maple snob

i'm not a picky eater. really there are few things i won't eat. but fake syrup is one of them. i would rather gag on a spoon than have to eat mrs. butterworths or something of the like. my mom used to make her own syrup and i have continued the tradition. and now i'm giddy to be so close to vermont with the good stuff at my fingertips. 

we spent a day wandering through some new towns and happened upon the new england maple museum and i convinced ryan to head on in. we took a self guided tour learning all about maple - how it's sapped and tapped and eventually turned into all things maple. we even watched a slideshow of the entire process from start to finish.

{vintage sap spouts}

we learned that maple has fewer calories than honey, sugar or corn syrup. it's digestible, eliminating the quick rises in blood sugar common with sugar intake. it contains potassium, calcium {the same amount as an equal serving of milk!}, magnesium, phosporous and iron. and this stuff - the real stuff - has no additives or preservatives. 

we taste tested the four varieties {grade a light, medium and dark amber, and grade b}. we were both fans of grade a medium with its mild maple flavor and not-too-thick consistency and purchased our own little jug. 

and yes, we did have buttermilk pankcakes and syrup on sunday morning. how'd you guess? for anyone contemplating a visit to our new stomping grounds, i will make you your very own pancakes dressed in real vermont maple syrup. now if that doesn't get us some visitors, i don't know what will.