Syrup Makers

Finding a variety of flavors from syrup companies
By Nate Waymire, Freelance Writer 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.

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.
Try:  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.
Try:  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.
Try:  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.
Try:  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.

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