Out of all the International Houses of Pancakes in the nation, only one gives diners the option of sweetening their cakes with authentic maple syrup, for an additional charge of 99 cents. That House is in Vermont, and guess who's jealous? Our own Senator Chuck Schumer, who has become something of a crusader for New York's maple syrup industry. Last month he co-sponsored a bill to help small American producers get access to maple trees on private land. Now he's taken a special interest in IHOP, firing off a letter to CEO Julia Stewart encouraging her to let the 40 franchisees across the state add New York State maple syrup to the menu. Unfortunately, Stewart has yet to respond, so it may take some more sweet-talking from Schumer before we'll be able to drown our Harvest Grain ‘N Nut Pancakes in fancy-boy natural syrup—for now, at least, it's strictly BYOS at New York's IHOP locations around the city.