Syrups & treacles : short olfactory summary of sweet nectars

Sugar ... vast subject! Coming from beet, cane, palm flower or other plants, those little crunchy crystals bring a special flavour in the mouth ... But the caster sugar is far from being the only substance able to give this sweetness to meals. Honey and jam are the first treats that pop to mind, but I'll focus my article on a sugar derivative : the syrup. Obviously, there are many kinds of syrups. From date syrup to agave syrup, through carob syrup or sorghum syrup, the list is long! But each syrup has its own gustative and olfactory particularities.
This article is my official love declaration for three syrups : the traditional maple syrup, the siwo batri from Guadeloupe and the Dutch stroop. To consume without any moderation ...

Maple syrup is, without a doubt, one of the most popular syrup and remains a must. Maple syrup is simply obtained from the sap of the tree, then concentrated by boiling. In Quebec, it is used for many meals, from cocktails to stews, through sweets and pastries. Also essential for a good Pecan pie...! Its olfactory notes of caramel can quickly slide into notes of roasted coffee. A little spicy side gives character to this honeyed nectar. 

The siwo batri syrup is obtained from the cane sugar distillation during the production of rum. Siwo Batri is, obviously, its little Creole name. This syrup is also known under the name of 'battery syrup'. You will find it in many Creole desserts, including the siwo cake. Olfactory notes of liquorice 'cyclotène' emerge from this amber treacle, combined with notes of honey and caramel. Depending on the brand of the syrup, the balance between vanilla and liquorice notes swings differently.

Finally, the Dutch part in me can not help itself from mentioning the stroop, a syrup obtained by concentrating the juice of cooked apples and pears. I can’t help myself naming some Dutch culinary specialties, such as stroopwafels, wafers filled with stroop, and 'pannekoeken met spek en stroop ", large pancakes filled with bacon, and covered by this sweet syrup... such a delight! The salty-sweet blend lovers will enjoy it. Its fruity 'damascone' olfactory note combines with caramel and liquorice notes.

Thus, sugar can be declined in several olfactory notes. Since 1992, thanks to the launch of Angel by Thierry Mugler, flavours have gradually crept into perfumery. Here are some inspirations to melt a little more into these deliciously sweet accords and to move a little more our senses...