We too believe that weird is wonderful (thank goodness this has become a thing!) and that offbeat foods and drinks outdo ordinary ones any day. So you can understand how our introduction to a maple sugar cube - oh, a mere 173 years after the sugar cube was invented - might have, well, totally blown.our.minds. Yes, that would be a cube of pure, crystallized Grade A maple syrup that can (and should) be grated onto everything from steel-cut oats to roasted Brussels sprouts.
File under “Why didn’t we think of that?” and “How have we survived this long without having this in our lives?”
The brilliance behind Tonewood's Maple Sugar Cube is Dori Ross, a Canadian who grew up tapping maple trees for syrup (“sugaring” by those in the biz). As a mother to three in Vermont, sugaring became part of her family’s fabric too. The idea for turning it into a business came when Dori realized just how many hardworking sugar-ers there were in the Mad River Valley of Vermont. The area wasn’t short on syrup - it was short on people selling it in all its glorious forms. Plus, Dori had a background in marketing. She began buying single-source syrup from local makers and bringing it to indie candymen (and women, of course) in the area to transform into other irresistible applications.
First, there were her sprinkle-able maple flakes. Next, spreadable maple cream. Finally, this grate-able two-inch maple cube. Now, any dish, sweet or savory, tastes better with a dusting of maple flurries. Grab your microplane and make it snow!
See, it’s hip to be square.
Dori Ross
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