Dixie's Pantry - Good Food Source : The online resource for food lovers.

Dixie's Pantry

Dixie, mother of Good Food Source mastermind Lenny, inspired us to create a resource for great mail order foods. Though she is the chicken fried steak maven, this busy nurse practitioner from rural Oklahoma has driven long distances to find more exotic ingredients for her culinary exploits. Now, thanks to the Internet, Dixie has discovered a world of fine food products just a few clicks away; Good Food Source finds the best sites from achiote to za'atar.

Maple Syrup

The sweet tooth is a powerful motivator. Before Europeans brought cane sugar to the New World, sweet-craving North American natives were tapping trees to get their sugar fix from the sap of the sugar maple. In late winter, when the freezing nights give way to warm days, the sap starts to flow and the sugar shack gears up, boiling the sap down to syrupy maple goodness. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup, and the result has nearly nothing in common with the stuff that comes in a bottle shaped like your granny.

Most of the world’s maple syrup comes from Canada, sugar maple central, the leaf of which graces the national flag. Vermont is America’s largest maple syrup producer; they have their own grading system whose standards are higher than the USDA. Vermont maple syrup is boiled longer, so it has less water than syrups from other areas, so it has a thicker consistency. Maple syrup is graded according to color and flavor. The lighter grades are made from sap collected earlier in the season, the darker grades toward the end of the season. U.S. Grade A Light Amber the lightest grade, has a pale color and delicate flavor; Grade B, the darkest table grade is darker in color and has a stronger flavor.

While nothing beats a stack of crispy waffles doused in maple syrup, it’s not just for breakfast any more! We favor the darker Grade B for cooking because it is more flavorful and stands up well to other strong ingredients. Use it in marinades for pork and chicken for a clean, rich sweetness. Add maple syrup to vinaigrettes to balance the acid, and complete the flavor extravaganza with a healthy sprinkling of bacon bits. Replace some of the corn syrup in your pecan pie with maple syrup for added depth and complexity, or drizzle it on roasted winter squash for a fall festival of flavor. Those maple trees work hard for you! Don’t let them down—maple-ize your fall menu tonight.

For Vermont, Maine, Pennsylvania and New York maple syrup and other goodies:
http://www.shelburnefarms.org/
http://www.piecesofvermont.com/(super cute maple sugar turkeys!)
http://shop.mapleshanty.com/
https://www.mainemapleproductsinc.com/
http://www.puremapleproducts.com/

Cranberry Maple Walnut Tart

Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of maple syrup for a very special treat.

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ice water

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

1 cup plus 2 tablepoons brown sugar, packed

3 large eggs

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1 ½ cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar salt and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix on low speed to incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal and. Mix together the water and the vanilla and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough holds together. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disk about 1 inch thick. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, until it is firm enough to roll out.

Have ready an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 13-inch circle. Place the dough in the tart pan (roll the dough up on the rolling pin to lift it off the work surface), centering it and pushing the sides down into the pan. Fold the dough edges toward the inside of the pan, pressing the folded edges against the pan sides. Press the dough so that the sides of the tart extend about ¼ inch above the edge of the pan, with an even thickness all the way up and around. Freeze the crust for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is hard. While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

When the crust is hard, line it with a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover it, and fill the foil with beans to weight it while baking. Bake the crust for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and beans and bake it for another 10 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and feels dry. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

While the crust bakes, make the filling. In a bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, maple syrup, salt and vanilla until smooth. Add the walnuts and cranberries and stir until combined. Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust and bake until center is just set, about 30-40 minutes. Allow the tart to cool completely before cutting. To serve warm, place cut tart pieces on a baking sheet and heat in a 400-degree oven for 3-4 minutes.

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