March 1st! The home stretch of “winter” is here! In New England, March 1st marks the beginning of Maple Sugaring Season. Growing up in New England, Maple Sugar weekend was something I looked forward to every year where all of the sugarhouses would open to the public for pancake breakfasts and tours of their operation. Typically, these events were family affairs where generations would come together to make the maple sugar, prep the kitchens for breakfast, and even the youngest, acted as servers and busboys and girls. From yards away, smells of sweet maple would waft from the steam escaping the gigantic vats of maple cooking and fill your nose with the nicest scent and warm you up as soon as you enter the house.

We would prepare our appetites for pancakes and fresh syrup and as many samples of maple sugar that we could get our hands on. My best friend growing up and I were rather good at securing samples but it’s all fun and games until you mistake a piece of cheddar cheese for maple sugar. Hands down the worst flavor you’ll ever experience in your life. Learn from our mistakes. Ask first.

In recent years, we’ve been lucky enough to experience Vermont’s version of Maple Weekend which considering the concentration of sugaring houses in Vermont there are plenty to visit and still not repeat year in and year out. What once were considered odd foods are now things we've grown to love and look forward to having only at Maple Weekend. The combination of sugar on snow (from the snow outside) with a pickle on the side or a maple dog which is a hot dog cooked in maple water are surprisingly really satisfying! Fun fact: Did you know that Maple Water is filled with B- vitamins?! Maple is basically a health food- and won't make you feel as guilty after you have that maple dog. Happy Sugaring!

Round up of where you can get your sugar high on during Maple Weekend 2018 across New England:

Vermont Maple Sugar Weekend

When: March 24th and March 25th

Visit V ermontMaple.org for a full rundown of upcoming events

You can see 2018's Map of Open Sugar Houses here

Don't Miss...

Boyden Valley Winery: Maple wine tastings, learn how to mix cocktails with maple, and sample sugar on ice

Eat Maple Creemees (Soft Serve Ice Cream with Maple), Maple Wine, Maple Hot Dogs, Maple Cream Liqueur, Maple beer, Sugar on Snow with a pickle on the side, and good ole' maple sugar candy

New Hampshire Maple Weekend

When: March 24th and March 25th

Visit New Hampshire Maple Syrup Producers Website for the 2018 list of Open Sugar Houses

Don't Miss...

Grassy Brook Farm: pancakes and fresh maple syrup!

Eat Maple Popcorn, Maple Pie, Maple Ice Cream, Maple Sausage, Maple Milk, Maple Bacon, and of course maple sugar and cream