Syrup education and training can help you profit from the many types and uses of syrups available to kitchens across the country. The most popular flavor is maple syrup, or as some may call it - pancake syrup. But what else can maple syrup and other syrup products be used for? In order to be an efficient chef, an employee for syrup manufacturers, or knowledgeable about syrup suppliers, furthering your syrup education and training is essential.

A common misconception about maple syrup is that it can only be used on pancakes and french toast. Training and education will allow you to expand your horizons and see past breakfast as the only time to use maple syrup. Consider the following when developing your syrup makers knowledge:

1. Hands-on syrup education and training is essential to being an effective syrup expert.

2. Syrup producers are proud of their products and are a great resource to furthering your syrup education.

3. Maple is only one of many types of syrups. From organic maple syrup to cappuccino syrup, the flavor and use possibilities are endless if you just do your research.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn about maple syrup first hand

Being able to learn hands-on about the composition and production of maple syrup can help you to use it more wisely in the kitchen. Gaining a greater appreciation of all of the hard work that maple syrup companies put into their products may make you think more carefully about its uses. Also, becoming more familiar with the flavors and textures of syrup and differences between conventional and organic maple syrup will allow you to get the most out of what syrup can offer to a variety of cuisines.

I recommend: The New England Maple Museum provides hands-on syrup education and training for the public. The Northeast Ohio Maple Producers host a Maple Tour that is educational for both consumers and producers.

Use resources provided by syrup producers

Certain regions of the country are more suitable for producing syrup. The experts in these locations are well versed in every aspect of the industry and are open to sharing their expertise with anyone who has an interest. You can find valuable information both on their websites and through their professional associations. These associations often offer educational opportunities to those both in and outside of the industry.

I recommend: The Maine Department of Agriculture offers school tours and field trips as well as other resources through their producers association. The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association & Vermont Maple Foundation provides a history of maple syrup and the answers to some frequently asked questions.

Research other syrups such as corn and fruit syrup

Syrup products encompass much more than just maple syrup. Corn syrup is another frequently used syrup that is important to understand for both your own creations as well as store bought items that may contain corn syrup. Syrup education and training can help you to be knowledgeable about how corn syrup can effect a finished product. Fruit syrup is another product made by syrup manufacturers that is worth researching. Fruit syrup can be used for everything from coffee syrup to a topping on your scoop of ice cream.

I recommend: The Corn Refiners Association is a good place for busting common myths about corn syrup. CHOW provides a recipe for fruit syrup so you can try your hand at making your own.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Try your hand at making your own syrup. Once you learn about how syrup manufacturers do it, apply what you learned in your own kitchen.

Syrup companies produce a wide range of flavors that are used in a variety of foods and beverages. The most well known type of syrup is maple, but there are many other flavors and types of syrup available. Some syrup producers offer a complete line of specialty gourmet flavors to satisfy any palate.

Syrup is graded by manufacturers based on the quality of the sap that was used, the color and the flavor. C Grade is a darker version that is only used for commercial cooking. B Grade is dark with a strong flavor that is most often used for cooking purposes as well. Grad A is a light, medium or dark amber color that is commonly used as a food topping.

Syrup is most commonly thought of as a topping for breakfast foods such as pancakes, waffles and French toast. It does, however, have a variety of other uses, including:

1. A flavor enhancer for beverages, such as cappuccino syrup;

2. The topping for snow cones and other frozen treats;

3. One of the key ingredients in baked goods like cake and cookies;

4. Preserving fruits, especially when they are canned;

5. Manufacturing almost every type of candy using corn syrup.

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Find gourmet maple syrup companies

Most syrup suppliers produce bottles of maple, and it is generally their best seller. Try out different brands of maple syrup to discover the nuances of each brand. You may even find a new favorite.

I recommend: Taste the rich flavors available from Beckwith Maples and MapleSource.com, operated by Bascom Family Farms. Try organic maple syrup from New Organics LLC.

Try the specialty flavors produced by pancake syrup manufacturers

The breakfast syrup world does not end with maple. Test out some of the other flavors such as honey creme, butter pecan, almond roca, banana, boysenberry and many others.

I recommend: Torani Syrups, available from LolliCup USA Inc., produces more than 70 flavors of syrup. Maple Hollow adds extra flavors to maple syrup to create a new taste sensation. Michele's Foods Inc. sells gourmet flavors individually or in bulk.

Add coffee syrup to your favorite warm drinks

You can find a variety of coffee syrups to enhance any coffee, mocha, espresso or related drink. Use them to enhance the taste of your morning beverage.

I recommend: Find several types of coffee syrup at CoffeeAM.com, Fee Brothers, Creative Personal Expressions and The Prairie Moon Company.

Use chocolate syrup to sweeten up a snack

Chocolate syrups are added to milk and dessert items to provide an even tastier treat. Most of these syrups will mix right in to your drink or snack item, and some are designed to harden on ice cream and give them a crunchy shell.

