What? No maple syrup on HAL?

[sammygoose]

erin_cruisers and sammygoose I can smell the sap boiling now!! Yum yum! Thank goodness this is a better year for maple syrup.

 

Sammygoose I am fairly close to you in Stittsville. I am in Lanark quite often selling homes! I know some of the operations are very large in your area. We are fortunate enough to be able to buy it in local stores :)

 

For those who wonder why it isn't on cruise ships (I have NEVER seen the real thing on any cruise ship or line that I have been on - the Prinsendam would be the exception I bet). The cost of real maple syrup is very high. Of course that is the only thing we use as we love the stuff and like to support local business. At the grocery store it is about $10 for a 540ml can (think a large can of beans) and in the can it is the cheapest way to buy it. It does not last very long when it is sitting in the open. It is not a ideal product for large quantity food service. The individual bottles that folks would have seen on the Prinsendam would probably cost about $3 or $4 a bottle. No way the bean counters would allow that!

 

I better go out now and smell that sap boiling....yummmmmm....

 

 

Sun- we are closer than you think! Kanata is right next door! Not that I need to tell you that :D

Our Camp is closest to Fallbrook right on the Mississippi river at the junction of the Clyde.

 

Startwin- you nailed it for me. One pancake,bacon and an over easy egg gently balanced on the pancake surrounded by a protective maple moat. Hold the butter.

You know what? I am going to bring pancake mix,bacon,and eggs to the camp this weekend and make it while we are boiling. I'll jut draw off the evaporator when I need some.

All of you inspire me.......

[kazu]

We've had many a small jar of jams and jellies in Pinnacle at breakfast on various ships. I always 'take it for granted' as it has always seemed to be available though I use little of it.

 

 

just a bit of a different selection on the P'dam Judy - including Maple Syrup:D

[1of4]

What is 'icing sugar'?

I don't think I've heard of that. :o

 

Sorry Sail....I was at work in Toronto (at lunch) and rushed my reply. Now I know the question has been answered in the time it took me to drive home, make dinner and get DD to gymnastics!

 

Powdered sugar, icing sugar, confectioner's sugar are all the same thing: sugar that has been ground in to a powder. All my years working my way through universities (x2) being pastry chefs in various resorts and hotels in Quebec and Ontario would have me knowing better.

 

My first thought was to reply with...."what you use to make shortbread" but I learned last Christmas that some people use brown sugar.

 

So call it what you will, it is fantastic on french toast!!!:) But I tried to get it for my french toast on HAL and it was a no-go too!

 

That begs the question: how are we supposed to eat our breakfasts when they don't supply the basics??!!:eek::p:D

[erin_cruisers]

oh DON'T even get me started on decent clamato juice - that really does vary from ship to ship. The only ones I found with the really good spicey clamato juice so far have been the old Rotterdam and the Prinsendam

 

Many ships have the bland clamato juice - but not all. I hate it when they tell me yes and basically bring me a bloody mary - if I wanted a bloody mary I would have ordered it - I like my caesar

Its not just limited to HAL either.

Most of our cruises have been on RCI, and while the majority of their bartenders are familiar with a Bloody Caesar, some will say there is no Clamato on board. Yet if I go to another bar, the waiter there will go hunting for a can and bring one out.

But you're right - few have the proper garnishes, the Worcestershire, or Tabasco, and worst of all - no celery salt for the rim. :eek:

Next cruise, I'm packing a baggie of celery salt (providing it gets through customs :p )

 

Sorry Sail....I was at work in Toronto (at lunch) and rushed my reply. Now I know the question has been answered in the time it took me to drive home, make dinner and get DD to gymnastics!

 

Powdered sugar, icing sugar, confectioner's sugar are all the same thing: sugar that has been ground in to a powder. All my years working my way through universities (x2) being pastry chefs in various resorts and hotels in Quebec and Ontario would have me knowing better.

 

My first thought was to reply with...."what you use to make shortbread" but I learned last Christmas that some people use brown sugar.

 

So call it what you will, it is fantastic on french toast!!!:) But I tried to get it for my french toast on HAL and it was a no-go too!

 

That begs the question: how are we supposed to eat our breakfasts when they don't supply the basics??!!

 

Just come to one of our cabins - where we will complement the room service with the proper sides, including maple syrup, naturally, and....

Fresh brewed Tim Hortons coffee. :)

(providing the cabins on HAL come with those small 2-4 cup coffee makers)

Afterwards, while relaxing on the balcony, we can get the days drinking started correctly with a Bloody Caesar or two. :D

[sun~]

Breakfast with real maple syrup, caesar's in the afternoon and Timmy's for some, although my hubby would prefer equator roaster or bridgehead coffee (sammygoose would know!).

