When you buy  Vermont maple syrup, you are guaranteed to get the real article.  Doug and Barbara Bragg told me last week, when I interviewed them for my podcast, that their syrup conformed to state law and specifications.  Syrup needs to have the correct density and be labeled with a uniform grade for color and flavor.  There was an article  in the Burlington Free Press this week about Henry Marckres, a maple syrup inspector.  His job is to inspect sugar houses to make sure their product is up to snuff.  He also keeps an eye out on products that claim to have real Vermont maple syrup in them just to make sure they’re telling the truth.  So…there are other things you can put on your pancakes, but there is only one kind of real  maple syrup from Vermont.