From the Test Kitchen: Maple Flavor Magic

From the Test Kitchen, Volume 3

Maple is a familiar flavor adored by people worldwide, particularly our neighbors to the north. People of all ages equally love French fries. So, what happens when you combine the two? Simplot undertook in-depth research and development to find out.

Maple syrup has clear origins in the northeastern region of the United States

The art of making sugar and syrup from the sap of the maple tree (Acer saccharum) was developed by Native Americans of the Northeast. For them it was the all-purpose seasoning, used as we might use salt today. It was also one of their staple foods, a primary source of nourishment in the early spring season, so valuable and portable it was often used as money.¹

As the new continent was further colonized, delicious maple flavor began to spread worldwide through trading. Today, it’s hard to imagine a breakfast at home or at your favorite diner without maple syrup on your plate, and if it isn’t, the aroma is certainly all around you while you eat.

I consulted with our Corporate Executive Chef, Michael Zeller, about his experience in creating the new Maple City® Waffle Flavored Potatoes. From flying around the country to taste the best waffles to testing the recipe time and time again, great effort went into getting this right—my takeaway: they are so much more than maple-flavored potatoes.

“Simplot Maple City® Waffle Fries and Waffle Bites, the world’s first Waffle Flavored Potatoes. Launched on March 12th, Simplot’s waffle-flavored potatoes are made with real maple syrup, and have cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg notes. A taste sensation, they are the perfect match for chicken, morning eggs, and more.” -Chef Michael Zeller

It’s one thing to create an innovative new product, but another to market it. As a new marketing team member at Simplot, I spent some time talking with all the people who made this happen. New product launches are exciting but require lots of time at the drawing board and honest feedback, which holds true when you bring them sample recipes for the products they create. The team lines up for Simplot Maple City® Potatoes, so my "A Game" was required with this volume of the Test Kitchen.

"Working with the team on the digital marketing plans for Maple City® was an exciting challenge. We had fun making pre-launch social media videos and email teasers to create some buzz and curiosity about the new product, which was something we hadn't done before. Plus, we got to eat the maple fries a lot, which was a major win!" -Savannah Paramo, Associate Marketing Manager.

Maple City® Waffle Fry Flight

I recently discovered a trend whirling around in the social media verse where content creators took small baked potatoes and created flights with different flavor profiles and toppings. It makes for an interesting platter, offering options for enjoying a smattering of unique combinations rather than being stuck with one. I am a big fan of dining options like this—who wants to choose just one menu item? With Maple City® top of mind for the test kitchen, I thought what a perfect way to see how far we can stretch pairings with maple-flavored fries. In my testing with this product, I found that you can go in many directions, my favorite being spicy applications. Chicken & waffles is a layup with this delicious lattice cut fry and breakfast applications, but the potential doesn’t end there. Buffalo Chicken with celery and blue cheese is delicious as a sandwich and a traditional loaded fry, but why not with maple? Bourbon and maple are familiar friends, so that had to work with smoked pork. Gochujang has found popularity on global menus, so that made the cut with a chili crunch glazed steak. Hot honey is equally prolific in the dining world, so I reached for that with goat cheese to balance the heat, and as a nod to Maple City’s® breakfast roots, bacon made perfect sense. And finally, something sweet with our Simplot Roastworks®RTE Flame-Roasted Fuji Apples, caramel, and candied pecans. I had a ton of fun with this one, so I took the opportunity to share these creations with the Simplot team at HQ. There were many opinions on what was the best, but my takeaway is to think outside the box, and some dynamite menu ideas come together easily. I loved watching all the content with baked potato flights which all start with a simple blank canvas. Starting with a maple canvas, so to speak, presents its challenges, but I believe it yielded more interesting results! Which one will you choose to try first?

Maple Bite Cinnamon Rolls

There’s no question that maple and breakfast go hand in hand, from pancakes with syrup to waffles loaded with your favorite toppings, but something I grew up loving was that special Sunday morning when you woke to the smell of cinnamon. There’s nothing like a fresh baked cinnamon roll on a fall morning, so I thought, let’s see what happens if you bake with Simplot Maple City® Potatoes Waffle Flavored Waffle Bites. This non-baking Chef went for it starting the entire process from scratch, to ensure my project was a hit. I spoke with Chef Michael Zeller about the Maple City® project and inquired if he had ever baked with them, as he was on the team that created this product. We both decided that frying the product first made the most sense. So once my dough was ready, I slathered on the butter, cinnamon, and sugar and sprinkled in fried Maple City® bites—well, the ones I didn’t eat—and rolled some truly beautiful Maple City® cinnamon rolls. After 25 minutes, the maple aroma mixed with cinnamon filled the test kitchen, and it didn’t take long for co-workers to start asking questions. The taste tests began, and we were all thrilled with the result. My personal take is that the Maple City® bites transformed into an almost roasted apple experience during the baking process, and I am not mad about it. I think this is such a fun idea for an operator. Even if you don’t want to go so far as baking in-house, a cinnamon roll style Maple City® bite appetizer at brunch would be delicious and have all the same flavors. Enjoy exploring this awesome product, and please share any unique creations you come up with!

Tokyo Hot Chicken Sliders

The infamous Nashville Hot has made its way around the country, from food trucks to fast-casual and even dedicated drive-thru concepts that are popping up on every corner. Spicy chicken and Simplot Maple City® Potatoes go together like peanut butter and jelly, so I thought I’d try a different take on what has now become an American classic. Tokyo hot chicken is a fun way to take a similar concept and kick it up a notch. Chili crunch is also having a moment in the culinary spotlight. Rich flavors of garlic, chilis, and sesame infuse in oil creating, a delicious crunchy topping—so why not cover fried chicken in it and see how it pairs with maple flavors? By thinning out the chili crunch and adding some togarashi, I came up with a delightful seasoning for the crispy fried chicken thighs that had marinated in buttermilk and chili oil. A little gochujang aioli adds some additional heat while at the same time helps calm these wild little sliders down a touch. Togarashi and sesame crusted buns make for a nice way to finish, but I also presented a build using Simplot Maple City® Potatoes Waffle Flavored Waffle Fries as the bread, which is perfect for a late-night snack. As I arrived at the plating, a loaded fry with the extra ingredients made its way into the picture, and boom, a Tokyo hot chicken platter was born.

Hollandaise Gravy Breakfast Poutine

Although maple syrup has routes in the American Northeast,¹ Canada is often associated with the delicious treat. I thought a breakfast poutine was in order to honor our northern neighbors. Waffle fries are perfect in poutine as they help easily scoop up all the delicious gravy and cheese curds. Because this is the test kitchen, I thought it would be interesting to play with gravy and see if a new idea can find its way into the world. In my research, I found an interesting idea rooted in the south called egg gravy. It's a fun idea to incorporate hard-boiled eggs into a classic sauce, but what if you folded the eggs into the sauce before cooking them? An almost hollandaise-like moment came to me, and I went to work. A simple roux followed by beef stock would’ve worked well on its own, but a new, rich hollandaise gravy came forward once I added the eggs and cream. This dish was supposed to be the simple one for this round, but it quickly became my favorite. Sausage, cheese curds, Simplot Maple City® Potatoes Waffle Flavored Waffle Fries, and the new rich gravy come together for a delightful breakfast/brunch item. I can see this from QSR to hipster pubs as a late-night snack, and the options for toppings or variations are endless. The lesson here is that maple is diverse and even inspiring when you let your mind run with the possibilities.

¹ History of Maple Syrup