THIS MONTH IN THE delicious. KITCHEN…

As the delicious. food team cook and test recipes, there’s constant tinkering and fervent discussion: timesaving ideas; new tricks we’ve heard of; some technique we’ve dreamed up and want to try…

Then there are the questions and input we get from colleagues as they come to see what’s cooking. On these pages, our aim (with help from our regular experts) is to reproduce that test kitchen atmosphere, sharing the most useful ideas and tips we’ve discovered. It’s cookery gold!

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH…?

MAPLE SYRUP

It’s the boiled-down sap of the sugar maple (Acer saccharum). Most is produced in eastern Canada and New England. Each tree yields 35-50 litres sap a year, enough for 1 litre syrup. Pure maple syrup has a clean, complex, nutty flavour with hints of vanilla and spice. It’s not cheap but a little goes a long way.

IS IT ALL THE SAME?

Maple syrup is graded according to colour and translucence, from early and mid-season Golden and Amber to rich late-season Dark and Very Dark. The intense darker grades are usually used in baking or sweet-making, while the paler grades are used at the table. Cloudy syrup doesn’t make the grade.

TRY THIS

Inspired by our citrus feature on p50, try shaking leftover marmalade with vodka to make your own marmalade vodka.

WHY IS IT SAFE TO SERVE SOME TYPES OF MEAT RARE, BUT NOT OTHERS?

It depends on the cut of meat, its quality and the bacteria/viruses it may contain.

BEEF AND LAMB

These are dense meats, so bacteria is usually only found on the surface. As long as the outside of larger cuts is thoroughly seared/browned, the middle can be served pink, rare or even raw. Be careful with minced meat, however, as the grinding process can incorporate surface bacteria into the mince. That’s why the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends burgers be thoroughly cooked, not served pink or rare.