Pumpkin spice may dominate the season, but maple deserves its share of the autumn spotlight. With its rich, subtly smoky sweetness, pure maple syrup is especially appealing as the weather cools. Butternut Mountain Farm in Morrisville, Vermont, traces its roots to 1953, when James Wallace Marvin purchased 600 acres of Butternut Mountain. Still run by the Marvin family, the company has evolved with the times, embracing modern sugaring techniques like tubing and vacuum systems, incorporating solar power, and even introducing a squeeze bottle that makes pouring syrup considerably less messy.
The company sources maple from the family’s own farm and select maple sugar producers. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of maple syrup make its way to Butternut Mountain Farm’s state-of-the-art production and warehouse facility, where every barrel is checked and tracked.
With so many “breakfast syrups” on the market, genuine, pure maple syrup is what chefs look for when using maple in a dish. “Authenticity matters because maple has a distinctive flavor, says Chef Rasheeda Purdie of Ramen by Ra in New York City. “The ingredient label is the clearest starting point. Pure maple syrup should list maple syrup as its only ingredient. Maple-flavored pancake syrups may contain other sweeteners and added flavorings, so it’s important to read the ingredients rather than rely on the wording on the front of the bottle.”
To celebrate maple syrup season in New York, two of the city’s top restaurants are launching limited special menu items. Kellogg’s Diner in Williamsburg and Ramen by Ra in the East Village.
Kellogg’s Diner
From October 15–30, the 24/7 diner favorite is offering Golden French Toast that’s bursting with creamy mascarpone and roasted pistachios. The griddled French toast is then served with your choice of caramelized peaches, apples, or figs, and drizzled with Butternut Mountain Farm Pure Vermont Maple Syrup, for the perfect finish.
“The maple syrup adds sweetness and caramel notes that complement the golden toast, mascarpone, and pistachios,” says Chef Mario Garcia. “It stands out, without overpowering the dish, pairing beautifully with the creamy mascarpone and caramelized fruit.”
Garcia adds that he won’t use just any bottle claiming to be maple syrup. “I check that the label says ‘100% pure maple syrup,’ with no other syrups or added flavorings. Freshness preserves its aroma and flavor,” he says. “A good ingredient brings the flavors together; a poor-quality one can throw off the balance.” Butternut Mountain’s Grade A Amber Rich maple syrup provides the pure, unadulterated flavor Garcia looks for.
518 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn
@kelloggsdinerbk
Ramen by Ra
The cult-favorite breakfast ramen spot will be offering Maple Sausage Soyu Ramen with Butternut Mountain Farm Syrup, from December 1–15. This special ramen is a bowl of shoyu broth with aroma oil, ground breakfast sausage, ramen noodles, and a soy-cured egg yolk, drizzled with Butternut Mountain Farm maple syrup for a dish that gives the familiarity of breakfast a surprising twist. For Chef Rasheeda Purdie, maple syrup recalls her childhood breakfast memories.
“This particular dish draws on the sweet and savory combinations we love in American breakfast,” says Purdie. “The inspiration is personal. Growing up, I loved pancakes with maple syrup and sausage, especially when the syrup would travel across the plate and meet the sausage. It’s a flavor I’ve carried with me since childhood, and creating this bowl is my way of sharing that memory through the food I make today.”
Butternut Mountain Farms Pure Vermont Maple Syrup is an integral part of this breakfast dish. “The maple syrup brings the breakfast connection to life. Its rounded sweetness complements the savory shoyu broth and browned breakfast sausage, giving the bowl another dimension of flavor,” says Purdie. “The aroma is part of that experience. Alongside the aroma oil, the maple contributes to the bowl’s inviting fragrance. You smell the sweet and savory combination as the bowl arrives, before you even taste it. For me, it recalls the feeling of breakfast cooking in the morning.”
In a dish with so many elements, balance is important. A flavor like maple can be overpowering, but Purdie ensures all the ingredients shine through, thanks to the high quality of Butternut Mountain Farms Pure Vermont Maple Syrup. “What I’ve experienced with Butternut Mountain Farm maple syrup is a distinct maple flavor and a rounded sweetness that works beautifully in savory cooking. It holds its presence alongside the shoyu and breakfast sausage while blending naturally into the broth,” she says. “That matters because I’m choosing maple for its character as much as its sweetness. It gives the dish a recognizable breakfast flavor without overwhelming the other ingredients.”
70 E 1st Street, New York City
@ramnbyra
