Sugar on snow

On Honors Day we sampled an old Vermont tradition we had previously known nothing about - Sugar on Snow.

On one day each year the university upholds this tradition by serving up boiling maple syrup poured over fresh Vermont snow... hence the name sugar on snow. It just so happened to fall on Honors Day this year so we were lucky enough to learn all about it from Mrs Bickford, sometime between lunch and the awards ceremony.

Imagine the scene... a folk group (www.atlanticcrossingvt.com) is playing lively, cheerful tunes out in the open air, a relaxed throng has gathered in the sunshine - a mixture of students, faculty and visitors to the campus. A gentle breeze circulates the aroma of warm maple syrup, and pickles!

Mrs Bickford enjoyed telling us stories of when she would make sugar on snow as a child, going out to dig fresh snow just for the purpose. Things were much the same here, save for the fact that in this day of health and safety no doubt it was hygienically manufactured crushed ice... we still called it snow tho'.

So, what's the big deal? Well, it was quite a nice thing actually. The hot syrup quickly cools and turns the 'snow' into a sweet slush while it solidifies into something resembling toffee (or taffy as the Americans might refer to it). The key, we were told, is to work the syrup with your trusty little wooden fork so that it becomes a smooth and chewy treat, instead of something like an industrial strength glue that could easily wrench out all your teeth in one fell swoop!

The other part of this tradition is to have a small heap of sour pickles on the side to 'refresh your palate' after all the sugary stickiness... it kinda works nicely, tho Adam didn't venture into the sour side of things.

Just a bit more about the weather we're getting... I think the pics below say it all. Now, where are me flip-flops and self-tanning lotion??

Looking out across the UVM Ag. Engineering parking lot, Mt Mansfield and Camels Hump on the distant horizon

Same parking lot and the landmark UVM water tower