Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I never cared much for brussels sprouts until later in life. They ain't strawberry shortcake but I can tolerate them. I think my palate was tainted by some poorly prepared sprouts in the past because I cooked up some fresh ones with just butter and salt for my wife and they surprisingly good -still not strawberry shortcake. Last Thanksgiving I made a sort of slaw out of brussels sprouts from a recipe in Bon Appetit magazine. They were a hit.

So I guess I'll try a couple of the recipes above and see how they fly. The cheese and bacon gratin sounds good.

I like them blanched, cut in half, and stir-fried with ginger, garlic, and a final seasoning mixture of sherry, soy sauce, corn startch, sugar, salt, and rice wine vinegar, which is a common mixture for stir-fried veggies. If you know how to wok, you know to heat about 1-2 TBLSP of peanut oil until smoking, add the minced ginger and garlic, cook until browned, and then add the blanched and drained brussel sprouts, stir-fry until they soften, and then stir in the final seasoning mixture. Sorry I don't have the measurements with me, but I think it is 1 tsp each of sugar, sherry, vinegar, salt, 1 TBLSP of corn startch and 2 TBLSP of soy sauce. Great dish!

My favorite sprout recipe is from Joy of Cooking. Halve the sprouts. Over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet, place sprouts cut side down in the butter, place lid on skillet, turn heat to medium low and leave covered for 15-20 minutes. Check with fork for tenderness. Toss with sea salt and black pepper. Fresh parmesan is optional, but delicious!

I had amazing brussels sprouts over the weekend at a tapas place called The Vanderbilt in Brooklyn. The menu said it had sriracha, lime, and honey. Whatever they did to it, it was so friggin tasty. I dream about these brussels sprouts.

I do a lot with maple syrup - most recently crinkly, crunchy, chewy cookies.http://therunawayspoon.com/blog/2009/11/maple-spice-crinkles/

I make my own vanilla yogurt and sweeten it with maple syrup - 1/3 cup of maple syrup plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract per quart of yogurt.

I also use it as a glaze/sauce for a pork tenderloin - 1 cup maple syrup, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, a generous pinch cayenne pepper, and a tiny pinch ground cloves. I heat that to a simmer, pour it over the top of the tenderloin, cover with foil, and bake at 325 to an internal temperature of 170. Several times, I turn the tenderloin to keep coating it with the syrup.

If I only had a small amount I wouldn't use it in any way that disguised it's taste, which happens most of the time when it's used as an ingredient, instead of as a topping. I speak from experience since I usually have plenty around and do use it as an ingredient. I even make a little of my own, from a backyard maple tree. (Though this year I mostly froze the sap, which is what I like best and isn't available commercially).

Besides the pancakes, waffles, French toast, I agree with using as a topping on oatmeal.

Maple syrup has an incredible affinity for sausage, and for peanut butter. I put a thin layer of pb on my french toast before adding maple syrup.

If your friend brought you fancy, then sipping a couple of tablespoons as a cordial is the best way to savor the delicate flavor.

In the summer when I make corn fritters, my family loves it as a topping. We also drizzle it in a puddle of corn grits.

sweet potatoes baked in a glaze of bourbon, reduced maple syrup, and butter. heaven.

I use it to offset garlic in vinaigrette salad dressings. But my favorite (sweet) application is to toast some pecans or walnuts in the oven, then put some maple syrup in a skillet and heat it until it begins to boil. Add the toasted nuts and heat until the syrup crystallizes on the nuts. Every time I make these I'm finding that I need to use less and less syrup. It's been an experiment.

I use it to finish ribs off as part of the sauce at the end, or if doing long braises of sweet and spicy ribs, short ribs, brisket etc, I use it as part of the braising liquid.

Always as part of a glaze for everything from squab to salmon.

I put it on granola, ice cream, hot cereal, snow...

Being from New England however, probably does make me a bit of a maple syrup swilling squirrel worshiper...

A little on a peanut butter sandwich is fantastic!