On National Waffle Day, The New York Times reminds us that maple syrup has a dark side

Maple syrup is a cartel — (Image credit: The New York Times)

In case you missed the news, Monday was National Waffle Day, celebrating the day when the first waffle iron was patented in 1869. Greeks invented the waffle, says Tim Reardon, an executive chef for Chobani — or perhaps he is just telling The Wall Street Journal that to justify talking so much about his company's Greek yogurt. If you can look past the advertorial aspect of the video, the honey-Sriracha sauce looks pretty good, and a pumpkin spice waffle might make for a delicious breakfast, Greek yogurt or not:

Probably coincidentally, The New York Times posted this video report about the conflict in Quebec between the maple syrup federation and independent maple syrup producers who can't sell their wares on their own. The Quebec Federation of Maple Syrup Producers is essentially a maple syrup cartel — the price of a barrel of syrup is worth more than a barrel of oil today, federation chief Simon Trépanier notes, as if to bolster that analogy — and while it has made syrup prices more stable, its hardball tactics have come under scrutiny even as it wins court cases:

So enjoy your waffles this week, and remember that as delicious as it is, maple syrup has a darker side, too.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.