March 25th and 26th is Maple Weekend in New Hampshire. 🍁
There will be over 100 sugar houses open across the state. Our favorite sugar shack stop is definitely in Alexandria. Of course, we’re partial because we know and love the hard-working couple who live there. We enjoy their syrup on our pancakes while never forgetting the hard work that went into producing it.
Besides the building and equipment investment, there is the chopping of the wood, miles of lines, collection sites, hundreds of spiles, transportation, and then the boiling of 40 gallons of sap for one gallons of syrup. It’s hard work to produce the real thing, and those of us who enjoy it certainly applaud these craftsmen.
So, get out and about this weekend, and knock on your favorite sugar shack door. It’s definitely the sweetest weekend of the year. 🍁
If you’re looking for a maple recipe this weekend, check out the maple muffins over at Vermont Farm Made. The muffins are delicious, but the topping is maple heavenly.
We have sugar shacks here in upstate too. I love pancakes this time of year plus spring is coming!
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I always enjoy these behind-the-scene glimpses of this New England industry. You didn’t have to educate me on the taste – it’s the amount of tedious work involved that makes me respect this syrup even more!
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I hope the weather has worked for a good run this year.
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Nice to see a slice of New Hampshire life, I have to admit I didn’t realise how much hard work went into making maple syrup….enjoy a maple muffin or two!
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Planning to do just that this morning for breakfast. 🙂
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Lovely! And you still have snow … marvelous!:-)
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Now that sounds like a fun week-end!! Enjoy!
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Sweet it is to think of something so uplifting about this time of year, which can be so tedious. I think I can taste that maple clear over here. And I love the photo of the syrup in the glass bottle with the trees behind it. It’s good to think about what went into that. Thanks for another glimpse into New England.
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I don’t believe we have sugar shacks in our area of southwest Ohio, although I’m sure there are some farther north. I checked out the recipe and saved it – sounds wonderful.
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Hope when you make it, you enjoy it. The only thing I’d change is to double the topping because it is really good. 🙂
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Great shots. I saw this advertised. We were at Parkers Maple Barn last week. It’s such a treat to visit maple producers.
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Hope you enjoyed something delicious there or to take home. 🙂
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Oh gosh yes. We brought some friends of mine who are foreign students (Chinese and Egyptian). They had never seen anything like it. We all got different maple-themed breakfasts and then shared.
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I imagine I’m a long way away from my nearest Sugar Shack. 😦 I recently read there may be a shortage of Maple syrup. I hope not! I don’t use it often but it’s my go to syrup when I am baking or having pancakes, waffles, or french toast. I’m not much into the other flavors of syrup.
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I think Mother Nature doesn’t appreciate warm days and cool nights make the sap run. It hasn’t been a good combination for all those hard working souls this year. The cost of real maps syrup is worth every penny. 🙂
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Fab photos 🙂 I get my syrup from a guy in Wisconsin, and then buy more at the store. I use it on grits and oatmeal mostly. I am unaware of sugar shacks anywhere near me.
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Now, you’ve got me thinking because I’ve never tried it on grits. The recipe for those muffins is really good, but the topping of the oatmeal, syrup and brown sugar is like eating candy. Happy food. 🙂
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Oh yes, you must try it on grits 🙂
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We don’t have sugar shacks here in Southern California, but we did come across quite a few on our road trip in Vermont and upstate New York last summer. We loved meeting the people who sold their own maple syrup (much better experience than at a store) and their product was so delicious!
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They truly love sugaring season or they wouldn’t do all that work, and you feel it when you talk with them. And, you are so right – much better quality of syrup when bought from the craftsman himself. 🙂
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Yum – real maple syrup. Thanks for the reminder. Our supply is approaching empty!!
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Real maple syrup here usually comes from Canada and it is very expensive. No wonder, with all the effort that goes into producing it. I checked out that muffin recipe. Yum!
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Mmmm!
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The best syrup ever!
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I love knowing someone who knows what the word “spile” means and how to use it in a sentence! Our favorite syrup producers, my cousins, are having the big pancake breakfast in two weeks–can’t wait!
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Happy eating. 🙂
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Mmmm! That syrup looks very tempting! I don’t think I’ve ever visited a sugar shack but now I will definitely look out for one.
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That muffin recipe looks yummy. Mike uncle who used to have a Cabane à Sucre says sap is running pretty good here this season. There’s no substitute for the real stuff is there?
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No substitute for the real stuff at all. 🙂 Glad it is running in your area so you can avail yourself of some 2017 product. 🙂
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Oh, I love real maple syrup. Have some with buckwheat pancakes for me!
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Glad to. 🙂
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Mmmmmmm! Great shots! I can just taste the sweetness!
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Unfortunately I’ve never tried maple syrup, Judy. It is not sold here, or maybe I badly looked for it? However I believe you maple syrup is very delicious.
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That is very interesting. I don’t think I can adequately describe it to you except to say it is like a liquid maple sugar gold with more of a brown sugar versus white sugar taste. 🙂
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The best! We enjoy some cooked by a local farmers wife with loving attention. It’s a passion!
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The photo of the sugar shack with gray and white billowing smoke is gorgeous, Judy!
The montage or arrangement in boxes into your post was like a professional website! 🙂
I had an aunt and uncle who put their spouts into trees (Chardon, Ohio) and would boil the maple syrup and make maple candy. I always enjoyed the syrup and candy as they gave it to us, throughout the years. They now live in Virginia and are relaxing in their eighties. Mom’s sister always wrote me letters while I was away at summer camp, in college, as a young mother of 3 and now, I write them letters once a month to stay in touch. Hope you have seen the last of snow, Judy! ❤
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What a nice thing to send them real letters. I can only imagine how happy they are to reach in their mailbox and come out with a letter. 🙂
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Go ahead and put one of those in the trash, Judy. My cellphone has been sending duplicates nearly all weekend! Yikes!
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Oh I miss this… and the wonderful, fresh and lovely NH Maple Syrup. We visited a Sugar Shack in Antrim when I lived there and the place was empty when we arrived (it filled up quickly with visitors). Mr. Levesque (name?) let my son taste the syrup right out of the hose… I’ll never forget.
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I still remember when you sent me the REAL stuff 🙂
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It would be interesting to visit this place!
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Fresh maple syrup on snow…the snow cone of my youth. Thanks for a happy memory.
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Best snow cone ever. 🙂
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I thought of you this weekend when they talked about Maple Weekend on the news here!
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I remember my first visit to a sugar shack. I bought everything they sold, including eggs, bread and jewelry that the children made. I’m more restrained now but I always buy a lot of syrup. Don’t you just love meeting the family members who pour their hearts and souls into the business?
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It is like actually meeting the the farmer who grows the veggies at the farmers’ market. It’s great. 🙂
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Great pictures…
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