Buzz
Maple syrup is so delicious, it’s hard to believe it comes from a tree. Or maybe it’s not so surprising—trees also provide us with peaches, olives, and lemons, which bring a bit of joy to our everyday lives. I think maple syrup is aware of its own greatness, considering its hefty price tag. It’s the price that makes me reluctant to throw away even a nearly-empty bottle.
This is part of Eating Trash With Claire, a Mytour series where Claire Lower shows you how to turn your kitchen scraps into something tasty and worthwhile.
I found myself with a mostly-empty bottle after preparing maple-poached eggs, which might just be one of my top three favorite egg dishes. I got a fresh bottle of syrup to continue enjoying maple eggs, but I couldn’t bear to discard the old, sticky bottle—not with a little syrup still sitting at the bottom. It wasn’t enough for a full pancake, but just enough to sweeten a glass of iced coffee (or a couple of other things).
Clean your maple syrup bottle with some cold brew.
Maple syrup acts just like any other syrup in drinks, dissolving effortlessly even in cold beverages. Simply pour a few ounces of cold brew, regular drip coffee, or espresso into the bottle, shake it up, then pour it into a glass of ice (or a mug if using hot coffee) and enjoy. If coffee isn’t your drink of choice, you can use this method with any beverage, including tea or lemonade.
Create a maple vinaigrette.
If I could offer one piece of advice to salad lovers, it would be, “Use more acid in your vinaigrettes.” If I could offer two, the second would be, “Add a touch of sugar.”
Sugar enhances flavors and balances out the sourness from the acid in your dressing, giving it a vinaigrette that’s bold but not too tart. To make a maple vinaigrette right in the bottle, pour in 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt. Shake it up, taste, and if it’s too sweet, add a bit more oil and vinegar. Shake and taste again, then pour it over raw greens or roasted veggies. It’s especially delightful on roasted carrots.
Create a maple old fashioned.
Old fashioneds are a subtly sweet cocktail, and I prefer to sweeten mine with maple syrup. Since you only need a teaspoon of syrup, you likely have plenty left in the bottle. Pour 2 ounces of bourbon into the maple syrup bottle, add a few dashes of bitters, and swirl it around until the syrup dissolves. Then, pour the mixture into a lowball glass filled with ice and garnish with a cherry or an orange slice.
