Three things you may not know about brown sugar

• Brown sugar is simply granulated sugar coloured with molasses.
• Light and dark brown sugars are usually interchangeable, but expect a slight change in the colour and flavour of your recipe.
• Brown sugars are most often made of cane sugar, as opposed to beet sugar, which has a slightly harsher flavour.

Two ways to try brown sugar right now

• Melted with butter in a glaze for roasted bananas.
• In the purely Canadian tarte au sucre, or brown sugar pie.

Three brown sugars to experiment with

• Sucanat, essentially crystallized molasses, has large caramel-coloured granules with an intense, almost burnt flavour. Use in recipes where the sugar is mainly a sweetener.
• Demerara is dry and has an amber colour, deep flavour and large crystals, and works as a decorative topping or crumble.
• Jaggery is a dark sugar from the palm plant, used extensively in Asian and Indian cuisine. It has a distinctive flavour and perfume.

Two ways to keep your brown sugar soft

• Place a piece of cut apple or bread in a container of brown sugar and close it tightly.
• Sprinkle hardened brown sugar with a little water and place it in a 200°F oven for a few minutes.

One tip you can't live without

• Pack brown sugar down in a measuring cup when you're measuring, to keep the soft sugar consistent in volume.

One collectible to buy when you see it

• Sets of antique and vintage kitchen canisters - try the Elora Antiques Warehouse. Canisters specifically for brown sugar are a prime buy.