Do you ever get that ‘why did I not think of this’ feeling? I don’t, usually. I have no illusions about my ability to come up with a theory of the supercluster structure of the universe or the idea for creating Facebook or a great new way to get rid of ants in the kitchen. But recently, I’ve had a severe case of whydidintIthinkofthisitis. Because really, how come it never occurred to me to make birch syrup?!

I was in the perfect position to think of it, I really was. I like birches, for starters, I think they are the most elegant trees ever. I’m also Estonian, which means I spent my childhood drinking birch sap that my grandfather gathered every spring from the big trees that lined our garden. As any proper Estonian, I’m convinced NOTHING is as refreshing as birch sap. Plus, I love maple syrup and eat it regularly – still, it never crossed my mind that you could have a similar product made using a different tree. Frankly, I’m starting to suspect that I’m not a very clever person.

Fortunately, not everyone is as stupid as I am. I’ve discovered a small Estonian company called Kasekunst that makes three versions of birch syrup: hele (light), tume (dark) and tõmmu (even darker). The lightest one looks and tastes a bit like pale very runny honey, with a slightly tangy undertone familiar to those who have tried birch sap. The darker ones are more similar to maple syrup, with a deeper, caramelly flavour. But all three have that almost fruity-floral aspect that I don’t detect in maple syrup; they also seem less sweet. The biggest difference between the two brown ones is in texture and intensity – tõmmu being thicker and stronger.

These are beautiful products in beautiful packaging that you can use in different ways. They would work everywhere you’d use the maple equivalent: drizzled on yoghurt or pancakes, as a sweetener in muffins or apple sauce (or I’m thinking – the light syrup in pear sauce!), as an ingredient in salad dressig, as a glaze for salmon and bacon. I have not tried it yet, but I think the darkest one would be perfect for making pulled pork. The only issue I have is that the bottles have no pouring mechanism, so getting the right amount of syrup exactly where you want it can be a challenge.

I’m so happy that someone is making these. I love artisanal products and local/seasonal eating, but Estonia is not the best place in the world to practice the latter. For about six months, you would need to eat snow, mud and wood. But as we’ve now learned, trees can give you something besides leaves and branches to get through that time.

You can contact Kasekunst via Facebook – they shipped my bottles to Belgium (yes, I paid), so I’m sure something can be arranged in case you’re interested.