 

I buy the clamato dimmer. On the blues cruise on of my buds only drinks Caesars buys the cans of clamato at a supermarket in Fort Lauderdale. So it can be found. I have found it isn't always available on HAL.

 

I would love to buy some syrup from you sammygoose!

[Boatdrill]

 

 

What I found surprising was that when we went for our first breakfast in the dining room, there was no REAL maple syrup to be had, none period. I don't remember this from previous cruises. My husband is Canadian and we strongly prefer to have real maple syrup rather than the high fructose corn syrup fake stuff.

 

Will we need to bring our own bottle of authentic maple syrup on our next cruise? We are seriously considering it.

 

 

Just do it. Please.

 

Have you ever seen the amount of wine, bottled water and soft drinks that some people bring onboard ? Some bring one or two bottles, others bring cases.

 

Just bring what syrup you want so you'll be happy.

 

BTW, I buy "real" maple syrup at home, and prefer it like you do. But if the ship doesn't have it, that's fine. They exceed my expectations in so many other areas, that I'm very willing to use syrup they provide.

[two4me]

"ouch"

Is it just me?

[serendipity1499]

I'm on the other end of the province (windsor) when I am home but I love maple syrup. So if you get a Maple Syrup Charter going, count me in.

 

Me too! Now I realize why I enjoy pure Maple Syrup so much..My Dad was a Canadian from Ontario & I also spent a lot of my summers up on the St. Lawrence River in a small town called "Moristown" with my Maternal Grand Aunt & Uncle; Amy & Arch Fortune.. Aunt Amy always used pure Maple Syrup, but don't know if it came from Canada or Vermont..

DH on the other hand is a dyed in the wool Southern New Yorker & believe it or not he puts only a few drops of pure maple syrup on pancakes, waffles & french toast, but likes to smear them all with with Grape Jelly...UGGH!:eek::eek:

 

Often called powdered sugar. I keep a shaker of it handy for last-minute additions to desserts like pies.

 

Ah ha...I had never heard of Icing sugar but now know I too enjoy "Powdered" AKA "Icing" AKA "Confectioners" sugar on pancakes, pies, etc..

 

Cheers...Betty

[TheEmerson]

Last night I made Breakfast for dinner. Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Eggs, and Sausage. My DD ran I to the kitchen jumped for joy. Then she pulled out real Maple Syrup and was ready to roll. For a 12 year old, she knows the difference and asks for the real stuff. Only because of this thread yesterday I changed dinner plans for pancakes. She only drinks coke with sugar (Mexican Coke as Coca-Cola is not bringing in Kosher Coke into California this year.). She dislikes HFCS taste. And I prefer beet sugar over cane, but I will chew on fresh cane if I find it.

[serendipity1499]

To Serindipity (Betty): I sometimes buy the Dark Amber (B Grade) too for cooking as it has a stronger taste and is produced later in the season. That doesn't impress my family. Dad prefers what used to be Fancy- the first run of the season. It is (at least used to be) more expensive as it was coveted by the farmers who gather. A family member used to send us some of his very first run- which was almost clear and very delicate in flavor and not generally available for sale. (My family keeps it :D)

 

Personally, I prefer the old (vermont) Grade A light amber as it has a stronger flavor. But then, as a California native, I'm only part Yankee (but I'm Yankee at heart). Its my understanding that the old Grade A (Light Amber) is more expensive now as it is in more demand. Glenn, do you have anything to add on that????

 

Speaking of Yankees- family says that to most people a Yankee is someone from New England. To a New Englander, a Yankee is from Vermont. To a Vermonter, a Yankee eats pie for breakfast, to my family, a yankee eats pie for breakfast with syrup on top.

 

Don't think we can get the Dark Amber grade B or even the light Amber grade A, here in Fla..We have have the "Maple Gold" Dark Amber..Even use it in my Baked Beans too..

I too am a Yankee at heart & see nothing wrong with eating pie for breakfast!

When our Grandkids come down, DH used to make his special very thin pancakes from scratch & they all smeared them with the pure maple syrup..We better ration it from now on!;)

Better yet we might just take the whole clan out for Breakfast Sunday Morning after the Little Ones have their Easter Egg Hunt. :) We're going to spend Sat. Coloring eggs with our two Great Grandkids & then then will hide them after they get to bed..Imagine they will be up at the crack of dawn to see what the Easter Bunny brought for them..:)

I'm just getting excited with planning the fun! Happy Easter Everyone..

Cheers...Betty

[3rdGenCunarder]

A few pages back, someone commented that real maple syrup is sweeter. I don't think it is sweeter. I think of it as having more flavor, more tangy, for want of a better word. But I guess it really is sweeter.

