Mapleine. She deserves her very own song.

There are three ways to avoid dependence on high-fructose-corn-syrup-pancake syrup.

1) Enjoy expensive, tapped from the tree maple syrup, naturally fortified with iron and other vitamins.

2) Top pancakes with applesauce and peanut butter instead.

3) Put on your apron and pearls and take a two-step back in time to….

A few times I remember my mother making Mapleine pancake syrup.  She’d say, “We’re out of syrup, so I’ll just make some.”  I thought she was just amazing, stirring up syrup out of nothing.   I think I can also picture a bottle very much like this one up in my Grandmother Helen’s spice cabinet, right next to the milk glass, red metal lid spice jars.  Perhaps it’s the nostalgia that’s flavoring my Mapleine, but nonetheless, I wanted to share the wonder of it with you.

Mapleine is inexpensive.  I bought this bottle at a Walmart for just over $2.38.  Following the instructions printed on the label, I can make 3 gallons of syrup.  The end cost will be lower than purchasing even the lowest cost HFCS pancake syrup.  Plus, if I can make my own syrup right there at home, I don’t have to say, “Sorry, kids, no pancakes this morning because we’re out of syrup.”

And this is a child, herself, making the syrup.

Mapeleine doesn’t taste like real maple syrup.  Mapeleine doesn’t taste like Kroger corn-syrup-pancake-syrup-with-imitation-butter-flavor.  Mapleine is Mapleine.  You’ll have to try it to see.  Let me know if you do, and what you think of it.