The frozen tundra of North America is starting to thaw (maybe?) as we inch closer and closer to the first day of spring. And as the temperatures begin to rise, so does the sap in maple trees. The first settlers learned to tap the sugar maple trees and cook the sweet, watery liquid to yield thick, flavorful syrup. This seasonal ritual gave way to a thriving industry that produces hundreds of thousands of quarts of maple syrup, taffy and maple sugar.

The sap is collected drop by drop through spouts drilled into the trees and in “the old days” buckets were hung from the spouts to catch the precious liquid that then was transferred into barrels. Teams of horses would transport the barrels to the sugaring off house.

Today, the big Canadian producers (most in close proximity to Quebec) have a more sophisticated system using a network of tubes connected to the spout and pumps carry the sap to an evaporator. It takes roughly 40 liters (42 quarts) of sap to produce one liter (1.05 quarts) of pure syrup.

Quebec is the leading producer of maple syrup, followed by Vermont, New York and Ontario.

There are four grades of maple syrup:

• Grade A light is amber in color, with a very mild flavor.
• Grade A medium has a medium amber color with a mellow flavor and is the most popular grade.
• Grade A dark (formerly Grade B) is dark amber with a robust flavor.
• Grade B (formerly Grade C) is very dark and has an almost molasses-like flavor. It is primarily used by commercial manufacturers with other ingredients for 'maple flavored' syrups. This is the least expensive grade of syrup.

For optimum flavor in today’s recipes, be sure and use pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored substitutes.

Homemade sausage patties

• 2 lbs. ground pork (do not use lean or extra lean — you need fat for moisture and flavor)
• 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1/2 of a small shallot, peeled and minced
• 1/2 Tbsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground sage
• 1/2 tsp. ground thyme
• Pinch of dried red pepper flakes, minced
• 4 tsp. vegetable oil for pan frying

Spread the pork out on a rimmed sheet pan; sprinkle with maple syrup, shallots, salt, pepper, sage, thyme and hot pepper flakes. Using super clean hands gently mix the seasonings into the pork. Scoop mixture with a 1/4 cup dry measure and shape into patties. (May be wrapped and frozen at this time.) To cook, heat 2 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add half of the sausage patties and cook about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through and golden brown. Drain on paper towels; wipe out pan and repeat with remaining oil and remaining patties. Yield: 16 patties.

Maple mustard salad dressing

• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 tsp. dry mustard

In a blender or food processor, combine maple syrup, salt, rice vinegar, olive oil, and dry mustard. Process 1 minute or until well combined. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/4 cups.

Maple dijon chicken

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (from white sandwich bread)
• 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 (about 6-oz. each) boneless chicken breast halves, with skin
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar (subs: 1/2 Tbsp. sherry plus 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar)
• 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Melt butter in a large ovenproof skillet set over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and cook until golden. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

Wipe out skillet; add olive oil and place pan on medium high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and place in skillet, skin side down. Cook 3 minutes or until skin is golden brown; turn chicken over. Transfer skillet to a preheated 450 F oven and roast chicken for 6-7 minutes or until cooked through.

Return the skillet to the burner. (Hot handle!) Add the maple syrup and vinegar; bring to a boil. Turn the chicken skin side down and cook 30 seconds or until glazed. Transfer to plates skin side up and keep warm. Add chicken stock to the skillet and boil until reduced by one-third, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the Dijon; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Yield: 4 servings.

Maple-glazed grilled salmon

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. brown mustard
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (about 6 oz. each, cut about 1-inch thick) salmon steaks

Whisk together maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, soy sauce, vegetable oil, garlic and pepper in a small bowl. Put salmon in a shallow dish in a single layer; add the maple marinade, turning to coat. Cover with plas­tic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour, turning once.

Remove the salmon steaks to a plate, shaking off excess marinade. Transfer the marinade to a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the marinade is thick and has reduced to about 1/4 cup. (If the glaze gets too thick, thin it with a little water.)

Preheat broiler or barbecue grill. Brush one side of the salmon with the maple glaze and broil or grill (glazed size toward the heat) for about 5 minutes. Brush the unglazed side and turn the fish over. Grill for about 5 more minutes, or until the fish is cooked in the center. Yield: 4 servings.

Maple-glazed carrots

• 3 lbs. carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick on the diagonal
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine carrots, maple syrup, butter, water, salt and pepper in a large saucepan set over high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and partially cover. Simmer, stirring a few times for 12-15 minutes or until liquid has reduced to a glaze and carrots are tender. (If carrots are fully cooked before the liquid reduces and thickens, uncover pan and increase heat to medium high — cook until glaze forms.)

Maple walnut pound cake

For the cake:

• 2-1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 3/4 tsp. maple extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups chopped walnuts, lightly toasted and finely chopped (use food processor)

For the glaze:

• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. whipping cream
• Tbsp. powdered sugar

To prepare the cake: Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl; set aside. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium high speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in maple syrup, maple extract and vanilla extract. Mix in flour mixture and walnuts. Pour batter into a greased and floured 12 cup Bundt or tube pan and bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 55-60 minutes or until top is golden brown and cake tester inserted near center comes out clean. Let cake cool 10 minutes in pan; turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare the glaze: Combine butter, maple syrup and cream in a small saucepan set over low heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove pan from heat and whisk in powdered sugar. Let glaze cool for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake. Yield: 14 servings.