 

Yesterday I did some research in the supermarket. I looked at real maple syrup. One serving (1/4 cup) has 53 g of carb, all of it sugar. then I looked at a few of the brands that do contain a little real maple syrup (2 or 3%). They have 52 or 53 g of carb per serving, too. BUT when you check the sugar content, it's something like 27 g. So what are the other carbs? If they aren't sugars, they're starches. (I didn't read the contents, just the nutrition label.)

[erin_cruisers]

Don't think we can get the Dark Amber grade B or even the light Amber grade A, here in Fla..We have have the "Maple Gold" Dark Amber..Even use it in my Baked Beans too..

...

Oh yes, almost forgot about Baked Beans! :)

We put several large cans in a crock pot, then add: a couple of tablespoons of Maple Syrup; a few dashes of Tobasco; Worcestershire sauce;

and a little fresh ground pepper. (the last 3 ingredients give it a little zip) Simmer for a few hours.

 

Enjoy the Easter Egg hunt with the little one's. :)

 

A few pages back, someone commented that real maple syrup is sweeter. I don't think it is sweeter. I think of it as having more flavor, more tangy, for want of a better word. But I guess it really is sweeter.

 

Yesterday I did some research in the supermarket. I looked at real maple syrup. One serving (1/4 cup) has 53 g of carb, all of it sugar. then I looked at a few of the brands that do contain a little real maple syrup (2 or 3%). They have 52 or 53 g of carb per serving, too. BUT when you check the sugar content, it's something like 27 g. So what are the other carbs? If they aren't sugars, they're starches. (I didn't read the contents, just the nutrition label.)

Both the real maple syrup and the imitators are mostly sugar. Real Maple syrup must be 66% sugar content here in Canada.

The imitators are made from High fructose corn syrup plus a host of other ingredients. (I don't know exactly since I don't buy them). ;)

I think they'd be similar (by design) as far as sweetness goes.

 

Don't forget that over a hundred years ago it was common to boil down the sap to the point it made sugar - maple sugar.

Farmers often planted a small plot of Sugar Maples in a corner of their farm as a source of Maple Syrup and maple sugar.

 

I have made maple candies just by putting maple syrup in a pot and heating to 80°C, then stirring like crazy and pouring in molds.

The result is pure sugar, and so sweet I can't even eat it. Kids like it though. :p

[3rdGenCunarder]

Oh yes, almost forgot about Baked Beans! :)

We put several large cans in a crock pot, then add: a couple of tablespoons of Maple Syrup; a few dashes of Tobasco; Worcestershire sauce;

and a little fresh ground pepper. (the last 3 ingredients give it a little zip) Simmer for a few hours.

 

Enjoy the Easter Egg hunt with the little one's. :)

 

 

Both the real maple syrup and the imitators are mostly sugar. Real Maple syrup must be 66% sugar content here in Canada.

The imitators are made from High fructose corn syrup plus a host of other ingredients. (I don't know exactly since I don't buy them). ;)

I think they'd be similar (by design) as far as sweetness goes.

 

Don't forget that over a hundred years ago it was common to boil down the sap to the point it made sugar - maple sugar.

Farmers often planted a small plot of Sugar Maples in a corner of their farm as a source of Maple Syrup and maple sugar.

 

I have made maple candies just by putting maple syrup in a pot and heating to 80°C, then stirring like crazy and pouring in molds.

The result is pure sugar, and so sweet I can't even eat it. Kids like it though. :p

 

 

That candy is too sweet for me, too, but my mother loved it. I always would hunt down some of those sugar maple leaf candies when I made up her Christmas stocking.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

That candy is too sweet for me, too, but my mother loved it. I always would hunt down some of those sugar maple leaf candies when I made up her Christmas stocking.

 

I went nuts over those sugar maple leaf candies when I was a kid.....they were too good! Today I would go into a diabetic coma if I ate one, but when you are 5 or 6 years old, they are the best!

[vtgal]

onCunard either or in most hotels. I've convinced my sister to use honey

if she wants to have pancakes or waffles. At least it's real

[sammygoose]

Breakfast with real maple syrup, caesar's in the afternoon and Timmy's for some, although my hubby would prefer equator roaster or bridgehead coffee (sammygoose would know!).

 

I buy the clamato dimmer. On the blues cruise on of my buds only drinks Caesars buys the cans of clamato at a supermarket in Fort Lauderdale. So it can be found. I have found it isn't always available on HAL.

 

I would love to buy some syrup from you sammygoose!

 

I can make that happen! We bottled extra light/light 2 weekends ago and got light today. 31 litres but not as much as we were hoping. A good run ealry in the week then nada. We are hoping a good frost tonight restarts our efforts but it will mean later nights for Sat/Sun which was not was I was hoping for.I wanted a huge amount upfront. :(

Hopefully next weekend is huge.

