This is a delicious way to add some great flavour to a fresh salad. A few years ago a good friend of mine gave me the great idea of making salad dressing using the Birch Syrup I had made. Thinking about the unique flavour of Birch Syrup and how it would pair with salad ingredients had me running to the cupboard to make this delicious Birch Syrup Salad Dressing. It's slightly sweet with a delicious burst of balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard, simply wonderful on a fresh salad.
Birch Syrup Flavour
Birch syrup differs quite a bit from maple syrup in its flavour. It is often described as being more of a savoury, rather than sweet flavour especially when compared with maple syrup. Birch syrup is rich in antioxidants and nutrients that give it a unique molasses, tart cherry flavour. This makes it perfect as a flavour enhancer in baking, cooking and even in desserts.
Making of Birch Syrup
Every year in the late spring we prepare to tap our birch trees to make our birch syrup in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. This typically happens after our maple syrup season ends, and shortly after all the snow has melted which tends to be in late April or early May in Algoma. Birch trees produce a high amount of sap each day, however it takes between 100 to 120 gallons of birch sap to make just one gallon of syrup. The process to make birch syrup is similar to making maple syrup, except that the boiling down of the sap is done at a much lower temperature. This is done to prevent the fructose sugar in the birch sap from burning as it has a much lower burning temperature as compared to maple sap which is comprised of mostly sucrose. Once the right consistency is reached after a very long boiling process, the birch syrup is ready for bottling and to be used in all sorts of delicious recipes.
Birch Syrup Salad Dressing Recipe
Prep time: 10 Mins.
Ingredients you need:
3 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp Fallen Leaves Maple Birch Syrup
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp minced shallots
Preparation:
1. Finely mince shallots and place in small mixing bowl.
2. Add all remaining ingredients to mixing bowl, whisk until combined.
3. Serve over your favourite salad. Shake or whisk before pouring.
4. Store in fridge for 4-7 days.
