When you meet Jennifer Kramer manning one of her sorghum syrup tables, she will probably invite you to try a small taste of molasses and then one of sorghum. While molasses might not be as popular as it once was, it is still a crucial ingredient in brown sugar, graham crackers, gingersnaps, and even barbecue sauce. A small tasting spoonful (or pretzel stick, another item she uses for sampling) of molasses will be sweet at first, with a little acidic quality, but nothing too remarkable. The next taste of Maasdam’s sorghum syrup, however, will taste monumentally different; smooth, complex, and pleasantly sweet, without being overwhelming or seeming astringent. It’s all in the flavor, and once your tastebuds are awakened, molasses will probably be an ingredient of your past.
What is sorghum?
- Sorghum is a syrup made from sweet sorghum cane used as a table syrup and can be used in baking. Example: Use sorghum syrup on pancakes, corn bread, and bread. Use sorghum syrup in baked beans, cookies, BBQ sauce and popcorn balls.
- Sorghum syrup is made from sorghum cane, not corn or sugar cane or grain sorghum. Sorghum cane grows 12 to 15 feet tall. The stalk is pressed for the juice.
- Sorghum syrup and molasses are not the same. Molasses is a by-product of the sugar industry. Sorghum is the juice from the sorghum cane that is boiled to produce the syrup.
- Sorghum does not need to be refrigerated. It does not mold like maple syrup, but could sugar. If this happens, just reheat it back to liquid form.
- Sorghum is healthy for you. It contains iron, calcium and potassium.
(http://www.maasdamsorghum.com/)
What is the story behind Maasdam sorghum syrup?
The Maasdam Sorghum Mill is a family owned corporation. The family has made sorghum every year since 1926. The 7th generation is now starting to learn the process of this-old fashioned product.
The Maasdam Sorghum Mill is directly involved in the making of sorghum from start to finish. We raise the cane, harvest it, press it, boil it, bottle it and deliver it. We take pride in the process and want our customers to be 100% satisfied with the quality of the sorghum.
(http://www.maasdamsorghum.com/)
Not yet sold? Try our recipe for Sorghum Chocolate Chip Cookies, which is also egg-free and dairy-free (and gluten-free if needed).
Check out the entire Maasdam product offering through the Iowa Food Coop shop and taste the difference–the sweet and local difference.
