In just a few days, my son Oliver will turn 12 years old and not once in those years (or the one or two preceding his birth) have I been without a jar of Lyle’s Golden Syrup.
A former colleague with Scottish roots introduced me to this delectable, gooey delight in her kitchen and I was instantly hooked. She used it in treacle tart (so does Heston Blumenthal) and to drizzle over steel cut oats. Both noble uses but neither is one of my favourite ways to use this 125-year-old product.
For a year or so, I was a casual user, drizzling a little Lyle’s on pancakes or toasted frozen waffles on occasional Saturday mornings. Then I got pregnant. About then it would have been a good time to buy stock in Lyle’s Golden Syrup or futures or whatever it is they sell against sales of this magical product because once I was finished with morning sickness, sales of this buttery flavoured stuff went through the roof.
At least once a day from my second trimester until I gave birth (and yes, that ‘at least’ is not hyperbole. What I’m about to admit really did occur more than once on some days during that time), I made an Eggo frozen blueberry waffle in my toaster, slathered it with salted butter and then added enough golden syrup so that every little square was full to the point of overflowing. I won’t admit to licking my plate but I did lick my fork clean on one or two occasions that I recall with shame.
The truly comic part of this story is not that I had this crazy pregnancy craving, but that I didn’t identify it for what it was at the time. For instance, my mother and I went to Florida for a week during my highest consumption period and I recall my mother’s raised eyebrow as she watched me eating this combo (again) while expounding on how weird it was that I had no cravings! To her extreme credit, she bit her tongue and didn’t point out the obvious.
These days I dip my own spoon only very rarely into the Lyle’s Golden Syrup jar; however, Oliver often requests it at breakfast time. Is it by coincidence or by design that I’ve raised a little boy who loves the same syrup and waffle combo his mother craved while carrying him? Who knows.
Have any of you ever had a recurring craving? And, if you’re a mother, did you have any cravings when you were pregnant?
NB: If you’d like to learn more about what I do when I’m not posting here, check out this article from Saturday’s Vancouver Sun.
Welcome to my blog! Have a look around, feel free to post some comments and 
Please subscribe to my blog and never miss a posting.
Hungry for info on the latest food trends? 
Dana McCauley's food blog 
I’m a maple syrup lover but this thicker syrup looks delicious, too!
hmmm… looks delicious… i am intrigued by it now.
I went to buy some of this for the first time last week at World Market and the shelf was empty. I was so bummed. Now you have me intrigued. I’ll have to look again this week.
My recurring craving is peanut butter and Canadian honey spread on bread or Matzah sheets.
Cheers,
Rosa
I’ve seen this and assumed it was corn syrup. I just checked out their site and it’s made from sugar. No additives, preservatives, MSG or GMOs. Interesting. I just might have to give this a try.
I don’t have kids, so can’t talk about pregnancy cravings, but I do have a non-stop hankering for dark chocolate. But then again, who doesn’t?
Congratulations on the Vancouver Sun article. It was interesting to find out what your company does.
I’ve heard my husband talk about this stuff for years (he had it growing up), but I’m not actually sure I’ve ever tried it. I think I, too, assumed it was glorified corn syrup.
When I was pregnant, I pretty much ate grilled cheese sandwiches every day. Sometimes with bacon, sometimes with tomato. And you know what? My kids aren’t fans of grilled cheese at all. Go figure.
Happy birthday to Oliver 🙂
Dana, that article was in the Edmonton Journal last week too. Congrats!
Pregnancy cravings for me boiled down to cookies, cookies, and cookies. Hmm, and not pregnant I still make cookies at least once a week. When I was on bed rest I had to rely on the generosity of my mom and mom-in-law to bake for me, or the diet nazi, A.K.A. my Hubby to buy some for me when he bought groceries.
Of course, there were also the random ones for me like a MacDonald’s cheeseburger (the only time in the last 2 decades), hot dogs (also rare) and weekly pierogy binges.
I must look for that syrup. Like Charmian I always thought it was corn syrup. I was confused when Heston used it – don’t you love him? So cute.
Glad to be spreading the Golden syrup love – just don’t buy it all up before I get my own supply replenished. I finished a jar this weekend!
Cheryl A: kudos for you for being able to live with a diet nazi – that sounds rough! He must be very handsome to compensate for his lack of cookie love! And, yes, I do love Heston – his is the only food show I watch to be honest.
Rosa, how did you develop a love for Canadian honey when there are so many French and Italian honey products that are likely way more available to you in Switzerland?
Hmph – this must be some syrup! I’ve been using that maple creme syrup that’s pretty good.
-DTW
http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
Darius is that the stuff made by Clearly Maple? If so, I agree that it’s delicious!
Mm, an interesting case of nature vs. nurture! I think my craving has got to be peanut butter by the spoonful, often with honey.
Oh, Dana … I learned about Lyle’s about 2 years ago and have loved it every since. I use it in granola!!! And I totally understand your waffle … ummm … “desire” …
Ivonne, ypur a soul sister!
But it tastes better from the original tin packaging. I seem to remember an embossed lettering? Or is that nostalgia? I do know that the illustration of the dead lion really freaked me out. Try not to think about that when your slathering yer waffles.
I try not to look at the Lion too closely. Since I’ve been buying Lyle’s it’s been in the same package, I think.
I grew up with Roger’s Golden Syrup, and still have it occationaly, I find it too sweet now, but prefer to use it instead of corn syrup in caramel corn. I have bought Lyle’s when Roger’s was no available, but while I can’t taste a difference, I’m “stuck” to Roger’s.
My pregnancy craving was salted fries with syrup (they’re really just long narrrow hash browns), and boy did I get looks from watresses, especially when my husband would make up a crazy “craving” that I would “want” for dessert, I think that he laughed at my craving more than anyone!
Cravings in general for me ususally go something like this: salty, sweet, salty, sweet, etc. I often studied with Chips on one side of me and chocolate on the other so I could alternate.
Hmmm…delicious! I would not be without it either. Three basic essentials for my kitchen in order of priority are Lyle’s Golden Syrup, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce & Kikommon Soy Sauce. Stuart.
Hmm are you sure? I found this and it kind of helped here.The Presentation on their website was too good so I had to try and had some success. You will find the video when you click on the Link. Jenna