Sweet, New Hampshire's Maple Sugar Shacks are Golden

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. October 14, 2008

MARCH 5, 2008. It's official - in a blind taste test of 19 maple syrups from all over New England, Yankee magazine's editors chose New Hampshire maple syrups for ALL of their "Top 5."

While the most famous Native American seasonal feast might be Thanksgiving, the tribes in the northeast had sweeter things in mind when they celebrated the annual spring sap run in the maple forests. We have them, and a 300 year old tradition of production to thank for that amber wave of maple syrup that envelops waffles, pancakes and an ever-growing variety of foods, many unique to New Hampshire. When the four "grand hotels" of New Hampshire teamed up to present a New Hampshire Holiday Dinner at the James Beard House in Manhattan, Executive Chef Larry Johnson of The Balsams offered maple sugar-cured salmon gravlax as an hors d'oeuvre.

For those in search of real maple syrup, New Hampshire Maple Sugar Weekend, March 29-30, 2008 is an especially good time to visit, when more than 140 sugarhouses open throughout the state. The New Hampshire Maple Producers Association has details, location maps and links to its members on its website, www.nhmapleproducers.com (Maple Hotline, 603-225-3757). Maple season activities in New Hampshire include:

Annual Sap-Gathering Contest at Stonewall Farm in West Keene, an educational, working farm. On Saturday, March 29, 2008, 10 am - 4 pm, contestants drive teams of draft horses through sugar maples to gather 40 buckets of sap, earning points based on speed, amount of sap gathered, and teamwork. Children can join sap-carrying relay races using old-time wooden yokes. $5 admission. Parking at Alumni Field Keene High School. Contact: 603-357-7278. (www.stonewallfarm.org)

3/8, 15, 22, 29 Maple Sugar Madness at Weirs Beach/Laconia. Every Saturday in March starting at 9 am, the Prescott Audubon Center hosts a Maple Sugar Trail to a woodland sugar house, to explore the history of sugaring, Native American legends, and the science and magic of turning tree sap into tasty maple products. $10. Special family discount.$30. Reservations: 603-366-5695

3/15, 22 and 29. Maple Sugaring Experience at The Rocks Estate in Bethlehem. Owned by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, The Rocks teams up with Polly's Pancake Parlor to offer a new twist to the popular educational program that includes horse-drawn wagon rides, tapping sugar maples and learning about the age-old tradition of maple sugaring. Polly's waffles will be cooked on site, with mixes available for sale. Adults, $10; children $8; children under 5, free. Contact: 603-444-6228 or www.therocks.org/vacations.php.

3/15, Enfield Shaker Museum "Sugaring-Off" 6:30 p.m. in the Museum's Great Stone Dwelling, Executive Chef Betsy Oppenneer's menu includes maple in virtually every course. The Museum taps its own maple trees. "Sugaring off" describes the process of boiling down the sap to make the maple syrup and maple sugar. It also describes an informal social gathering in which guests help make the sugar. $30 members/$35 non-members. Reservations required. 603-632-4346; www.shakermuseum.org

3/15, 22, 29. The Rocks Estate in Bethlehem (www.therocks.org), operated by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and featured in Country Living magazine, offers a two-hour program on Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm. Visitors ride a horse-drawn wagon to tap their own maple tree, haul sap, make their own syrup and learn the history of sugaring.

With a name like the Sugar Hill Inn in Franconia, the Maple Sugar package should be something special and it is. Offered in conjunction with the Rocks Estate, the two-night package includes the 2-hour sugaring demonstration, a four-course, maple-themed dinner showcasing the culinary use of maple syrup (literally, from soup to nuts), full country breakfast each morning, casual dinner for two Friday evening and all taxes and gratuities. Options range from a romantic luxury suite with Jacuzzi to the Inn's cottages which are great for families. Call 800-548-4748 or visit www.sugarhillinn.com.

