Gift Guide, Day 20
December 17, 2010
Today is National Maple Syrup Day:
And that reminded me that maple syrup is one of my favorite gifts. A few years ago I was packing up bottles of deep, dark grade B maple syrup for all my friends. Then I discovered Blis; What’s different about this syrup is that it’s aged in old bourbon barrels, which takes the edge off the sweetness, imparting a mellower, slightly smokey taste. It’s fabulous stuff.
This year I’m giving it to a friend, packaged with my favorite waffle maker, a cast iron Jotul. I’ve been using mine for 40 years, and it makes perfect waffles (in the shape of hearts) every time. Unfortunately, these wonderful waffle irons are no longer being manufactured. Fortunately, you can find them on ebay all the time.
I’m also including a copy of my favorite waffle recipe.
And I know where I’d like to be eating breakfast on the day after Christmas!
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3 Comments
Can’t wait to try the syrup – I’m a hardcore Canadian syrup proponent, but this sounds both interesting and tasty. I like throwing a healthy drizzle in with my bacon & eggs or when roasting butternut squash & herbs.
Just reading your gift guide everyday and my ensuing culinary daydreams are a lovely Christmas gift, thank you! I’m seriously considering this waffle iron now. I was about to go out and buy Williams Sonoma All-Clad electric one for a hefty $129. And there’s no chance that new fangled one will be working in 40 years.
The Fauchon tea sounds dreamy, too. I don’t think I can resist it any longer while needing to, as you wrote, “remember how the air smells when it snows” from here in Florida. We must be some kind of sisters, since I, too, am a breakfast freak and am drinking in everything on your list.
I grew up in Vermont and one year, my parents decided to try making maple syrup. We gathered sap from our trees and boiled it down all day in open pans over a wood fire. My mother didn’t like the smokiness, but I thought it delicious–our pancakes tasted of camping adventures.