Comments on: Dip the Apple in the Maple Syrup http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/ Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:23:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Hannah Lee http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-6866 Hannah Lee Wed, 21 May 2008 10:10:48 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-6866 Thanks for telling me about your farm's use of extra-virgin olive oil (off-line), Rabbi Shmuel. But as I can't respond otherwise, I'm posting here again to say that I would love to read more about your farm; the rhythms of a farming year; how you and your family got started; are your children in Jewish day school (when not home-schooled); and rabbinical musings. I still struggle within the Orthodox community where the majority of Jews are not aware or do not appreciate the issues of sustainability and where a simcha is defined as an occasion to eat meat and drink wine. Thanks for telling me about your farm’s use of extra-virgin olive oil (off-line), Rabbi Shmuel. But as I can’t respond otherwise, I’m posting here again to say that I would love to read more about your farm; the rhythms of a farming year; how you and your family got started; are your children in Jewish day school (when not home-schooled); and rabbinical musings.

I still struggle within the Orthodox community where the majority of Jews are not aware or do not appreciate the issues of sustainability and where a simcha is defined as an occasion to eat meat and drink wine.

]]> By: Hannah Lee http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-6851 Hannah Lee Tue, 20 May 2008 18:37:50 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-6851 Dear Rabbi Shmuel, At the local farmer's market, the maple syrup vendor claims that they use organic butter to stop the boiling. What do the hechsered vegan syrups use instead? I was so pleased to find out about you and your farm. Please post something soon! Shalom from Pennsylvania Dear Rabbi Shmuel,

At the local farmer’s market, the maple syrup vendor claims that they use organic butter to stop the boiling.
What do the hechsered vegan syrups use instead?

I was so pleased to find out about you and your farm.
Please post something soon!

Shalom from Pennsylvania

]]> By: Hillary http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2892 Hillary Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:49:41 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2892 In case you were dying to know what the rest of the song's words were, it goes: "Dip the apple in the honey, say a bracha loud and clear. Shana tova u'metukah Have a happy, sweet new year!" Hehe, I'm sure you were sick of it though but I couldn't resist, because we just taught that song to my 1 year old niece. She loves it! In case you were dying to know what the rest of the song’s words were, it goes:

“Dip the apple in the honey,
say a bracha loud and clear.
Shana tova u’metukah
Have a happy, sweet new year!”

Hehe, I’m sure you were sick of it though but I couldn’t resist, because we just taught that song to my 1 year old niece. She loves it!

]]> By: Rabbi Shmuel http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2891 Rabbi Shmuel Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:20:55 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2891 Grade B is usually available around the end of the season (when the sugar content of the sap drops it takes longer to evaporate and it caramelizes (turns darker) hence the color) as a vegan you should be doubly alert to only buy syrup with a hechsher - some producers (though most don't) still use porkfat to defoam but more critically, many producers cook (eg hotdogs, kielbasi) in the sap pan during the long nights boiling (I didn't know that either until I started sugaring) so know where your syrup is from and what's going on in it! I may bli neder bring some "C" grade syrup to the food conference for my maple tisch (tasting only!) black as molasses and sweet as. . . well, um, er. . . maple syrup!! Grade B is usually available around the end of the season (when the sugar content of the sap drops it takes longer to evaporate and it caramelizes (turns darker) hence the color)

as a vegan you should be doubly alert to only buy syrup with a hechsher - some producers (though most don’t) still use porkfat to defoam but more critically, many producers cook (eg hotdogs, kielbasi) in the sap pan during the long nights boiling (I didn’t know that either until I started sugaring) so know where your syrup is from and what’s going on in it!

I may bli neder bring some “C” grade syrup to the food conference for my maple tisch (tasting only!) black as molasses and sweet as. . . well, um, er. . . maple syrup!!

]]> By: stacey http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2890 stacey Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:51:27 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2890 cyberdov - I bought a gigantic container of vermont grade B at the union square farmer's market. The maple syrup ppl are there on Fri & Sat and the jug says "deep mountain". Rabbi Shmuel - yum! As a vegan, my preference in maple syrup in, on or around everything. cyberdov - I bought a gigantic container of vermont grade B at the union square farmer’s market. The maple syrup ppl are there on Fri & Sat and the jug says “deep mountain”.

