# Pancake syrup **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827 "2014-09-29T02:44:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/1 "2014-09-29T02:44:40Z")
I made pancakes for breakfast yesterday. (I used Bisquick because I was lazy. I used to use Trader Joe’s, but lately I’ve just been making the batter from scratch. FWIW, the SO likes the scratch-made best. 🙂 ) The default syrup is [Trader Joe’s Grade B 100% Pure Maple Syrup](http://goodsilike.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/trader_joes_maple_syrup1.jpg). Gotta have real maple syrup, and it’s gotta be Grade B! But yesterday was different. We both had a hankering for The Taste of Childhood. Couldn’t get Knott’s Berry Farm boysenberry syrup, so we had [Smucker’s](http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/7f/99/07/7f990709b037276c3550761b3d18e0e4.jpg). It was a nice change. Dad always liked [Karo Light Corn Syrup](http://media.pennlive.com/bodyandmind_impact/photo/karo-window-btl-light-00761720051108cfjpg-2cd3724b33f67ac0.jpg) and peanut butter on his pancakes. I liked it too, but I can never resist the draw of the Grade B maple syrup – even though I have Karo in the cupboard (for when I make pecan pie) and Skippy on the shelf. So I guess here’s the part where you tell everyone what kind of syrup you like on your pancakes. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/2 "2014-09-29T02:48:23Z")
Maple. I prefer Grade B…but as long as the ingredient list had only the one entry, I’m happy enough. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/3 "2014-09-29T02:56:55Z")
Original Log Cabins syrup or Mrs. Butterworths if I can’t get real maple syrup (or I don’t feel like paying $6-$8 for a small bottle of it) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/4 "2014-09-29T03:08:27Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > … if I can’t get real maple syrup (or I don’t feel like paying $6-$8 for a small bottle of it) What’s a ‘small bottle’? The TJ’s I get is just under $14 for 740 ml. The SO has a sweet tooth, so we can use 6 oz. between the two of us. That’s four breakfasts per bottle. Since I heat the syrup, I generally go for 5.3 ounces. Sometimes she gets more, but usually I let her get her syrup first and I use the rest. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/5 "2014-09-29T03:10:16Z")
100% pure maple, from either Canada or Vermont. Medium dark, whatever grade that is. I’d love to have boysenberry again, if I could find it. I tried ordering it from California once, but it didn’t work for some reason. Jam is good too, especially strawberry, blueberry, or blackberry. I can see where peanut butter would be good too. One time when I had no maple syrup, I tried heating honey and poured it over pancakes for my daughter. Darned if it wasn’t a good facsimile of maple syrup! I like combining hot syrup with butter and just pouring that over a stack. Yum! :o ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/6 "2014-09-29T03:13:48Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I’d love to have boysenberry again, if I could find it. I tried ordering it from California once, but it didn’t work for some reason. Amazon has Smucker’s and other brands. (I didn’t see Knott’s.) . ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/7 "2014-09-29T03:14:08Z")
When I was a small child the family default was Mrs. Butterworth’s colored, flavored corn syrup. I always insisted on honey, though, and to this day that’s what I prefer on pancakes and waffles. Since then my dad has moved on to real maple syrup. I’m not sure he’s sufficiently into it to notice the grades. Just whatever Meijer has on the shelf that’s reasonably priced. My husband is the first person I’ve ever met who likes to use Karo. My mother never even had Karo in the house. I didn’t hear of it until we used it to make candy in junior high home ec. Never had a bottle in my own pantry, until he moved in and wanted it. To me, Karo has a… well… a corny flavor to it. I dislike it. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/8 "2014-09-29T03:36:15Z")
I’m a huge Mrs. Butterworth’s fan. Call me a barbarian, but there you have it. And no, you didn’t ask, but I’ll tell you anyway: I have this fantasy that the Mrs. Butterworth’s bottle and the bottle of Frangelico like to get it on in the night when the humans are all asleep… ---
**Author:** ![troubledwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@troubledwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troubledwater)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/9 "2014-09-29T03:48:46Z")
Grew up on Mrs. Butterworth’s. These days I like real maple syrup, grade B over grade A ([the grading system is about to change, by the way](http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2014/04/02/goodbye-fancy-so-long-grade-b-making-sense-of-maple-syrup/)), but I have recently become addicted to ginger syrup and am going to try that. No Karo ever - my father had bad memories of it from his childhood in an orphanage. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/10 "2014-09-29T03:57:30Z")
