Review: Clarks Maple syrup

I take the ritual of weekend breakfasts very seriously - I get this from my mum who always did when I was a kid and I do now. I plan ahead and ensure we have a selection of waffles, pancakes, crumpets or pastries depending on what is on offer and what my boy has expressed an interest in this week. What we always have in the fridge as well is maple syrup. It's long been a favourite on pancakes and I've recently been making buckwheat pancakes with banana - mostly to use up the spotty bananas left over from the week's packed lunches !

My boy loves waffles - potato ones and breakfast ones - and I pile lots of fruit on and then the adults get a generous drizzle of maple syrup too. What I have never tried before is syrup on my porridge - I usually add a teaspoon of honey - so when the nice folks at Clarks sent us some to try and some ideas of how to use it I didn't need to be asked twice !

Maple Syrup is an incredibly versatile ingredient which can be used in a whole range of dishes. It can be drizzled on sponge cakes, strawberries and even Camembert - I haven't tried this as I'm on low fat at the moment, but when I am due a cheese treat I'm getting right on it ! You can squeeze maple syrup on salmon and chicken, pour in milkshakes and ice cream or mix in porridge and smoothies - and you can even use it in salad dressings and sauces.

We are well versed in using maple syrup with sweet foods, but adding to savoury was a new idea and we experimented with maple glazed root vegetables. I made carrots and parsnips to go with a roast and they were mild and delicious tasting. The sweetness is not overpowering, but it does definitely add a nice dimension to the vegetables. My boy even liked these, so we're going to make those over and over !

It was not until a few years ago that I even realised that maple syrup is a natural food (I know, I know, don't judge !) and it's also a good source of zinc to aid the immune system and has as fewer calories weight-for-weight than sugar and honey.

Clarks is a family run business from Canada - the home of the Maple - and they harvest the sap of the maple tree then turn it into a range of delicious syrups that are the UK’s best selling Maple Syrup brand.

For more information and recipes visit http://www.clarks-uk.co.uk

Disclosure: Clarks sent us some samples of maple syrup in order to write an honest review.