Very enjoyable re-reading of this old thread.

Since I last posted, I have found a new Steen's product in local (New Orleans) supermarkets. They call it "golden syrup," although I'm sure it is not at all like the Australian product of that name.

Regular full-strength Steens Cane Syrup is thick and dark brown, with a strong taste of molasses, and has recently become available in dark brown bottles as well as the time-honored yellow tin cans. (The label on the new bottle is yellow & looks just like the familiar can.)

Their new product is lighter in color and thickness; I was hoping it would be simply a more-refined variety of straight cane syrup, but it's a blend of cane and corn syrup, albeit NOT "high-fructose" corn syrup*.

When I was a kid, I'm pretty sure that the moderately-priced "pancake syrup" products were blends of cane and maple syrup, whereas nowadays they're all based upon corn syrup, usually high-fructose, with a little maple flavoring (probabbly artificial)..

I had been hoping that I could make my own economy-blend of maple and cane syrups using the new Steens Golden, before I learned that Steens was adulterating their cane product with corn syrup. Oh well...

*Karo brand syrup is a well-established old-time USA product, and is straight corn syrup, sold in two or three different "weights." It's mentioned in a lot of recipes. It's been around so long that I imagine that it is NOT genetically engineered or laboratory-enhanced, which I think may be the case for the "high-fructose" syrup of recent vintage.