Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Tomorrow is National Gingersnap Day

In honor of National Gingersnap Day (1 July), why not bake up some Maple Gingersnaps! This recipe makes about five dozen.

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 egg
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Grease cookie sheets. In large bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, butter, maple syrup and egg; blend well. Stir in flour, baking soda, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, cloves and salt; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 to 2 hours for easier handling.

Heat oven to 350ºF. In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon; blend well. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350ºF for 7 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

This recipe is adapted from one posted here.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Filming the Flight of a Winged Maple Seed

There wouldn't be any maple syrup without maple trees!

Filming the Flight of a Winged Maple Seed
By HENRY FOUNTAIN
Published: June 16, 2009
The New York Times

An acorn may not fall far from the tree, it’s true, but the same can’t be said for a maple seed, with its distinctive wing shape. As it falls, the heavier nut end of the wing causes it to whirl in the air, slowing its descent and allowing the wind to carry the seed, sometimes as far as a mile or more.

An aerospace engineer has figured out why the seed’s whirling gives it extra lift, allowing the wind to carry it a mile or more.

Read it all here.