I recommend: Enjoy the chocolate syrup produced by The Hershey Company that is available at any grocery store. Order Fox's U-bet Syrup made by HB Services LLC.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  For a healthier syrup option, go with sugar free and organic syrups.

While some people mistakenly associate syrup only with pancakes, there are many other types of syrups in the food service industry. In order to effectively prepare your budget, you have to consider the cost of purchasing various types of syrups.

Because you will probably have to purchase syrup from a number of syrup companies, it is important to consider the following syrup pricing and costs guidelines.

1. Calculate the cost of providing pancake syrup for your customers.

2. Include the cost of frozen treat syrup in your budget.

3. Factor in the cost of coffee and cappuccino syrup to add variety to your coffee service.

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Offer pancake syrup

There are numerous types of pancake syrups. While maple is the most common, fruit syrups, cane syrup or corn syrup are also popular choices. Offering these items at a restaurant that serves pancakes or waffles is sure to please any customer.

I recommend: Food Service Direct sells pancake syrup in a variety of packaging and from a variety of syrup makers. A case of individual serving packets of maple syrup costs around $30, while a case of bottled syrup can go as high as $150. You can find maple syrup at Anderson Maple Syrup. This company offers Grade A and Grade B maple syrup starting around $60 per case or bulk jug.

Provide frozen treat syrup for your customers

If your business offers a variety of frozen treats, sundae syrup and snow cone syrup can add instant appeal to your customers. The more variety you have, the more customers you can attract. Because of the limited shelf life of these products, ensure that you order only what you can use before it spoils.

I recommend: Check out BuytheCase.net for frozen treat syrup, including fruit syrup, to use on ice cream. Individual bottles run between $2 and $4. For a case, expect to spend at least $30. MEG Concession Supply offers snow cone syrups priced from $6 for a single bottle up to $50 for a case.

Consider the cost of beverage syrup

Beverage syrup is used to flavor coffee, tea and cappuccino. The cost of these products can add up quickly, especially if your business is extremely busy. However, these products can help you appeal to a larger customer base.

I recommend: LollicupStore.com offers numerous types of coffee syrup. Prices start at around $5 for an individual bottle or $50 per case. In addition to regular varieties, this company offers fat free products and sugar free products. FamousFoods.com offers coffee syrup and cappuccino syrup. You can expect to pay at least $10 for individual bottles of coffee syrup or around $20 to $80 for a case.

Syrup is a big part of the American diet. Whether blueberry, strawberry or the ever popular maple syrup (which is the most common), syrup tops everything from ice cream to pancakes.

The process of making syrup is quite unique. From the acquisition of the sugary substance from a tree or fruit source, to the boiling and eliminating of water content, it takes quite a lot of work to produce a little bottle. Here are some key terms associated with the commercial syrup industry.

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Sugaring

Sugaring is the industry terms for the actual making of maple syrup. People who make syrup are in turn called 'sugarmakers.'

I recommend: Visit the website for the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association. They have a comprehensive article on the process of sugaring which details how maple syrup is tapped from the tree all the way until it ends up on your pancakes.

Vermont fancy, US grade A light maple syrup

Vermont fancy, or US grade A light maple syrup, refers to the highest grade of maple syrup produced. It is the lightest in color and most delicate maple syrup produced.

I recommend: Vermont Living has an article dedicated to "Vermont fancy" and the rest of the grades of maple syrup. The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association also has a comprehensive guide to the different grades of syrup.

Acer saccharum, sugar maple

The acer saccharum is often considered the 'hard rock' of maple trees at it tends to produce the most sap with the highest sugar content. There are many different kinds of maples, however, for commercial production the acer saccharum is most commonly used.

I recommend: Visit the website for the Maine Department of Agriculture for more information on how the syrup is harvested from the sugar maple.

Sap

Sap is the basis of maple syrup. Harvested from the maple trees, the sap is somewhere between 1% and 4% sugar at the time of harvesting. The rest of the sap is water. After boiling or evaporating (depending on which process the sugar house practices) the sugar content ratio is two to one over water, or about 67%.

I recommend: Visit the website for Balsam Woods Farm. They have an article describing how the sap is processed in order to end up with maple syrup. The Massachusetts Maple Producers Association also has an informative article about sap flow.

Sap hydrometer

The sap hydrometer calculates the amount of sugar that is in the sap being drawn from the maple tree. This equipment allows the producer to approximate the boiling or evaporating time to produce syrup with the correct sugar content.

I recommend: Visit the website for Anderson's Maple Syrup Company. They are a manufacturer of maple syrup processing equipment. They have an explanation page of the sap hydrometers they sell.

Organic maple syrup

Organic maple syrup refers to maple syrup that has been produced without using any chemicals or pesticides on the maple trees and no formaldehyde to enhance the amount of syrup extracted from a tree.

I recommend: Maple Valley Syrup has an informational page regarding organic maple syrup.