UCB recipe development is the sweetest thing!

The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers has announced its first ever affiliation in the UK - with University College Birmingham.

The federation (FPAQ) has been working with consultant chef David Colcombe and staff at UCB to develop an education programme to sit alongside culinary students’ course modules. The programme is designed to raise awareness about the benefits and versatility of working with pure maple syrup and maple products from Quebec and Canada.

Students have been asked to develop a recipe suitable for the FPAQ official UK website. They were asked to consider nutrition, health and consumer trends and the tone of the website and present their ideas to Chef Colcombe and representatives from FPAQ.

Neil Rippington, Dean of the College of Food, said: “The competent use and development of recipes is fundamental to the training and final role of professionals employed in food-related industries.

“The opportunity to work on an industry relevant brief such as this is essential for developing the appropriate skills and knowledge for a career in the industry.”

He added: “We are honoured to be chosen as the first university in the world to run this programme with such a prominent, global organisation and we look forward to seeing what the students produce.”

Mylène Denicolaï, FPAQ director of promotions, said: “This is an international first for FPAQ and something we highly value. The link with a university in the UK supports our mission to educate consumers on the benefits of maple and make it a more commonly used ingredient in cooking and baking.”

Students presented a large range of recipes, from milkshakes and desserts to chutney and cocktails. The winning dish was produced by Maryan Hashi, who created an innovative and delicious samosa infused with maple. Maryan was awarded a 1.5L bottle of pure maple syrup – and the best recipes were uploaded to www.welovemaple.co.uk