Maple Syrup And Oyster Sauce

[Wes Turner]

Got 2 questions where can i get decent maple syrup? Its now Maple sugaring season in Ontario until late march and i am missing the taste is there anywhere i can get it in Thailand before i get some flown in?

also (off topic) but why is oyster sauce thicker in the jars in tescos and is it really made from oysters because it doesnt smell ort taste fishy at all.

Edited February 25, 2006 by penzman

[griser]

I bought some Log Cabin brand Syrup at Tesco Lotus. Not the best maple syrup but edible!

Greg

[Ulysses G.]

He means the real deal and most of the supermarkets (including Tops) in Chiang Mai and Bangkok have it at a pretty price!

[penzman]

Maple syrup is never cheap. A 375ml can goes for about 6$ back home in Quebec. 40 gallons of sap have to be boiled in order to make 1 gallon. Never seen the stuff here. I've brought some here twice and made it last a year each time. Lots of maple syrup is exported from Canada to Japan. Forget what you see in the plastic bottles here in Thailand, it's like comparing chalk and cheese.

As for the Oyster sauce, any sauce I've tried under the Tesco label is always cheaply made and full of sugar. Go for a local brand name.

[zzap]

The Tesco Oystersauce contains significantly less salt than the Thai brands, which makes it taste a bit bland by comparison. I use it for stir-frys.

Related to maple-syrup: I haven't seen any 'real' honey in Thailand, it seems to be routinely heated to extract and tastes like sugar-water.

[Ulysses G.]

Maple syrup is never cheap.

In California you could buy "Grade B" maple syrup in bulk for much less than the normal Grade A export stuff. It had many more minerals and nutrients, but less natural sugar.

Still delicious, but healthier and cheaper.

Wish that they sold it here!

The Tesco Oystersauce contains significantly less salt than the Thai brands, which makes it taste a bit bland by comparison. I use it for stir-frys.

Related to maple-syrup: I haven't seen any 'real' honey in Thailand, it seems to be routinely heated to extract and tastes like sugar-water.

There is a health food store called something like Ruem Suan Pac across from Aden health food store near the President hotel in Chiang Mai.

They sell a honey that they say is unheated and organic and it tastes like the real deal to me.

Aden has a few varieties too, but I prefer the one that I mentioned.

[penzman]

Taking a look at this thread again had me walk over to the fridge and drink a sip of maple syrup. French toast drowned in maple syrup will be serverd in 30 minutes!

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Maple syrup is never cheap. [/quote

Still delicious, but healthier and cheaper.

How could you ever describe Maple Syrup as being healthy?

[penzman]

It apparently is...

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=maple+...hier+than&meta=

[gisele]

I am off to Canada in April and Maple Syrup is high on my shopping list.

Isn't it a law that all Canadians must have maple syrup in their home at all times no matter where they live.

Edited February 27, 2006 by gisele

[penzman]

Yes. Same law also says that no one else can have any.

What I'd really like to find here though is corn syrup. I use it to make pecan pie.

[sabaijai]

100% maple syrup is readily available in Chiang Mai and Bangkok nowadays. Years ago it wasn't and I used to lug two-gallon jugs from North America once a year or so. Now that it's available, I don't mind spending a tad more than you would in N America just to avoid having to carry the extra weight and risk spillage.

[gisele]

Yes. Same law also says that no one else can have any.

Well, that's a given, why waste my golden syrup on Philistines

Edited February 27, 2006 by gisele

[The Dan Sai Kid]

It apparently is...

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=maple+...hier+than&meta=

I think healthy is the wrong word. It is an unrefined sugar - so it is easier for your body to break down. Palm sugar has very similar qualities.

But, it'll still make you fat if your eat too much!