations that do everything from collection to boiling and bottling to large packagers that buy raw sap to process and sell.

Modern Maple celebrates this local treasure in ways both traditional and contemporary, with seventy-five recipes using maple to season, flavor, and sweeten dishes ranging from traditional breakfast favorites to appetizers, sandwiches, vegetables, main courses, breads, and desserts. Grilled Radicchio with Maple Drizzle and Goat Cheese, Pecan-Crusted Chicken with Maple Apples, Cardamom-Maple Swirl Bread, Roasted Carrot-Ginger Soup with Maple, and Maple Baklava are just a few of the delights that await. A special section on backyard syruping gives complete but easy instructions for making homemade syrup on a very small scale--a fun and interesting hobby that pays dividends in the kitchen.

The Northern Plate

Modern Maple is the second book in the Northern Plate series, following Rhubarb Renaissance. Each book in the series celebrates a specific food from the bounty of the Upper Midwest.