> [@troubledwater](#): > > ([the grading system is about to change, by the way](http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2014/04/02/goodbye-fancy-so-long-grade-b-making-sense-of-maple-syrup/)) From the link: > [@](#): > > I’ve had people tell me it has to be Grade B because it is purer and less processed but that’s not true at all. It has to be Grade B because it tastes better. I never considered processing and purity. (I’ve always assumed it was just cooked down more, and more concentrated.) ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/11 "2014-09-29T04:06:47Z")
My mom used to make pancake syrup from Karo, cinnamon, butter and a couple of other sweet spices. It was one of those things that was both tasty and less expensive than bottled syrup, a big concern when you’re feeding a houseful of people on a tight budget. 🙂 I don’t eat many pancakes or waffles these days, but tend towards savory when I do. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/12 "2014-09-29T04:19:32Z")
Kirkland grade A dark amber maple syrup from Costco. Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/13 "2014-09-29T04:26:50Z")
what’s grade B ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/14 "2014-09-29T05:45:50Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > what’s grade B The grading system is explained very well (and in chart form!) in [**troubledwater** ’s link](http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_14119691839939&key=ce270d38103a630c3181db372a25a052&libId=97e1cd1e-d2dd-4ec4-88f4-b9c33ebf91f9&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fboards.straightdope.com%2Fsdmb%2Fnewreply.php%3Fdo%3Dnewreply%26p%3D17770383&v=1&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Flarryolmsted%2F2014%2F04%2F02%2Fgoodbye-fancy-so-long-grade-b-making-sense-of-maple-syrup%2F&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fboards.straightdope.com%2Fsdmb%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D735708&title=Straight%20Dope%20Message%20Board%20-%20Reply%20to%20Topic&txt=the%20grading%20system%20is%20about%20to%20change%2C%20by%20the%20way), but to answer your question, in the traditional system of maple syrup grading used in the US, Grade B refers to dark, strongly flavored maple syrup. Grade A is lighter colored with a more delicate flavor and “Fancy” is even lighter still. But don’t get confused by the wording as the grades have absolutely nothing to do with quality or level of processing; which grade you should choose is totally dependent on your personal preference. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/15 "2014-09-29T06:21:59Z")
Maple syrup. I grew up on homemade maple syrup and will not accept any substitutes. ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/16 "2014-09-29T07:21:03Z")
I forgot to add my own preference: I live alone and seldom ever have pancakes. Making them pretty much means I either have to overeat or have pancakes two or three days in a row. Even if I wanted to freeze the leftovers I usually don’t have the freezer space to spare. When I do have them, I use either Canadian maple syrup or honey. They only sell [this brand](http://blogs.c.yimg.jp/res/blog-7f-ec/zamasokutei/folder/389192/27/8772627/img_0) at the supermarket near me, but it’s nice. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/17 "2014-09-29T11:43:05Z")
We are in western PA. Two years ago a neighbor asked if he could tap our maple trees. He owns adjacent property and had many of his own trees tapped. We are still using the small bottle he gave us. It is awesome and we will be sad to see it gone. The neighbor might do it again, but he says it was a ton of work. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/18 "2014-09-29T13:52:25Z")
No syrup. Good pancakes, and they’re not that hard to find, need nothing but gobs of butter. Probably horrible for your health (which is why I have them only a few times a year), but absolute heaven. Add a side of eggs and bacon and you can have your 77 virgins-- I’m good with the breakfast. 😉 If the pancakes are poor quality, then I’ll add syrup, but unless it’s pure maple syrup it’s pretty much a lost cause. I do default for syrup on waffles, though. But again-- pure maple only, please. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/19 "2014-09-29T13:54:44Z")
New England, 100% maple syrup. Medium to dark, though I’ll take amber if I’m someplace that doesn’t appreciate these things. I also really prefer Orange Blossom Honey and stock up on it when I visit family in Florida (or they visit me, 1 bottle is the price of entry :D). ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827/20 "2014-09-29T14:02:16Z")
Sometimes we use our own concoction instead of syrup for a change of pace. Two parts sour cream mixed well with one part strawberry preserves, or some other kind of fruit preserve. Now work with me here, sounds kinds ick, but poured over a pile of pancakes it is yum. Not sure if this is a family invention or we got it from somewhere legit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pancake-syrup/699827.md?page=2)