Rabbi Shmuel - yum! As a vegan, my preference in maple syrup in, on or around everything.

]]> By: Rabbi Shmuel http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2861 Rabbi Shmuel Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:27:15 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2861 cyberdov - Grade B - we'll be G-d willing canning some in the near future so you might want to stay tuned. Grad C - you'd need to be friends with a maple farmer to get some:) Howard - what is the IRB? cyberdov - Grade B - we’ll be G-d willing canning some in the near future so you might want to stay tuned. Grad C - you’d need to be friends with a maple farmer to get some:)

Howard - what is the IRB?

]]> By: Howard Nadel http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2860 Howard Nadel Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:22:51 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2860 Interesting study, but was it IRB approved Interesting study, but was it IRB approved

]]> By: cyberdov http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2855 cyberdov Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:15:32 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2855 So where can one get grade C - or even grade B? I have been keeping my eyes open for a few years now in local stores (NYC area) but have yet to see it. So where can one get grade C - or even grade B? I have been keeping my eyes open for a few years now in local stores (NYC area) but have yet to see it.

]]> By: Rachel http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2810 Rachel Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:29:12 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2810 Thank you for this wonderful post! We live in western Massachusetts, quite near the Vermont border, and a local farmer taps our trees each spring. I take great pleasure out of serving an erev Rosh Hashanah meal featuring as many local foods as is possible (last night: the last of the local zucchini, sauteed and served with mint in the Sicilian Jewish style) but had never contemplated apples & maple syrup. Next year! Thank you for this wonderful post! We live in western Massachusetts, quite near the Vermont border, and a local farmer taps our trees each spring. I take great pleasure out of serving an erev Rosh Hashanah meal featuring as many local foods as is possible (last night: the last of the local zucchini, sauteed and served with mint in the Sicilian Jewish style) but had never contemplated apples & maple syrup. Next year!

]]> By: Rabbi Shmuel http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2792 Rabbi Shmuel Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:29:12 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/dip-the-apple-in-the-maple-syrup/#comment-2792 sshhh - soon everyone will want grade C! I agree with you wholeheartedly. The label game (Fancy Grade A Grade B) is only a function of color - it's like buying a CD because you like the cover art! The truth is that we sell the Fancy to the tourists but if you look in the fridge of any good Vermonter there's a bottle of black C grade (I don't think you can legally sell it) bursting with maple flavor. The way I look at it, if you want sugar, buy Domino's at 19 cents a pound - if you want maple, you want it to taste like maple! Grade A Dark Amber is a great multipurpose syrup - it is still refined enough to bring out the best in a delicate vanilla ice cream and sturdy enough to hold its own in a mix or recipe - this Rosh Hashana - grilled maple squash with a drop of vanilla and dusted lightly with cinnamon. For all you maple wannabes, why not join me at the Hazon Food Conference Friday nite Maple Tisch where we might have a few different grades of syrup to try (plus my special single malt maple, but I digress) shabbos and maple - How sweet it is! sshhh - soon everyone will want grade C! I agree with you wholeheartedly. The label game (Fancy Grade A Grade B) is only a function of color - it’s like buying a CD because you like the cover art! The truth is that we sell the Fancy to the tourists but if you look in the fridge of any good Vermonter there’s a bottle of black C grade (I don’t think you can legally sell it) bursting with maple flavor. The way I look at it, if you want sugar, buy Domino’s at 19 cents a pound - if you want maple, you want it to taste like maple! Grade A Dark Amber is a great multipurpose syrup - it is still refined enough to bring out the best in a delicate vanilla ice cream and sturdy enough to hold its own in a mix or recipe - this Rosh Hashana - grilled maple squash with a drop of vanilla and dusted lightly with cinnamon.
For all you maple wannabes, why not join me at the Hazon Food Conference Friday nite Maple Tisch where we might have a few different grades of syrup to try (plus my special single malt maple, but I digress) shabbos and maple - How sweet it is!

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