One of the things that struck me right away about vegan cooking was the amount of maple syrup called for in many recipes. It seems that a lot of vegan cooks rely on maple syrup to take the place of honey and sugar in recipes, particularly in baked desserts. I love me some Fruit Butter Bars in the fall, but with the price of real maple syrup going up and up (along with most everything else), I just can't afford to use that much of it anymore. So, I devised this recipe for Homemade "Maple Syrup" . It's very simple, made with brown sugar, a bit of cornstarch for thickening, and a spoonful of natural maple flavor. I bought 2 ounces of the maple flavor at my local health food store for $2.49; at one teaspoon per recipe the little bottle will make 12 batches of syrup. I know it's not the real thing, but in these trying times it's sure a tasty alternative, and with none of the chemicals and preservatives of storebought imitations.