A little question for European friends here....

[hope_for_a_cure]

First a bit of background.  A friend of mine who recently lived in Italy was telling me how difficult it was to find maple syrup 'on that side of the pond'.  When he did, of course it was very expensive.  Further, he mentioned that most Europeans really don't care for it.  So I put this totally off the wall question out there for you folks from that part of the world.... is that true?  Is it just something you don't like or is it something that is just not produced in that area?

I am really just curious.  Most of us here in North America love the stuff... just had some on my 'French' toast.  lol

[Matts]

You are right that most Europeans dont care for it. I have seen it in the Organic Corner in better supermarkets, but it is quite expensive because it is imported from Canada.
Maybe if a Major Company like Kraft aka Mondelez would push it into the market like  their Oreos, more people would buy it.

Is there "Milka" chocolate in the USA? I've seen that Mondelez has bought it.
 

[hope_for_a_cure]

You can get the Milka chocolate bars here in the US.  Its not as common as Hershey's, Lindor, or Dove but I have seen those chocolate bars in several markets. 

Maple is a distinct flavor and is generally used at breakfast (oatmeal, syrup for pancakes, etc).  If you venture to New England or eastern Canada you can buy the little maple sugar candy in pretty much any store. 

Thanks for the feedback.  My friend, who was stationed in Italy briefly, asked his wife to send maple syrup each time she sent a package his way.  Its becoming a popular alternative to refined sugar so lots of folks use it thinking its a healthier way to go. 

Nutella has gotten popular over here.  I can take it or leave it but its sold pretty much in every grocery store these days.

[Miss Philicia]

Its becoming a popular alternative to refined sugar so lots of folks use it thinking its a healthier way to go. 

Frankly I don't think anyone has a firm of a handle on sugar, either natural or processed, as they think they do.

As far as maple syrup ever becoming widely available, forget about it -- I assume the price reflects that obtaining it is labor intensive, which is why it all comes from Quebec now instead of Vermont. I think I read Vermont only makes 5% of world output whereas 25 years ago it made 90%.

The only other country outside of the US and Canada that imports maple syrup in significant commercial quantities is Japan.

[mecch]

Not hard to find. In every big supermarket. Not that expensive:
http://www.leshop.ch/leshop/Main.do/direct/en/Search/sirop%20derable/

[Theyer]

Easy to find but expensive. £35 litre .

I think what Northern Euro,s find differcult is the mixture off MS with , and here I shudder , egg yolks , sausage , so early in the day.

I enjoy sourdough bread soaked in beaten egg , eggy bread , with MS .

MS with good ice cream .

[Miss Philicia]

I think what Northern Euro,s find differcult is the mixture off MS with , and here I shudder , egg yolks , sausage , so early in the day.

I am not huge on the mix either, so when having pancakes with maple syrup I keep my bacon from touching the syrup by using a separate plate.

But I don't eat these things regularly in the first place, only as a bit of a treat a few times a year. And naturally I support our local small-lot producers in Pennsylvania and always have a bottle in the fridge.

ps: I've witnessed Southerners putting clear Karo corn syrup on their pancakes, etc.

[mecch]

Its in cocktail called the Filibuster:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/filibuster-cocktail-cocktails-2008

Some years ago it was the detox of choice for chic mesdames in Paris and Genève. 

Sirop d'érable, jus de citron, et de poivre ou de gingembre

(and the detox permitted cigarettes, champagne and cocaine)

[Dan0]

That. Looks. Disgusting. 

More than half the ingredients should probably never come into contact with one another! I bartended part-time for years and the mixes that I've seen would make the faint of heart expire, but I've never seen anything like that!  It looks like it would clot.

[Theyer]

I am not huge on the mix either, so when having pancakes with maple syrup I keep my bacon from touching the syrup by using a separate plate.

But I don't eat these things regularly in the first place, only as a bit of a treat a few times a year. And naturally I support our local small-lot producers in Pennsylvania and always have a bottle in the fridge.

ps: I've witnessed Southerners putting clear Karo corn syrup on their pancakes, etc.

That was also my solution as the American bacon is usually the streaky back bacon cut and cooked to a crisp it was not so bad , but the egg yolk thing does not have a solution .

American Pancakes are very yummy , I like having them at home so I can use some good unsalted butter on them as well as the MS .

Fave is crepe style with fresh lemon and brown raw sugar , or if in Northern France chocolate and almond paste.

[Theyer]

Its in cocktail called the Filibuster:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/filibuster-cocktail-cocktails-2008

Some years ago it was the detox of choice for chic mesdames in Paris and Genève. 

