Mom's Syrup Pitcher

On the top shelf of my china cabinet sits a brown pottery pitcher from my childhood home.  It held the syrup each time we had waffles.

It is not easy to produce enough waffles all at roughly the same to time in order to feed eight to ten people.  My mom would be a blur of motion constantly pouring batter or turning baked waffles onto a platter.  I am sure that is why waffles were a rare treat at our house.

As soon as two golden squares hit each plate they were slathered in creamy butter.  The butter instantly began to melt and sink into the crusty surface of the waffle.  One by one we would grab hold of the handle of the pottery pitcher tipping it up so that each tiny reservoir of the waffle filled with sticky sweetness.

Maple syrup may as well have been liquid gold with the number of mouths Mom needed to feed.  Instead, she had figured out how to make a low cost alternative long before my time.  It was her homemade syrup that filled the brown pitcher.

I took the syrup pitcher off its shelf tonight to get a better look at it.  It is chipped in a couple places and was never from a pottery line that anyone would consider collectible.  Yet it remains a perfect symbol of my childhood….solid, unpretentious, and oh, so sweet.

Susie’s Homemade Syrup

Equal parts sugar, brown sugar and water (Typically, Mom used a cup of each.).  Place ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Stir and heat until sugars melt.  Stir in a tablespoon of Maple Extract (available at Amazon.com) and continue heating for another minute or so, stirring constantly.

Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.