Sample Recipes

Maple Chai Tea

Harry Schwartz, a former writer of "The Maine Ingredient," a weekly food column in the Portland Press Herald, has willingly shared some of his Maine maple recipes with me. The following is one of them.

This is a hot, soothing drink to sip after exercising in the cold outdoors, during a quiet moment at the end of a busy day, or while relaxing in the evening. In other words, whenever you need soothing.

• 1 cup hot grean tea or tea of choice
• 1/2 cup milk or vanilla almond soy milk blend
• 1 tablespoon pure Maine maple syrup (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dash of cinnamon
• Dash of cloves

Prepare tea. In seperate saucepan heat milk, maple syrup, and vanilla.

Stir tea into milk and then pour mixture into mug. Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and cloves over top.

Maple Meat Rub

A maple rub; "great on baby back ribs," writes Kristi. "It's quick and tasty."

• 2 tablespoons butcher black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
• 1-2 tablespoons pure Maine maple sugar
• 1 tablespoonm kosher salt

Coat both sides of meat (pork chops, chicken pieces, ribs) with meat rub and place in oven or on grill to cook. (If baking baby back ribs, bake at 200 degrees for 5 to 6 hours).

Submitted by Kristi Brannen of Spring Break Maple and Honey in Rumford, Maine.