Sirop d'érable, jus de citron, et de poivre ou de gingembre

(and the detox permitted cigarettes, champagne and cocaine)

"permitted" = DEMANDED

[hope_for_a_cure]

I like maple syrup from time to time.  We usually have some on hand.  When I make granola, I use it to sweeten the mix just before I bake it. 

The Catoctin Maple Syrup Festival was interesting to go to when I lived in Maryland.  It takes a ridiculous amount of sap to actually make a very small amount of syrup. 

[skeebo1969]

  I'm partial to the fake Maple Syrup myself. Aunt Jemima with fake butter is something special here in Florida.  I think it comes from palm trees.

[zach]

i'm in the real syrup camp. honey as well, my great uncle raises bees, when my kids were younger he'd give a mason jar of honey with a slice of comb every visit. now he's greedy and only gives to me on christmas. he also gave me a small jar of straight royal jelly. i ate it by the spoonful. and i use real cane sugar, sea salt, grind my own spices

[BKKKevin]

I live here in Thailand and there is one pizza place here that does euro styled pizza's... the have maple syrup on the tables (Along with ketchup) that the Thais love to drizzle all over the pizzas! 

[Theyer]

I  have rules with eating , 1 un mucked about by industry 2  fruit and veg every day.3 not caring if its broken once a week

Watching Bee keepers at work is very relaxing. The white costune , the slow movements , smoke puffs , the possibility off witnessing violent agonizing pain possably ending in death

Good to see your presence Thomas, and I pray there,s a great big dollop off irony in your post.

As to MS on pizza , I have only just got over Pineapple .

I may well make egg bread doused in MS now for me breakfast.  Gently warm the MS it increases flavours , if your feeling tellycookadous.

[hope_for_a_cure]

I think it comes from palm trees.

then it cant be all that bad right?

I live here in Thailand and there is one pizza place here that does euro styled pizza's... the have maple syrup on the tables (Along with ketchup) that the Thais love to drizzle all over the pizzas! 

not sure I am ready to do that yet

[bocker3]

  I'm partial to the fake Maple Syrup myself. Aunt Jemima with fake butter is something special here in Florida.  I think it comes from palm trees.

good thing you left New England!!! 
Maple Syrup is the only thing that touches my pancakes.  Any sentence about fake syrup should not have the word Maple in it.  I can stand when people say Maple Syrup and pull out Log Cabin or Aunt J. 
I've sent pancakes back, in restaurants, when I've been told they have maple syrup only to have a bottle of brown corn syrup brought to the table. 

Perhaps it was the 4 years I spent in Vermont that turned me into such an extremist!!!

M

[mecch]

I make my own icedtea.  Tea tea. Herbal teas. Etc.
I like it a little sweet but not Southern US sweet tea sweet or icedtea from the store sweet.

Concerned to limit sugar a bit, and wondering which sweetener might be "healthiest" despite that its basically fructose or sucrose, I tried researching

honey
maple syrup
brown cane sugar
beet sugar

It seems pretty complicated and not so well known...   Perhaps the edge goes to dark honey, and maple syrup for the anti-inflammatory properties and other possibly beneficial antioxidants and antibacterials... possibly maybe.  Honey and maple syrup are "sweeter", too.   Maple syrup is ok in green and lapsing souchong.  But kind of expensive as a tea sweetener.

My preferred cold drink - but I can't drink it all day - is cold filtered iced coffee with home-made vanilla syrup and sometimes condensed milk.

Dandelion root tea with cranberry syrup.  I kid myself this is healthy for my guts - who really knows.

[Miss Philicia]

Speaking of syrup -- did you know some LA company is manufacturing THC-infused sizzurp? Now you too can be Justin Beiber.

Miss P does not sweeten her iced tea, and makes it only out of white tea, loose leaf.

[skeebo1969]

good thing you left New England!!! 

You mean to tell me they have maple syrup crabs?  How in the world did I miss that?

Good to see your presence Thomas, and I pray there,s a great big dollop off irony in your post.

I have to check in every once in a while, you know-- to make sure they haven't converted you into a feline owner..... yet.

Speaking of syrup -- did you know some LA company is manufacturing THC-infused sizzurp? Now you too can be Justin Beiber.

Miss P does not sweeten her iced tea, and makes it only out of white tea, loose leaf.

It must be next to the Purple Drank. 

Speaking of THC.  Y'all know I was questioning the whole e-cig and whether you could use it to smoke healthier and what not?  Well, it seems you can-- they call it earwax.  They also sell liquid too, saw some on Ebay the other day. 

