Pancakes, waffles and French toast? They're fine, but they're also just the start.

Because if you're limiting maple syrup to the breakfast table, you're missing out on all sorts of excuses to add its gentle, yet distinct, flavor to all manner of foods, from roasted vegetables and chicken wings to pasta sauces and ice-cream sundaes. Heck, we even think it belongs at the bar. (Check out our maple martini idea.)

It's worth noting that the system for grading maple syrup — a classification that rates syrups on color and strength of flavor — recently was updated to make the United States and Canadian systems consistent. The previous system used “Fancy” and “Grade A” to indicate syrups with lighter flavors and colors, while “Grade B” was darker and more robust.

Under the new system, everything is Grade A, but descriptions have been added. The lightest syrup is now “Grade A: Golden color with delicate taste” and the darkest is “Grade A: Very dark with strong taste.”

When shopping for syrup, let your preferences guide you. Many people prefer a lighter syrup on pancakes and waffles, but chefs generally gravitate toward a darker, more robust maple syrup when cooking with it or using it with savory foods.

Syrup sundae: Top vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of maple syrup, crushed shortbread cookies and toasted almonds.

Maple-balsamic vinaigrette: Whisk together 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of walnut oil, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and a hefty pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss it with your favorite greens.

Maple martini: Muddle a quarter of an orange and a quarter of a lime with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 ounce of apple cider, 1⁄2 ounce of orange liqueur and 1 1⁄2 ounces of vodka. Shake vigorously with several ice cubes. Strain it into a cocktail glass.

Maple garlic cream: Saute 2 cloves of thinly sliced garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the garlic is tender. Add 1 cup of heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer the cream until it is thickened and reduced by half. Stir in 1⁄4 cup of maple syrup and season it with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the sauce over a pork chop or chicken.

Maple brown-butter pan-roasted parsnips: Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. Cook until it is fragrant and browned. Add 2 pounds of parsnips, cut into bite-size pieces. Season the parsnips with salt and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the parsnips are just tender, for about 10 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and continue to cook until the parsnips are tender and caramelized, for 4 to 5 minutes.

Maple-blueberry milkshake: In a blender, combine 1⁄2 pint of vanilla ice cream, 1⁄4 cup of maple syrup, 1⁄2 teaspoon of maple extract, 2⁄3 cup of frozen wild blueberries and 1⁄2 cup of milk. Blend until smooth.

Maple eggplant agrodolce: Saute a large, thinly sliced onion and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add a large, diced eggplant and a pinch of salt, and cook the mixture for 6 minutes. Add 1⁄2 cup of red-wine vinegar, 1⁄2 cup of maple syrup, 3 tablespoons of dried currants, 2 tablespoons of capers and a 1⁄2 cup of halved green olives. Cook for 5 minutes, then serve the agrodolce over pasta.

Maple-rosemary pecans: In a small saucepan, combine 1⁄2 cup of maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of minced fresh rosemary. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook it for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of pecans and cook for 10 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet lined with kitchen parchment coated with cooking spray, sprinkle the pecans with salt, then bake them for 7 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Maple-miso wings: Mix together 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1⁄2 cup of maple syrup and 1⁄4 cup of yellow miso in a gallon-size zip-close bag. Add 2 pounds of chicken wings and let them marinate for 8 to 24 hours. Drain the wings and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees until the wings are crispy and cooked through, for 25 to 35 minutes, turning once or twice.

Maple-mint shortcakes: Gently mix 4 cups of mixed berries with 1⁄3 cup of maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint. Allow the berries to marinate for 1 hour. Spoon the mixture over biscuits or angel food cake and top it with whipped cream.

Alison Ladman is a staff writer for the Associated Press.

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