Just after I posted about 2017 food trends last weekend, there was an article in Sunday’s paper about how Maple may be overtaking Pumpkin Spice as the trendiest fall food flavor. Since pumpkin spice has “jumped the shark” with pumpkin-spice dog treats and pumpkin-spice ramen noodles. (Something like that…I can’t be sure because He Who Shall Not Be Named recycled the paper in a fit of tidiness only two days after we got it.)
Here’s an article from The Kitchn we can talk about instead: Forget Pumpkin Spice: This Is Fall’s Trendiest Flavor Right Now.
The Kitchn picks on CVS as a prime example of Pumpkin Spice’s jumping the shark – making fun of CVS Pumpkin-Spice Cough Drops. Honey & lemon does make you think “throat-soothing” more than cinnamon & nutmeg does, but I feel sorry for companies who come out with stuff after the bandwagon is well on its way by. Libraries do it all the time. (You are not alone, CVS R&D Department!)
This time, I’m right on trend, because I had this cookbook checked out from the library LAST MONTH:
I have always loved maple, especially after we lived in Vermont for five years, but as a flavor, it is usually celebrated in springtime instead of fall. Maple syrup isn’t allowed on a low-carb diet, but everyone needs a splurge every now and then.
Maple: 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes Featuring Pure Maple Syrup is an inviting cookbook, with full-page color photos of some of the recipes. It looks like this multi-talented author takes her own photos. Check out the beautiful photos, layout, and table of contents on the publisher’s Web site.
I immediately wanted to make almost all of the recipes in this book, probably because most of them had “maple” somewhere in the name, but these are the ones I’ve marked to try soon:
Maple Tahini Chicken and Broccoli
Maple Ginger Chicken Thighs
Chicken, Peanut, and Napa Cabbage Pad Thai
Maple Ginger Roasted Salmon
Sherry Orange Quinoa
Cauliflower Salad with Black Sesame
Salted Maple Penuche Fudge
Maple Apple Almond Torte with Maple Cinnamon Glaze
The index separately lists Gluten-Free, Paleo, and Vegan recipes, but is otherwise only a recipe name index. The book doesn’t have an ingredient index (so you could look up chicken and find all the recipes using chicken, for example) which I believe every cookbook should have. But that’s my only complaint!
My Mom and I decided over the summer to schedule a night to cook and eat dinner together once a month to use recipes that she has been wanting either to make again or to try for the first time. For our last one, I strong-armed her into choosing a recipe from Maple for us to try, so we could A) use her non-gluten-free kitchen, and B) use some of the brand-new jug of pure Vermont maple syrup she had been given.
We both liked the sound of all of the main-dish recipes mentioned above, but I really wanted to make Balsamic Caramelized Onion Pizza with Arugula and Maple Drizzle. The author’s note on the recipe says:
I wish I could claim responsibility for coming up with the idea of drizzling maple on pizza. I first saw it on the menu of the local bakery of our little Vermont town. The syrup adds a lovely balance to the salty cheese. Trust me.
Mom had garden-grown arugula from my sister and Vermont maple syrup from my brother, and I brought fresh thyme from our home herb garden, so it would have been a real family affair if only we had gotten my other sister to come over to eat it!
While we were cooking and talking, I forgot the fresh thyme was supposed to go in with the caramelized onions after they finished cooking, so I had to sprinkle it onto the pizza after the fact. I forgot to put the cornmeal on the pizza pan, too, and had to lift the dough up and put it under. (I’ve decided it might be best to have the glass of wine with dinner instead of during dinner prep. )
I also didn’t add all the arugula the recipe called for (3 cups loosely packed) but I blame that on being misled by the food photography. The arugula wilted from the heat of the pizza just out of the oven, so we could have used all three cups, but the photo showed it as leafy greens atop a pizza, so I was thinking pizza would be hard to eat with all that arugula on it!
Due to time pressures, we used store-bought dough instead of trying the author’s recipe for Maple Wheat Pizza Dough, but the pizza was still delicious. Possibly a little too sweet, because I possibly went a little heavy on the maple syrup. (The recipe called for the pizza to be made in a rectangular baking sheet with sides and we used a round pizza pan, so we used the same amount of maple syrup on a smaller area, resulting in more maple syrup per bite.)
The cheeses on this pizza are a combination of sharp cheddar and feta, so there was a nice salty-sweet flavor to it, with pepitas adding crunch and the arugula to make it good for you.
Check out the recipe for Balsamic Caramelized Onion Pizza with Arugula and Maple Drizzle at The Splendid Table.
Oprah’s Web site has another recipe from the cookbook to try next: Slow-Cooker Chicken Thigh Hot Pot.
Happy Weekend Cooking!
Linked to Weekend Cooking, a weekly feature on Beth Fish Reads. Click/tap image for Weekend Cooking posts from other bloggers.
I’ve loved maple flavored treats since I was in Kindergarten and Santa came and gave each of us a little maple-sugar toy soldier. A farmer at our local market still hand-forms maple sugar candy in old-fashioned molds, so I can indulge that memory from time to time. I keep maple syrup on hand always.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I love maple too. What an interesting recipe — never would have thought to add maple to pizza!! I’m kind of relieved that maple is taking over the pumpkin spice fall craze, which is just TOO much.
I’m a bit retro, still preferring the maple on pancakes and waffles. Had some with my strawberry crepes this morning. Never did get behind the pumpkin craze as it’s not my favorite flavor. And, I’m still thinking about about the pumpkin spice dog treats you mentioned. Can you picture a cartoon dog wondering what that was all about?
Wow, maple on a pizza is a great idea!
I have always been a HUGE fan of maple syrup. I’ve never heard of it on pizza but you know i’m going to try it!!!
I love maple but don’t know about on a pizza.
I wouldn’t have thought to put maple syrup on pizza either but it sounds delicious. I have never liked pumpkin pie spices so that trend is/was very wearying to me already. I am happy to see a maple takeover. I did try Starbucks maple pecan latte the other day and although a bit too sweet for me, it was good. 😉