The Remick Farm Museum in Tamworth also offers a Maple Sugaring Day educational program in their newly-built, traditional sugar shack. On March 15, 1 pm - 4 pm the museum will present a demonstration of Native American, Colonial and modern backyard boiler "sugaring off" methods. Guests can taste a variety of maple products like maple cream, maple jelly, maple candy and the all-time favorite, sugar-on-snow. Maple syrup will be available for sale. Exhibits at the Remick Museum will explore the life of maple trees, tapping trees, collecting sap, and boiling it down to syrup. The Museum is also offering a three-week series of workshops for the do-it-yourself sugarmaker. February 16, 23 and March 1 workshops cover tapping the trees, collecting sap and making syrup. Contact: 603-323-7591 or www.remickmuseum.org

Benton's Sugar Shack in Thornton in the White Mountains has been sugaring for five generations. Several years ago the Benton family decided to offer people the unique experience of visiting a working sugar house to learn how sap from a tree is transformed into maple syrup and to enjoy a pancake breakfast to sample the maple syrup products produced on-site. The restaurant is open weekends, operating on a first-come, first-served basis. While waiting, guests can view a veritable history of maple sugaring, captured in the photographs and old tools displayed throughout the restaurant. For information and ordering maple products, contact: 603.726.3867 and www.nhmapleoutlet.com

The Sunny Grange B&B "Maple Lover's Package" includes a tour of Benton's Sugar Shack to learn about maple production, a gift basket including freshly baked maple walnut muffins or cookies, maple candy, and a novelty sized bottle of Benton's NH maple syrup, and a selection of maple-themed items for breakfast (they ALWAYS use pure New Hampshire maple syrup). Contact www.sunnygrange.com or 877-726-5553.

Gilchrist Cottages and Motel partners with Benton's Sugar Shack for a $65 (rate per night, with tax) package that includes Friday or Saturday night (through April 26, 2008) accommodations in a queen room with fireplace (two bedroom cottage available), complimentary gift of maple syrup and 10 percent off breakfast at Benton's with a free tour of the sugar-making process. www.gilcrestcottages.com or 888-741-0129

The Colonel Spencer Inn in Campton, the in the heart of the White Mountains understands that a country breakfast with real New Hampshire maple syrup is what B&B's were invented to celebrate. The Inn offers a mid-week 10 percent discount on two-night Sun-Thurs stays or 15 percent discount on four nights. Book two rooms or more for two consecutive nights on weekends and save 10 percent; book all six Inn rooms for two nights and save 20 percent on the full tab. The inn is completely smoke-free and all guestrooms have in-room private baths. The best part is the rate includes a full, homemade country breakfast for two featuring NH-made maple syrup. Contact: 603-536-1755 or www.colonelspencerbb.com

The Rosewood Country Inn in Bradford offers a "Currier & Ives Maple Sugar Weekend & Sleigh Ride" program. Scheduled for the weekend of March 14-16 the package is just $15 per person above the regular room rates which range from $129 to $209. Guests enjoy a mapped, self guided tour of neighboring sugar houses and suggestions for antiquing, shopping, and snow shoe or cross-country ski areas. After a day of touring, you're off on a romantic sleigh ride through the snow covered fields of King Hill Farm. Contact: www.rosewoodcountryinn.com or 800-938-5273.

A New Hampshire Maple Sampler:

Bisson's Sugarhouse in Berlin, in operation since 1921, offers an educational program on sugaring and serves maple syrup on ice cream. All-day events in late March in conjunction with the Northern Forest Heritage Park next door, include horse-drawn sleigh rides if weather permits. Call 603-752-1298 or www.bissonsugarhouse.com

Christies' Maple Farm in Lancaster (www.realmaple.com) has a maple sugaring museum, a tasting bar for sampling the various grades of syrup and products from maple candy to maple tea. They also provide a page on their website for schoolchildren studying maple production.

Blake's Creamery restaurants in Manchester and Milford prepare a "Made in New Hampshire" breakfast featuring maple syrup, served 7 - 11 am on weekdays ns 7 am to 1 pm on Saturday. Blake's Creamery also makes Maple Walnut Ice Cream sold throughout New England.

Maple Cotton Candy from David Clark's Farm in Langdon debuted along with a cookbook of maple recipes from the New Hampshire Maple Producers at the 2006 Eastern States Exposition. Contact 603-456-6052.

The Maple Guys in Lyndeborough, winners of the 2007 "Best Maple Syrup in New Hampshire" award for the second time in three years, hold an open house on Maple Weekend, noon to 4 pm, featuring "Maple Dogs" - Sahlens hot dogs boiled in maple sap. During the month of March, their sugarhouse is open every Sunday from noon to 4 pm for syrup and supplies sales. Call in advance: 888-627-5349. www.mapleguys.com

The NH Maple Producers Association operates a Maple Hotline, 603-225-3757 or click on the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development website for sample itineraries, maps, packages and online reservations. www.visitnh.gov