What is Birch Syrup?
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What is Birch Syrup? ~
BIRCH SYRUP IS NOT LIKE MAPLE SYRUP
It’s like an aged balsamic vinegar. It is tangy and sweet, with notes of molasses, caramel and sour fruits like cherries, apples and raspberries.
Birch Syrup is relatively unknown but made in central and eastern Canada as well as Alaska. Many maple producers contemplate making birch syrup as well, as the same equipment can be used and birch sap usually begins to run after maple is finished.
Here in Abbotsford, unlike maple sap, birch sap occurs annually in early spring and it runs for about three to four weeks.
EASY WAYS TO SERVE BIRCH SYRUP OUT OF THE BOTTLE:
As a Dipping Sauce for Crusty Bread with Olive Oil, Flakey Salt & Garlic Slice
Pour over Roasted Vegetables, especially Brussel Sprouts just before serving or at the end of the cooking time in the oven
Drizzle over fresh tomatoes, sliced with fresh Mozzarella or Burrata Cheese, Basil leaves and Chives or Vidalia Onions - Extra Virgin Olive Oil optional
Dip for a Grilled Aged Cheddar Cheese Sandwich
Pour over Vanilla Ice Cream
Pour over Grilled Pork Chops
Mix with a little Dijon Mustard and glaze over Fresh Salmon
Drizzle over Fresh Strawberries or Sliced Bananas
Use as a condiment on a Charcuterie Board
A little mixed into your Whiskey or Bourbon
Use in a salad dressing recipe instead of balsamic vinegar
Birch Syrup is not regulated in the same way that Maple Syrup is. At Mountain House, we start with about 0.5% to 1.2% sugar content in our Birch Sap and we have discovered that boiling it to about 60% sugar makes for a better tasting Syrup. Some years, we have limited the filtering process to make a more natural product.
NUTRIENTS:
Birch Syrup contains about 50% fructose, 35% glucose and 15% sucrose. Fructose and glucose have lower melting points so Birch can burn more easily than Maple.
There are significant amounts of manganese, calcium, magnesium and potassium with lesser amounts of zinc, iron and sodium.
For centuries, Northern and Eastern Europeans more familiar with Birch sap, drink it straight from the tree as a medicinal spring tonic to revitalize and aid with stomach, lung and skin issues. Birch sap is also bottled with or without flavourings and also used in the cosmetic industry especially for hair and skin treatments.
