We’ve all had it before: that sweet golden nectar that drips seductively from the jar and pools gently on our waffles and pancakes. It’s the pride of Canada, and is a commodity so prized that it was even once the target of an $18 million heist. Maple syrup is something you’d be able to find sitting in pretty much any diner booth in the country, and the succulent sap even has a few known health benefits.
Maybe you’re so hopelessly addicted that you enjoy maple syrup on a daily basis, or maybe you only drizzle it on your Sunday morning pancakes. At the very least, we can all agree that maple syrup is almost always the topping of choice for breakfast foods. The real question, then, is whether you’re dedicated enough to maple syrup to slather it on all your foods.
Yes, you read that right. It’s a bold proposition. I decided to test whether maple syrup can truly make any food taste better, and found that this beloved condiment does not disappoint. I coated five completely random foods in the sweet, sticky sauce we all know and love, and here are my thoughts:
1. These gooey mozz sticks
Of all the edible dipping sticks of the world, mozzarella sticks rank first (although Fun Dip sticks are a close second). The crispy fried coating and salty cheese were the perfect complements to the sweet maple-y goodness of the syrup.
2. This bag of Chex Mix
The pieces of Chex cereal in Chex Mix—to me, the main obstacle to reaching those delectably crispy bread slices—become the main event when maple syrup is added to the equation. The syrup gets soaked up through the holes of the Chex and explodes out as you bite into them.
3. This microwaved popcorn
Adding maple syrup to normal popcorn just makes it taste like kettle corn. ‘Nuff said.
4. These dill pickle-flavored Pringles
This one was admittedly intimidating. Honestly though, the maple syrup was a good choice since it drowned out the horrifying, artificial dill pickle flavoring that was tormenting everyone’s favorite childhood potato chip.
5. This lukewarm slice of cheese pizza
At first thought, this seems like the grossest item on the list to be paired with syrup, but hear me out. Pizza is already America’s favorite leftovers meal to be eaten for breakfast, so it makes perfect sense paired with a dollop of America’s favorite breakfast topping.
As a maple syrup enthusiast, I wasn’t surprised that everything I tasted during this experiment was perfectly enhanced by maple syrup. The subtle sweetness brings out the robust natural flavors of any food you slather it on, and I will be testing out many more food-syrup combos in the future. Don’t believe me? Grab some of your favorite snacks, and try it for yourself.