[mecch]

His sizzurp is made with drugs other than THC, nestcepas?

I thought he looked cute in Cannes.
http://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1380234/justin-bieber-cannes.jpg

[mecch]

Then again, put a suit on 50% of the guys on a college campus, comb their hair, and they look sharp. Ah youth.
And suits look cute on guys who don't often wear them. The awkwardness factor.

I like spotting young guys who haven't removed the stitches on the vent, or the cuffs, for example.  Or button the wrong way, etc.

[mecch]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_drank

Seems like a very dumb high.

But THC sizzurp sounds like a solid investment opportunity.
Replace an 8 buck coffee bar drink with a 20 or 30 buck concoction.

I saw there are 8 buck ice cubes on the market.

http://www.glaceice.net

[le_liseur]

Any maple syrup in this container is gonna be good, so if you see that can, you're safe. All maple products producers in Quebec use this, and they tag it with their contact infos, farm name, etc.



And if you don't know what to do with your maple syrup, here are 'some' recipes in which you can use it as an ingredient. I even went for the english version just for you, you're welcome...

http://www.ricardocuisine.com/search/key-words/maple/

Bon appétit !

[Theyer]

Speaking of THC.  Y'all know I was questioning the whole e-cig and whether you could use it to smoke healthier and what not?  Well, it seems you can-- they call it earwax.  They also sell liquid too, saw some on Ebay the other day. 

LINK
merci buckets

[Theyer]

Then again, put a suit on 50% of the guys on a college campus, comb their hair, and they look sharp. Ah youth.
And suits look cute on guys who don't often wear them. The awkwardness factor.

I like spotting young guys who haven't removed the stitches on the vent, or the cuffs, for example.  Or button the wrong way, etc.

I call it "the interview look" and it is endearing. The hyper awareness off self, eyes darting to see if anyone is looking at them , repeated cuff adjustment , palour a shade lighter through nerve,s and a scrubbing.

[skeebo1969]

This reminds me, the wife wants me to paint the bedroom.

LINK
merci buckets

Shipping to you from California would cost a bundle!  The vendor for the real liquid seems to have been taken down for some reason-- wonder what that could be?  They do have medical grade oil though, however, it has no THC.  Seems like a waste.  No earwax either, but you can purchase the containers for it on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JARS-dabs-wax-honey-oil-budder-420-concentrates-hash-medical-marijuana-vaporizer-/390511217874?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aec484cd2

[Theyer]

Thank you Thomas. One use to be able to buy Oil [more accurately Tar ] sold in tooth brush paste screw tops , can remember as a youth pouring boiling water on a couple off finished caps . I have always been a thrifty housekeeper, cannot remember anything after the drinking off the tea.

Amsterdam Hash House,s when I was a frequent flyer sold the most delicious chocolates. The 6pm Sunday flight back from Amsterdam to Heathrow would always circle Heathrow for 1 to 2 hours.due to it being the peakest of peak landing times for Euro commuters and weekenders . BA had a policy if this happened open bar was declared . A choc enjoyed just before take off meant that the free quarter bottle of Champagne was most welcome.

[Miss Philicia]

Time for some oil pulling with Gwenny!

[Theyer]

Time for some oil pulling with Gwenny!

Unless its some obscure description off  masturbation , I have no idea , none , off what its time for .

Any chance off an explanation , it might nag , the way these things can and before you know it its 3am and unless you know the answer life will not be worth living , or I could forget about it. Still although curiosity is said to kill cats I find it makes the day lighter.

[mecch]

"chic" trendy bogus detox - you swish oil around your mouth for several minutes than spit it out.  Suppose to clean out everything, whiten the teeth, replace the need for botox, rejuvenate the anus blah blah blah

[Theyer]

Thank you , what sort off oil ? the spirit off my Father & Mother is with me because I am thinking what these people need is a good job , gargling with oil so they faces are frozen . if they where tired , they would be hungry , no time for all that Malarkey

[mecch]

Paltrow probably says she uses a private blend of pressed Persian wild appleseed, Queensland macadamia and Moroccan argan.  But my guess she pulls Mazola® Corn Oil. 

[Theyer]

Paltrow probably says she uses a private blend of pressed Persian wild appleseed, Queensland macadamia and Moroccan argan.  But my guess she pulls Mazola® Corn Oil. 

Ah I was wondering if the Gweeny bit was linked to the sincere Ms P.

If you want a belly ,grip your ribs, roll on the floor laugh talk to any one on the floor off a restaurant that Ms P and her friend Mrs madge grace for lunch together for enhanced bonding sessions.

Oh dear bat shit crazy does not begin to cover it.