Pickles by Brian Crane for January 18, 2011

Corn syrup is one of the leading causes of heart problems and obesity.

50 gallons of sap equal one gallon of real syrup and it’s not “maple-y” enough for some people. We are doomed.

Fake syrup? I don’t know about you, Nelson.

When I was a kid, mom had a bottle of pure maple sap, or something, and she would boil sugar (you really can) and then add the maple whatever to it and pour over our waffles. Oh my that was good!

When I was a kid, we used the fake stuff. Now I only use pure maple syrup.

Being in a real sugar-shack was one of the delights of growing up in Quebec.

Yukoner: Same holds true in Vermont, to get maple syrup fresh from the suger rig, let it cool of course, then drink it. (heaven).

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I will pass on syrup if it’s not real maple syrup. Once you’ve had the real stuff you cannot go back–at least, I cannot.

Better than maple syrup is sorghum. It needs to be so thick you have to cut the stream with a pair of scissors. If I can’t find that, I’ll settle for ribbon cane.

Yukoner, being a former Quebecer, I can definitely relate. In addition to the childhood trips, there was our annual bowling banquets. Loved it.

Black strap molasses, yeah, that’s the ticket.

Admittedly, Earl, fake syrup has a nice thickness to it that kids like…just like kids often like McD’s over a home-grilled burger. Give him time, you can show him the light!

mom used to melt white and brown sugar together with a little butter.

that was our syrup until I grew up and tried the real stuff

needless to say, I never looked back

I too prefer real maple syrup, but what I reach for first is chokecherry syrup.

I think you have to grow up with Maple syrup. If you’ve never had it before, it has a very weird flavor that many people don’t care for. I can take it or leave it, personally.

for REAL maple syrup lovers, check John Ringo’s “Live Free Or Die”. a WAR is fought over maple syrup.

I hope Nelson doesn’t grow up preferring fake news.

I grew up with boiled brown sugar syrup, or honey. Real maple makes me feel decadent. Yum.

Loved me some “Mrs Butterworth” some years ago…not the syrup..the cougar who lived down the street…

boldyuma said, about 1 hour ago

Loved me some “Mrs Butterworth”

I love Mrs. Butterworth butter flavored syrup for many years. When I have good mood, I’d love to make french toasts with powdered sugar, a lot of butters and Mrs. Butterworth syrup and then I consume all of them immediately. Delishhh! :-P

Nothing like Grade B pure maple syrup! My Massachusetts stash is down to about a cup, oh woe. In the olden days, table syrup here in midwest was boiled sugar until thickened and a product called Mapelline was added for flavor. That’s probably what Kreole meant in his comment way up at the top.

Real syrup tastes better, but it costs too dear for my budget, so I settle for Aunt Jemima’s Country Style. I used to pour syrup over sausage and biscuits, but one of my friends recently made me try it with strawberry preserves, and that was really good too. I may give up syrup altogether.

We always did our own syrup when I was a kid but then it would run out and we’d do fake until the next year’s batch. And what do you know? I like the fake better. So shoot me! (And have my share of the real- I don’t mind!) Now, I just make my own- a cup of brown sugar, cup of white sugar, cup of water- bring to a boil and add maple flavoring. So fake and so good! ;)

my great aunt and uncle still make maple syrup, I love living in Northern Ontario! My American wife didn’t even know there was such a thing as “real” maple syrup. I make maple sugar and maple candies from the syrup I get now!