Maple Syrup and Rabbi Google
Talk me through what makes maple syrup kosher.
Here's the long story.
I live in England. Most food here doesn't have a hechshers, so instead the largest kosher certifier publishes a book which lists foods they've investigated which are or aren't kosher in their opinion. Usually I just buy the brands of maple syrup it lists. However, a friend of mine lives in Canada at the moment and I saw him last week because he'd come back to England for Christmas and New Year. He gave everyone bottles of maple syrup. My bottle just says 'Pure Maple Syrup' and 'Product of Canada' and doesn't seem to have a brand. I googled and found a website from one kosher authority saying that all pure maple syrup from Canada or Vermont is kosher. I'd like to know the reasoning for this so I can decide whether to use the maple syrup. Maple syrup is pretty expensive in the UK, so I'd rather have a good idea of the issues than just give it away to play safe.
Here's the long story.
I live in England. Most food here doesn't have a hechshers, so instead the largest kosher certifier publishes a book which lists foods they've investigated which are or aren't kosher in their opinion. Usually I just buy the brands of maple syrup it lists. However, a friend of mine lives in Canada at the moment and I saw him last week because he'd come back to England for Christmas and New Year. He gave everyone bottles of maple syrup. My bottle just says 'Pure Maple Syrup' and 'Product of Canada' and doesn't seem to have a brand. I googled and found a website from one kosher authority saying that all pure maple syrup from Canada or Vermont is kosher. I'd like to know the reasoning for this so I can decide whether to use the maple syrup. Maple syrup is pretty expensive in the UK, so I'd rather have a good idea of the issues than just give it away to play safe.