I, as every single other Yankee, grew up having one syrup and one syrup only with our pancakes, French toast and waffles. Some of us have even poured it over a sandwich or two as a child. There simply is no other syrup to use for these breakfast items and never has been. Our bodies, minds, spirits and blood run solemnly and slowly with the maple syrup of today and all the yesterdays since we began our journey here in the rocky barrens of New England.
Then came a day when I was judge of a local festival and was looking for sponsors as part of a gift basket to go along with cookbooks, kitchenware, gift certificates and money. I happened upon Maine Man Flavahs, who had the most extraordinary hot sauce, made with Maine wild blueberries, I had ever tasted. Then came a package from Bar Harbor Jam Co. that had the best wild blueberry syrup in the world. And I am not exaggerating on either account. In fact, my children would NOT eat pancakes or waffles now without blueberry syrup. I began to think (of what I would have already thought)a syrup that screamed New England other than blueberries. Can you think of one other fruit or berry that is simply a moniker that means New England? Oooohhh, I can.....apples!
There MUST be an apple syrup somewhere around. For the entire summer I searched high and low for a perfect apple syrup but I could not find even one syrup whose main(or #1)ingredient was anything other than corn syrup until I took a look on the shelves of my favorite apple orchard anywhere in New England.
Not only is Treworgy's Family Orchard the entire reason for penning my third cookbook(seen on the right of this post) but as I was gleaning the shelves in their store for anything that remotely resembled pancake syrup, one little bottle caught my eye. The green Made in Maine label was enticing enough for me to dig for my glasses. On they went and I grabbed the "cider jug" looking glass bottle and what do you know! APPLE SYRUP!!!! I didn't get my hopes up much because right next to it was another bottle of apple syrup without the green Made in Maine tag. Being a scrutinizing kinda feller I am, I turned each over, just hoping the first word in the ingredient list was NOT going to be corn syrup.
Sure enough, the first bottle was corn syrup. I looked at the bottle in my right hand. Squinted, moved the green tag and read "FRESH McIntosh apple juice, sugar, cinnamon, allspice and cloves..." I immediately turned the bottle around to see the name of this syrup. Spiced Apple Syrup from McIntosh Farm, in Madison, Maine.
I placed the other bottle back on the shelf and did something I have NEVER done before in my life. Paid for something without looking at the price tag. It just didn't matter, I had the real deal. And when I explain the syrup itself below, it may seem like I am taking poetic license, being paid for this review and am getting a life time supply but you could not be further from the truth. This syrup is so good, authentic, aromatic and perfect, it is going to be in every single food column I write for print around the country.
McIntosh Farms nailed it! And I mean drove a spike through anybody else who may think their apple syrup outshines this one. It just isn't going to happen. Once you open this bottle, make sure nobody else is looking and close your eyes, Take a smell and tell me what instantly comes to mind. To me, it was Grammies kitchen. It was the most desirable apple pie being baked in an old time oven. It was the best, most vibrant apple cinnamon candle you could buy. It was the smell of apples and spices simmering on your stove all day long, and into the night.
I could go on and on, but it was much more than just apples and cinnamon. As the label says, a deeply aromatic blend of spices that were just as true in flavor as in aroma.
Now my children and I have another syrup to chose from instead of maple syrup. Don't get me wrong! I adore maple and the essence of maple drifting from room to room first thing in the morning. But when you combine that sweetness that you crave with pancakes with a fruity flavor of Maine mac's, there is absolutely nothing more I can add to this bottle, even in words. I highly urge you to seek out this company and buy a bottle of this syrup. ....NO! Buy 2 bottles! Keep one at home and sneak one as a gift to a family member or friend.
I was floored, and you will be too. The search is over now. Take a look for yourself on Facebook here or on their website here.
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| Outrageously great tasting |
Then came a day when I was judge of a local festival and was looking for sponsors as part of a gift basket to go along with cookbooks, kitchenware, gift certificates and money. I happened upon Maine Man Flavahs, who had the most extraordinary hot sauce, made with Maine wild blueberries, I had ever tasted. Then came a package from Bar Harbor Jam Co. that had the best wild blueberry syrup in the world. And I am not exaggerating on either account. In fact, my children would NOT eat pancakes or waffles now without blueberry syrup. I began to think (of what I would have already thought)a syrup that screamed New England other than blueberries. Can you think of one other fruit or berry that is simply a moniker that means New England? Oooohhh, I can.....apples!
There MUST be an apple syrup somewhere around. For the entire summer I searched high and low for a perfect apple syrup but I could not find even one syrup whose main(or #1)ingredient was anything other than corn syrup until I took a look on the shelves of my favorite apple orchard anywhere in New England.
Not only is Treworgy's Family Orchard the entire reason for penning my third cookbook(seen on the right of this post) but as I was gleaning the shelves in their store for anything that remotely resembled pancake syrup, one little bottle caught my eye. The green Made in Maine label was enticing enough for me to dig for my glasses. On they went and I grabbed the "cider jug" looking glass bottle and what do you know! APPLE SYRUP!!!! I didn't get my hopes up much because right next to it was another bottle of apple syrup without the green Made in Maine tag. Being a scrutinizing kinda feller I am, I turned each over, just hoping the first word in the ingredient list was NOT going to be corn syrup.
Sure enough, the first bottle was corn syrup. I looked at the bottle in my right hand. Squinted, moved the green tag and read "FRESH McIntosh apple juice, sugar, cinnamon, allspice and cloves..." I immediately turned the bottle around to see the name of this syrup. Spiced Apple Syrup from McIntosh Farm, in Madison, Maine.
I placed the other bottle back on the shelf and did something I have NEVER done before in my life. Paid for something without looking at the price tag. It just didn't matter, I had the real deal. And when I explain the syrup itself below, it may seem like I am taking poetic license, being paid for this review and am getting a life time supply but you could not be further from the truth. This syrup is so good, authentic, aromatic and perfect, it is going to be in every single food column I write for print around the country.
McIntosh Farms nailed it! And I mean drove a spike through anybody else who may think their apple syrup outshines this one. It just isn't going to happen. Once you open this bottle, make sure nobody else is looking and close your eyes, Take a smell and tell me what instantly comes to mind. To me, it was Grammies kitchen. It was the most desirable apple pie being baked in an old time oven. It was the best, most vibrant apple cinnamon candle you could buy. It was the smell of apples and spices simmering on your stove all day long, and into the night.
I could go on and on, but it was much more than just apples and cinnamon. As the label says, a deeply aromatic blend of spices that were just as true in flavor as in aroma.
Now my children and I have another syrup to chose from instead of maple syrup. Don't get me wrong! I adore maple and the essence of maple drifting from room to room first thing in the morning. But when you combine that sweetness that you crave with pancakes with a fruity flavor of Maine mac's, there is absolutely nothing more I can add to this bottle, even in words. I highly urge you to seek out this company and buy a bottle of this syrup. ....NO! Buy 2 bottles! Keep one at home and sneak one as a gift to a family member or friend.
I was floored, and you will be too. The search is over now. Take a look for yourself on Facebook here or on their website here.
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