Maple syrup is famously made in spring, when below-freezing nights followed by warm days cause the sap stored in a sugar maple's trunk to flow up and out of the tree and into buckets or plastic tubing for boiling.
But for many, the thick, sugary liquid American Indians cooked in wooden troughs heated by red-hot rocks, long before any settlers arrived, rivals pumpkin-spice as the quintessential fall flavor.
Now is when the apples, Brussels sprouts, root vegetables and hearty winter squashes associated with autumnal eating are in ample supply at farmers markets and grocery stores, and all pair perfectly with the sweet, caramel-y flavor of maple. Fall is also major pancake and French toast season, and drowning the fluffy breakfast foods with maple syrup isn't just tasty: It's sacrosanct.
