BAKED BEANS

(Yields 10-12 servings)

4 cups yellow-eye beans

1/2 pound salt pork, cubed

1 large onion, chopped

3/4 cup maple syrup (for more flavor use a dark grade)

3 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

 Thoroughly wash and pick over the beans. Cover beans with cold water

and add baking soda. Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse beans,

then place in an oven proof pot. Add in remaining ingredients and

enough water to cover beans. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 1

hour, until beans are tender. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake

uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adding water as needed.
 
 

MAPLE-BARBECUED PORK RIBS

(Yields 4 servings)
 
 

Note: These ribs burn easily, so watch them carefully. To reduce

cooking time on the grill and thus the risk of burning, first parboil the

ribs in boiling water for 10 minutes. Then marinate the cooked ribs for

at least 8 hours or overnight and grill them for only about 10 minutes

per side.

1 rack spareribs (about 4 pounds)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Rub ribs with pepper and salt. Place in a shallow non-aluminum pan.

In a small bowl, mix together maple syrup, vinegar and soy sauce.

Pour over ribs, cover and chill overnight, turning occasionally.

Remove ribs from pan and grill over moderately hot coals, turning and

basting ribs so they cook evenly on both sides, about 20 minutes per

side, or until done. Do not let them burn.
 
 

MAPLE BUTTER

Yields 1 3/4 cups

 1 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

 Cook maple syrup in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat

(do not stir) until it reaches soft-ball stage (234 degrees F on a

candy-making thermometer). Stir in butter. Pour mixture into a deep

bowl and with a mixer beat until thick and creamy (approximately 4

minutes).
 
 

MAPLE-CREAM CANDY

Makes one 6x9 inch pan

 2 cups light-grade maple syrup

1 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Butter a 6x9 inch pan. In a heavy-bottomed 4 quart pot, boil maple

syrup and half-and-half on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to

prevent it from sticking to the bottom, until the mixture reaches soft-ball

consistency. At this stage, a bit of the mixture dropped into cold water

can be easily massed into a pliable soft ball in the bottom of the glass

with the fingers; if it immediately forms a small blob as it makes its

way to the bottom, the mixture has been cooked too long.

Immediately place the pot in a sink filled with cold water to cool it

rapidly. Cool to lukewarm, without touching, until the mixture is about

95 to 105 degrees F, or until you can comfortably hold the pot by the

sides with your bare hands.

Beat in nuts, if using, and vanilla. Beat until the mixture becomes

lighter in color, creamy and just begins to lose its gloss. When it is

ready, the mixture should ribbon off the spoon and the ribbons should

sit on top of the fudge rather than sinking back in. The mixture should

just begin to "mound"-hold its shape-as you stir. Immediately turn it out

into the pan. (if you have turned it out into the pan too early, stir it in the

pan with a rubber spatula until it comes to the right consistency.)

Score into squares immediately and set aside to cool. Store in a

tightly covered container.
 
 

SUGAR ON SNOW

Yields 4-6 servings

 Note: The hot syrup is poured over a mound of clean, fresh snow,

whereby it immediately hardens and can be peeled off and eaten with

forks or fingers. Traditional accompaniments are doughnuts and dill

pickle spears to cut the sweetness.

 2 cups light-grade maple syrup

 In a heavy-bottomed 4-quart pot, boil maple syrup on medium-high

heat to 235 to 236 degrees F, stirring the surface occasionally to keep

it from boiling over.

Immediately pour onto a mound of pristine, freshly fallen snow packed

into a bowl, and serve immediately.

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