Especially Specialty Syrups

It’s fantastic to find specialty foods that are especially unique. These products are a rare treat that identify a culture, accentuate a dish, and add another level of culinary creativity to the course of the day. Specialty syrups are especially interesting and compel the culinary imagination with waves of flavor that can go beyond the “just desserts.” Several specialty syrups of interest:

GUERZONI ORGANIC SABA GRAPE SYRUP
Glass bottle (16.9 oz), $20.00

The Guerzoni family of Modena has preserved the ancient craft of Mosto Cotto, or cooked grape juice. SABA is produced by slowly cooking the juice of selected biodynamic grapes (Salamino, Fortana, Trebbiano Bianco, and Lancellotta) until it attains a syrupy texture. Years ago when sugar was an expensive luxury, but grapes were plentiful. Saba was used instead of sugar. This traditional specialty can be used to make a delicious drink when diluted with sparkling water, a tasty dessert when poured over shaved ice or ice cream, a great way to sweeten bread and cookie recipes, as a condiment on beans or polenta, or stirred into ricotta or yogurt. The culinary imagination is limitless: add it to tomato sauce instead of sugar to create exceptional layers of taste, try it in salad dressings and marinades for extra sweetness and flavor, or serve sliced fresh seasonal fruit with a little Saba drizzled on top.

ORGANIC ROSE SYRUP
Glass bottle (8.5 oz), $30.00

From the Chianti Hills of Tuscany, this syrup is made from an antique variety of rose called “Gallica.” Each May the rose petals are harvested in the morning when they are freshest. As soon as the petals are gathered, they are added to a mixture of spring water, organic cane sugar, and a dash of organic lemon juice and cooked down to a rich syrup. It is often used as a sweetener in tea, water or an Indian lassi yogurt drink. This Rose Syrup is also a wonderful compliment to ice cream, shaved ice, crepes, cheesecake or panna cotta, white wine, champagne and cocktails.

TAJ-MAHAL SAFFRON SYRUP
Glass bottle (700 ml), $9.99

This golden Syrup is produced in Spain and is inspired by the tradition in India where guests would be honored by being served a drink of Saffron Syrup diluted in water. Saffron Syrup has had a long history as part of traditional healing and modern medicine has found it to have cancer-suppressing power and anti-oxidant properties. Saffron’s aroma is often described by connoisseurs as reminiscent of metallic honey with grassy or hay-like notes, and adds a luminous golden color to foods. Saffron Syrup can easily be added to cold or warm milk to get an instantaneous delicious and revitalizing drink, whipped into yogurt for that afternoon snack, or drizzled on Jasmine rice for a touch of sweet golden flavor.

LYLE’S GOLDEN SYRUP
Tin (11 oz), $4.99
Jar (11 oz), $4.99

Tate & Lyle is a world leader in producing sugar from both sugar cane and sugar beet. They have refineries around the world that produce the cane sugar used to make the world-famous Lyle’s Golden Syrup that has become a kitchen icon in English pantries. It runs like liquid gold and has a rich warm taste, mellow mouth-feel and seductive aroma that can be used in a wide range of tasty recipes. It is an extremely versatile ingredient and is recommended for cake baking, biscuits and desserts, and is ideal for oozing over flapjacks, glazing vegetables, in BBQ sauces, sponge puddings and gingerbread.

LYLE’S BLACK TREACLE
Tin (11 oz), $4.99

Another classic ingredient from Tate & Lyle, Treacle can be added to recipes to make particularly rich, dark, moist cakes, toffee and bread Pudding. It has a slightly burnt caramel flavor that is a bit stronger than that of medium molasses and can be used as a substitute in most recipes calling for dark molasses.

LABRADOR PRESERVES LINGONBERRY SYRUP
Glass bottle (250 ml), $6.99

Labrador Preserves has captured the flavor and nutrients of these natural fruits as a series of preserve products certainly worthy of the Labrador name. The berries have been hand picked by natives of Labrador and processed to produce a fantastic Lingonberry syrup. Ripened on the barrens by the Labrador summer and the crisp salty air of the Strait of Belle Isle, Lingonberries contain high concentrations of Vitamin C. It can be served swirled into oatmeal or over pancakes, as a relish for Swedish meatballs, and is often spread over toast to begin the day.

These especially special specialty syrups are just a few products that can sweeten the path for the everyday epicurean. What better way to tempt your tastebuds than to explore such flowing delights?

- Joan Olkowski