 

Sorry to say that Timmy's is an X-nay for me. I can't say that it is an allergic reaction but all of the symptoms are the same. What's in that cup-o joe?

[erin_cruisers]

I can make that happen! We bottled extra light/light 2 weekends ago and got light today. 31 litres but not as much as we were hoping. A good run ealry in the week then nada. We are hoping a good frost tonight restarts our efforts but it will mean later nights for Sat/Sun which was not was I was hoping for.I wanted a huge amount upfront.

Hopefully next weekend is huge. ....

31 litres - thats great!!!

I boiled today, and got just over 7 litres, which for my operation is good. :)

I was checking my logs today, and in 1997 we boiled right up to April 20th, very late. My next longest season was 1994 - April 12th (that was the 1st year I kept records).

So, you just never know.

[sansterre]

Agree that children don't need to know about maple syrup. We made the mistake of giving ours lobster and blue crabs at an early age and that was the end of ordering from the kiddie menu at restaurants! Best they don't now about these.

LOL - so true....good stuff isn't on the "kiddie menu" anywhere!

[sansterre]

Thanks for the benefit info. Now I'm wondering what new and exciting benefits there will be for 6 stars! What's left?

[sammygoose]

You are onto something Startwin, I am taking names. Taking them names.

Someday there will be a roll call with my name on it...and maybe a couple of others by chance and we are going to have a maplefest. It won't charter a ship but if fate throws us together I will damn the torpedos and bring my best to share! Blind tasting at breakfast-no winner. Everyone wins. I'd love to sample Erin_cruisers gold.

 

It looks like MapleFest is on for 2013! I'm going to pack 1 litre of real maple syrup for our Fords,Ireland and Ireland cruise and if Erin__Cruisers has any left I may get lucky and get a taste. In any event it's breakfast in the Lido at our table. Pour it on!

 

Pics may follow....................

[chrisbu315]

Thank you for bringing this up. It's high time the real maple syrup lovers came out of the closet! I've cruised HAL, NCL, Celebrity and RCL and never found a drop of the real stuff on-board.

 

I thought I was the only one who felt strongly about this. I feel silly pulling out my private stash at breakfast, but I would rather skip the waffles and pancakes than use the fake stuff.

 

My wife thinks I'm crazy but she reluctantly keeps my bottle in her purse during our cruises.

[sammygoose]

Thank you for bringing this up. It's high time the real maple syrup lovers came out of the closet! I've cruised HAL, NCL, Celebrity and RCL and never found a drop of the real stuff on-board.

 

I thought I was the only one who felt strongly about this. I feel silly pulling out my private stash at breakfast, but I would rather skip the waffles and pancakes than use the fake stuff.

 

My wife thinks I'm crazy but she reluctantly keeps my bottle in her purse during our cruises.

 

You are not crazy! Just discerning. Normally I wouldn't lug 1 litre of syrup to Europe for a cruise. I'd just forego the pancakes and waffles but in this case I am making an exception to actually eat those waffles with the REAL stuff and share a camaraderie with a fellow cruiser. I'd like to meet you someday!

I hope this allows your wife to understand how precious it is.

[Winters in NZ]

 

Will we need to bring our own bottle of authentic maple syrup on our next cruise? We are seriously considering it.

 

 

Regards,

 

Valerie

 

I bought excellent maple syrup at New Word, a chain of grocery stores in New Zealand. I'm sure that if you can find it that far away from home, you might be able to find it anywhere. Carrying it in your luggage is a bit of a sticky gamble.

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

Also a New Englander. Do any of you have any of those white medicine bottles. The ones that screw on. I fill them with different liquids. Fill them with the maple syrup and bring one or two to your breakfast. they Also will not bust. I seal them with buck tape and wrap a few times in plastic bages. Them throw the bottles away.

 

 

Mary

[chrisbu315]

You are not crazy! Just discerning. Normally I wouldn't lug 1 litre of syrup to Europe for a cruise. I'd just forego the pancakes and waffles but in this case I am making an exception to actually eat those waffles with the REAL stuff and share a camaraderie with a fellow cruiser. I'd like to meet you someday!

I hope this allows your wife to understand how precious it is.

 

I was born and raised in Detroit and its hypocrisy to put anything but real maple syrup on pancakes, waffles and French toast. I live in Seattle now and make a few business trips per year to Canada - mostly to Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal. Send me an email to cb@infare.com. Maybe I can look you up if I get back to your beautiful capital city or if we happen to book a common cruise. We could consolidate our maple syrup stash on board!

 

Go Red Wings. I am hoping for an "original six" Cup Final.