Real for our family–we’ve even been known to sneak a bottle into a diner that makes terrific waffles but offers only fake maple syrup. Please don’t tell.
You can try to order from the farm: http://www.sillowaymaple.com
Here in New England, every grocery store has a huge selection, so I’ve enjoyed trying all types. I also like the B grade, but buy A for everyone else. I used to silently cringe on the morning after sleepovers when all the kids would pour half the bottle into their plates, so I started giving each child their own little ramekin full for dipping.
I also use raw local honey because it’s suppose to help build up a tolerance for pollen and other allergens. Does anyone know if this really works?
I don’t think I’ve ever tried the real to know what you are all raving about. I grew up on the Log Cabin stuff. Rarely eat pancakes.
Come to New England, PG. The real thing maple syrup is everywhere.
In the Midwest…it’s log cabin all the way.
Life’s too short for crappy syrup (says the New Englander). It wouldn’t be spring without seeing the sap buckets (now, the GINORMOUS sap containers) around.
My uncle brings a small medicine container with real maple syrup whenever he goes out for breakfast. He gets some interesting “looks” at Perkins when he whips that out and starts pouring it over his pancakes.
The new fangled sap tapping gear and tubing is definitely not as quaint and picturesque as the old sap buckets and taps!
@takeitallin – You can buy the real Vermont stuff here: http://www.coldhollow.com/maple-syrup.html
I use only the real stuff. I have an apple pie recipe that uses maple syrup instead of sugar. And I also put it in my oatmeal.
@Gourmetmom , I have three beekeeper friends that swear by their honey being a natural remedy for battling seasonal allergies…but it has to be local honey.
I use it in some foods, but will drink herbal tea with their honey when my allergies are kicking in. I think it does help , but still need some meds
I have a friend who not only brings his own real maple syrup to restaurants but will bring it to your house if you invite him for breakfast, just in case. When I first moved to the midwest I was having breakfast at a neighbor’s house and she brought out a bottle of plain corn syrup for the pancakes. It wasn’t even pretending to be maple syrup. I was astonished.
I’m with Hanna, Grade B real stuff. Eat it every Saturday on pancakes or waffles made by my sweetie. 
Real,for sure. Funny story related to this. We were in Gatlinberg, TN wanting to have breakfast. I asked the person at the front desk if they had real maple syrup. She said “it must be real, we make it in the kitchen…” We moved onto the next place. I knew the place we at did not have real maple syrup. But I asked for fresh raspberries, and they said they had them. They brought me reaspberry compote, and charged me 3.50 for it. People in different places eat differently, that’s for sure.
My in-laws had never had real maple syrup until I brought them some…my children haven’t ever had anything but genuine syrup, Goodness, it’s the best stuff ever. just got some maple candy for baskets, yesterday. My family is from NH.
Real, Grade B if I can find it. I will unhesitatingly buy a quart at a time
I always loved maple sugar candy
Speaking of the candy, have you tried maple cream? Now, this stuff is good!
http://www.fullerssugarhouse.com/proddetail.php?prod=maple-cream
We do have a local forest preserve that does maple tree tapping for syrup for three weekends every late winter. This is the last weekend. All the time slots go really fast.
http://www.lcfpd.org/maple-syrup-hikes/?F_y=2015&F_m=3&F_d=03%2f01%2f2015
We tried some birch syrup in Alaska. I wouldn’t put it on pancakes, but it’s great as a glaze for salmon or carrots.
@Wellspring, funny about the corn syrup in the midwest. My (Missouri by way of Iowa) in-laws were puzzled when my kids asked for syrup on pancakes, they had some corn syrup that they used for cooking, but just put butter and jam on pancakes. They eventually started keeping some Aunt Jemima around, but I’m not sure if they ever learned you are at least supposed to warm it up.
We use maple syrup in our house. Not sure what the grades mean, why do some prefer B? Mostly we see grade A. For most of her life DD preferred the cheap stuff, even though the rest of us used maple. I told her it was fine with me, nothing wrong with being a cheap date. The she went away to college and started dating a New Englander, and she’s seen the light. At least about breakfast syrup.
On the rare occasions that we had waffles in my southern home growing up, my mom would put syrup in the special syrup pitcher, put the pitcher in a pan of water, and warm it on the stove while she made the waffles. Microwaves are great, but I still love that pitcher.
I have never heard of bringing your own to a restaurant, but might start packing a bottle in my purse!
Raised on fake, now use real. The kids like it better but do tend to use too much!
My southern Grandmother used to offer us Mrs. Butterworth’s, butter and sugar, or straight light Karo syrup on our pancakes. Yikes.
I grew up in the Northeast, not the midwest, and still, never had this maple syrup you’re all going on about! How differently does it taste? I have to say, I do not have a very discriminating palate and “better” foods are often lost on me, which I guess is my loss!
“They eventually started keeping some Aunt Jemima around, but I’m not sure if they ever learned you are at least supposed to warm it up.”
Uh-oh. 1) AFAIAC, Aunt Jemima / Mrs. Butterworth / Log Cabin are all six of one, half a dozen of the other and 2) heat it up? Really? Aren’t the pancakes warm?
You can tell I am SO not a foodie, LOL.