The very first taste of spring is sweet.
Once April hits and the temperatures rise above freezing during the day, but hover below at night, maple trees awaken and their sap begins to flow. Lucky for us, there are a lot of hard maples (aka sugar maples) just east of the Mississippi and heading north into Wisconsin.
Up in Frederick, where Duane Lindh taps the trees on his family's property, it's been a great year for maple syrup. "It's the first local food of the year," notes Lucia Watson (of Lucia's Restaurant). Steeped in the area's history and tradition, it is a natural, delicious sweetener in high demand.
Maple syrup conjures up stacks of pancakes and waffles, but it adds a subtle sweet edge to vinaigrettes, basting sauces and glazes that can be rough or aggressive.
Today's recipes include a glaze and salad dressing; both are easy to make and keep a long time in the fridge.
What's your signature dish? Please send your recipes, along with stories, to Beth Dooley at bdirish@earthlink.net or by mail to Star Tribune, Taste / One Great Dish, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488. All letters, stories and recipe submissions become the property of Beth Dooley.
