Pure Birch Syrup
Birch Syrup is a rare and delicious treat that is gaining popularity worldwide and is used by many of the top chefs across Canada. Although it can be made from the black sweet birch and the yellow birch, most birch syrup (and the best tasting) is made from the white birch trees that grow across northern Canada. Its fabulous taste is quite unique, and can change depending on the geography and the conditions each year. It is semi-sweet, and is sometimes described as combining the flavours of honey, caramel, liquorice, and molasses, with a spicy, balsamic aftertaste.
Dark syrup is tangy
Medium syrup is sweeter
Birch Syrup is used as a glaze for salmon, scallops, or pork, in barbecue sauces, marinades, or salad dressings. In desserts, it can be used to wake up a plain white cake mix, combined with whipped cream or ice-cream, or added to a wild rice pudding. It has a strong flavour and is often used as vanilla is used, as an extract.
Birch syrup is nothing like maple syrup, and a little birch syrup goes a long way. Unlike maple syrup, which requires 40 liters of sap to produce one liter of syrup, birch requires between 100 and 150 liters of sap. We have been producing pure Birch syrup since 1998 and have been Canada's #1 supplier of dark and medium grades of pure birch syrup. Because of the amount of sap to syrup that is required and because birch sap contains so much fructose, the boiling of the sap is more like a simmering; it has to be done at a much lower temperature.
Birch sap is about 50% fructose and 45% glucose, with trace amounts of sucrose and galactose. However the fructose content means that it can become more concentrated without forming into sugar crystals.
We recommend keeping refrigerated after opening but truth is it birch syrup has amazing anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and much like honey is non-perishable and shelf stable at room temperature. Birch syrup also contains many of the health benefits of the sap, such as betulinic acid and betulin and has high concentration of Manganese, Thiamine, riboflavin, Calcium, Copper, Iron and much more.
Taste the difference of Forbes Wild Foods dark birch syrup, used by chefs across the world who want pure uncut full bodied birch syrup. Please call 1-877-354-9453 for bulk orders of birch syrup or for wholesale and food service pricing.
How to enjoy: Birch syrup is still finding its place in Canada culinary landscape, I will often use it paired with tomato dishes as it helps balance the acidity of the tomato add umami and a mineral richness without adding sweetness. Another common use is with fish such as trout or salmon. Try mixing equal parts birch syrup lemon and butter as a glaze for trout, or drip a teaspoon or two over a salmon fillet and then crust in panko or breadcrumbs, pan fry with garlic salt and pepper and enjoy. Canadian birch syrup also works wonders on root vegetables, adding a depth of flavour and tanginess to the caramelized flavours of carrots, squash and beets.
Want to learn more? Read our blog on how Birch syrup is made!
We would love to hear your favourite uses for Birch syrup.