Specialty Products

Vinegars, jellies, wines and spirits – if you can think of a way to use maple, it’s probably being done in Quebec! 

Beyond the likes of maple syrup and maple sugar, there exist several speciality products that are quickly becoming coveted ingredients among chefs and foodies, extending the many uses of maple to even more dishes. 

Want to learn about some of our speciality products, including maple jelly, maple vinegar and maple spirits? Keep reading!

Maple jelly

Maple syrup can also be made into a jelly, making for a soft and deliciously sweet addition to cheese, crackers and charcuterie platters, as well as sandwiches and pastries. 

Maple jelly is generally made by mixing maple syrup with gelatine and a liquid component like water or fruit juice, then refrigerating the combination so that it solidifies to the soft, elastic-like consistency of jelly. 

While in Canada maple jelly is usually paired with bread dishes like toast, bagels and muffins, it can also be used to coat fish and roast meat before serving and would be a perfect addition to your weekend cheese platter!

Maple mustard

Easily made at home by whisking mustard, mustard seeds and black pepper into boiled maple syrup, maple mustard is a smooth and delicious condiment that serves as a vegan-friendly alternative to honey mustard. 

Maple’s natural sweetness balances with the sharpness of the mustard to form a smooth, creamy and richly flavoured sauce that’s great for dipping hot chips and crispy chicken tenders, or topping burgers and hot dogs. 

Maple mustard also serves as a great salad dressing and can even be used as a basting sauce for everything from pork and salmon to turkey and tofu.

Maple spirits

A growing number of distillers and winemakers are now incorporating the rich flavour of maple into their products, with maple wine, maple brandy and maple-flavoured spirits all rising in popularity in recent years. 

As an excellent source of natural sugar, maple syrup serves as a great winemaking material and can be combined with yeast to kickstart the fermentation process. Once fermented, maple wine can then be distilled to produce maple brandy.

Some producers are also using maple syrup to mix into ready-made alcoholic drinks like wine, cider and whisky, adding a touch of sweetness to the beverage without affecting its alcohol content.

Maple vinegar

Maple vinegar is a speciality product that has become a staple ingredient for many leading chefs. It’s made by mixing maple syrup with a neutral alcohol or white wine vinegar and then leaving the combination to ferment over several weeks. 

Compared to other vinegars, it’s sometimes described as similar to a high-quality balsamic vinegar, having a subtle, caramel-like flavour that balances with the tangy, acidic flavour indicative of most vinegars. 

Maple vinegar has a wide range of uses in the kitchen, often being added to sauces, glazes and salad dressings. It’s also used as a deglazing agent and can be poured directly over a variety of dishes for additional flavour.

Maple vinaigrette

Maple vinaigrette is another speciality product that’s often added to salads. What distinguishes maple vinegar from a maple vinaigrette is that the latter is mixed with an oil (typically olive oil) along with other flavouring agents like salt, pepper, mustard and lemon juice. 

This preparation builds on the foundations of maple vinegar, adding additional layers of flavour that can easily be altered depending on the recipe while still retaining maple’s distinctive taste. 

If you’re looking to make your own maple vinaigrette, you can find a couple of different variations in our barley and chicken salad and orzo and chicken salad recipes.

Much more than syrup!

It may be the most popular option, but maple syrup is just one of many products derived from the sugary sap found in maple trees. From wines and vinegars to jellies and mustards, maple’s speciality items serve up new possibilities, allowing you to enjoy the full culinary richness of maple! 

Want to see how some of these products can be incorporated into your cooking and baking? Make sure to check out our range of maple syrup recipes!