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By HARRY SCHWARTZ, Special to Press Herald Wednesday, April 2, 2003

I have lived where winter was sunny, warm and tropical. I have lived where winter was windy, with constant blizzards and frigid temperatures. Now, living in Maine, I feel as though winter is medium in strength. And for me, the best part of any winter is the end, when it begins to change to spring.

Where it has been cold and snowy, you can almost hear spring before it visibly begins. Beneath the thawing surfaces there is already a humming of activity with bulbs about to sprout, roots thawing and weeds awakening. And above the ground the streams begin to flow, the rivers rush and the bays thaw, causing the docks to creak.

And that's not all that is flowing. Sweet sap is pumping through the trunks and branches of maple trees like the blood through our veins.

Sweet, rich maple syrup. Deliciously simple yet unique. Golden and thick, it is luxurious in all its culinary senses. Drizzled generously over pancakes or creamy oatmeal, over waffles or French toast it is akin to the ketchup on one's fries. Including maple syrup in a recipe, it becomes an important element in the delicious result. And there is no better time than the present to create with the wonders of the sweetest stuff I know.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the oil, maple syrup, honey and extracts and cook, stirring constantly, until all the contents melt together and come to a boil, about three minutes. In a large bowl, toss oats, bran, cinnamon, almonds and sesame seeds to mix. Pour warm syrup mixture over the oat mixture and stir to coat. Turn onto a jellyroll pan or large roasting pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Spread in an even, sparse layer. Bake in pre-heated 300-degree oven for 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or until golden brown and toasted. Place pan on a wire rack to cool. Place mixture in a large bowl and add raisins and dried pineapple or dried fruit bits of choice. Toss to mix and store in an airtight container up to two weeks. Makes about eight servings.

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet and sautŽ garlic until golden. Stir in beans and mix in tomato paste and syrup. Mash together. Remove to baking dish to accommodate, sprinkle cheese over the top and bake in pre-heated 300-degree oven until hot and cheese bubbles. Serves six to eight.

Apricot Maple Glazed Grilled Chicken Breasts

In a 2-quart saucepan over medium high heat, heat the oil and in it sautŽ the onion until it begins to turn golden. Add the garlic and ginger and sautŽ a couple of minutes more. Reduce heat to medium and add the apricots. Cook for a minute and add the vermouth to the pan. Reduce heat to simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Reduce heat to low and stir in the maple syrup. Keep warm while grilling the chicken (see below). When chicken is cooked, place on warmed platter and top with the maple apricot mixture. Serves four to six.

For the grilled chicken breasts:

In a glass bowl or baking dish for marinating the chicken, mix together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and oil with a fork. Marinate the chicken in the mixture for one hour, turning once at 30 minutes. Grill chicken until cooked, about six to eight minutes per side. Chicken will be white through and through with clear juices when cooked.

In a large sautŽ pan over medium high heat, sautŽ the onion and garlic in the oil until tender. Add the cabbage and apples and pour the vinegar over the pan, sautŽ until the cabbage is tender. Season with the sugar, salt and pepper to taste and finally stir in the caraway seeds. Cook another minute or two to let the flavors come together.

For the pork chops:

Rinse the pork chops and set them on a few layers of paper towel. Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. Dredge the pork chops in the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a large heavy sautŽ pan over high heat and sear the pork chops until brown on both sides.

To finish the dish:

Place the cabbage mixture in a 9-by-13 baking dish and arrange the pork chops on top. Cover loosely and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until the pork chops are cooked, about 25 minutes. Serve hot. Serves four to six.

Oranges and cloves for garnishing ham

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat and saute shallots and pecans in butter until toasted. Pour in both juices, maple syrup, preserves and cinnamon and stir well. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Baste ham with glaze frequently while baking and serve extra glaze with ham. Makes enough for a large ham serving 12 to 18. Serve glazed ham with slices of fresh orange.

In a heavy non-stick 10-inch sautŽ pan heat the butter over medium high heat and in it saute the pecans for 90 seconds. Reduce heat to medium low and add the brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer and stir until the brown sugar has melted. Remove from heat and cool a few minutes before spooning over vanilla ice cream. Makes about 1 1/2 cups serving four to six. Top with sweetened whip cream if desired.

Drain the sweet potatoes/yams and mash them with the back of a fork in a mixing bowl. Blend them together with the cinnamon, eggs and syrup. Scrape the mixture into the pre-baked pie shell. Bake the pie in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 35 minutes. Serve warm. Serves six to eight.

Harry Schwartz of Yarmouth is a television chef, cookbook author and syndicated writer. Visit his Web site at:www.chefharry.com