If you haven’t visited the green mountain state of Vermont and sampled a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer, what are you waiting for? Translation? (Giggle.) Steaming milk whisked to a froth combined with pure maple syrup. A dollop of fresh whipped cream floating on top. A dusting of cinnamon. Now that is a bonafide maple syrup steamer.

Best savored from a hand-thrown mug I might add. That’s all folks. So. Dang. Good. And this New England girl will absolutely swoon for a mugful!

So the first time I tasted a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer was at the Moon Dog Cafe in Chester, VT a few years ago on a girls’ road trip. It was November and cold. Rainy and RAW. If you live around here, you know raw is that unpleasant combo of piercing cold and wet that goes straight to the bone. (Just like ugly.)

It was that kind of a day, raw. The sky was dark and ominous. The girls and I wandered in and out of artisan boutiques and vintage resale shops on main street. (My favorite – a resale leather shop that specializes in personalized, stamped leather bracelets.)

Cold drops splish-splashed down the window panes and our cold noses both. Early afternoon we stumbled through the swinging door of the Moon Dog Cafe in Chester, VT .

Inside the dimly lit cafe, we stepped back in time. Quaint is the word that comes to mind when I think of Moon Dog. Vintage painted furniture stacked with hand poured soaps and lavendar sachets.Eclectic gifts. Metal tubes of thick hand cream for serious gardeners. (And gourmet pastries for the rest of us.)

Chilled and dripping, we headed straight to the hot drinks counter. That’s when I spied “maple steamer” chalked on the black board menu overhead. Since anything maple reels me in fast, I asked the hippie server about it.

She knew her stuff and in a minute flat, handed me a steaming mug of pure, creamy maple deliciousness. I have quite a few maple syrup recipes here on the blog, but today’s recipe is by far the simplest.

Steam your choice of milk, froth it if you like. Stir in pure maple syrup for a sweet, creamy hot drink that’ll warm you from the inside out. Even on a raw New England day. Top with a dollop of pure whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

I was reminded of that first maple steamer a few weeks ago when Jon and I sneaked (snuck?) away for a whirlwind weekend to Jackson and Littleton, NH. It was another cold weekend. Not cold enough for snow. But wet, yes.

Jackson Falls – Jackson, NH

We breakfasted for a late lunch at Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill. If you’ve never been to Polly’s before, do add it to your bucket list. They’ve been serving pancakes and all things maple for over seventy-five years. They have a million different kinds of home made pancakes on the menu, cooked individually, just for you by your server. (Jon ordered six different kinds, one of them, cornmeal coconut. I sampled – unusual, but delicious.)

That’s when I saw the maple steamer on the menu. I had to have one and it was just as good as I remember from Moon Dog. Maybe even better.

So treat yourself to a little slice of New England on a cold afternoon this winter. Relax by the fire and savor a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer. Warm, comforting and simply delicious. You’ll be glad you did!

Are you a pottery junkie like me? I’m lucky one of my boys takes pottery and feeds my habit, bringing home beautifully glazed pottery from the wheel. Love it. I also love searching out new pottery for posts here.

The unusual mug featured above was found on our recent whirlwind weekend in northern NH at the League of NH Craftsman Fine Craft Gallery  in Littleton, NH. The mug was crafted in clay by NH resident and potter, David Ernster.

Says David: “I have spent my life working with my hands. There is something spiritual and precious about handmade objects. They connect us to the past, tradition, and passion of the maker – a passion I think we all feel and crave to be a part of. Most of my work is conceived around this personal contact and interaction with the object.

I received a BFA in Metalsmithing from the University of Iowa and my MFA in Ceramics from West Virginia University. While I do make work that is purely sculptural, I am most interested in the things that we use and the ideas of containment, protection and mystery they evoke. What really excites me are the personal objects we interact with in intimate ways in our daily lives.”

Tips for making a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer:

• Use your choice of milk.
• Use pure maple syrup.
• Use a frother if you have one, or one of these clever milk frothing ideas from Pioneer Woman!
• Optional: top with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon if desired

Print

Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups milk your choice - dairy, coconut, almond, etc.
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• Optional Garnish: whipped cream & cinnamon

Instructions

• Heat milk until steaming on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• Stir in maple syrup.
• Froth if desired.
• Pour into a mug.
• Optional: Garnish with fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

You may also like: Maple Chai Tea Latte

or Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte

The post Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Hoping you’ll go on a little weekend field trip with me today: a jaunt north up to Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock, Vermont. This, is a neat place. It’s family owned, and you feel it the minute you step inside the main house. First, we’d taken the boys to see glassblowing at Simon Pearce Glass in Quechee, VT. (Check out my Simon Pearce Glass, Quechee VT  post here.) We were all fascinated with the glassblowers and the whole process.

We went on to Woodstock for lunch. There were several choices in our budget, and we passed a lovely looking restaurant called Bentleys.

Charlie (8): “Mom, I really think we should eat at Bentleys.” (Pretty insistent.)

Me: “Why Bentleys?”

Charlie: “It just sounds like it would be a really nice place I’d like.”

A child who takes after his own mother. Wine taste on a beer budget. (We found Pizza Chef, excellent pizza on the outskirts of town that worked out nicely for the gang.)

Meandering home from Woodstock after lunch, we saw Taftsville Bridge on the left. I was reminded of the fun cheese and maple syrup tasting adventure shared with my southern friend Susan last winter at Sugarbush Farm. So we cut a quick left, crossed the covered bridge and made our way the few miles to Sugarbush Farm. Thought you’d enjoy tagging along to enjoy the sights vicariously.

We headed to the main farm house for cheese and syrup sampling. Snowshoes hanging on an outbuilding, ready for a trek…

 This cracked me up! Labeled a Vermont Cowch…it doesn’t look a bit comfortable.

Stepping inside the farmhouse, we were treated to samples of all the wonderful cheese and maple syrup grades that Sugarbush Farm produces.

Check out these excellent choices: Vermont Light Cheddar, Mountain Jack, Mellow Cheddar, Aged and Select Sharp Cheddar, Premium Select Extra Sharp, many different aged cheddars, Sage, Smoked, Cheddar with Bacon, Mountain Blue, Cheddar with Horseradish and Jalapeño & Cayenne Pepper. It was hard to choose!

Just behind the sampling area, friendly VT folks meticulously dip Sugarbush Farm cheese in wax. (First it’s foil wrapped, then triple dipped.)

When cool, these nice ladies label and wrap it in plastic.

You can see gift box samples here, many selections to choose from.

We walked through a little hallway to another sampling area and the store with several refrigerated cheese cases. We bought some extra sharp cheddar. And the boys all seemed to think we needed the Bacon Cheddar, so we got some of that too. (Bacon on the brain: morning, noon and night.)

They were also very interested in Maple Syrup “Nips.”

There was an abundance of maple syrup choices!

Also pure maple syrup Moose Pops.

And very cute VT cow pops too!

There was more sampling!  The boys all liked the habenero peppers maple syrup. I’m still partial to vanilla bean maple syrup myself. (Check out my DIY Vanilla Bean Maple Syrup here.)

And more sampling: jams, jellies and specialty sauces.

This sauce was excellent. Imagine a rack of Maple Barbeque ribs!

I’d never seen a pure maple sugar brick before. For coffee or tea? (How ’bout just knaw the brick.)

It was finally time to head for the hills and home. We spied this little Maple Walk entrance to a Farm Chapel on our way out.

The picturesque white Farm Chapel was nearly hidden in a small clearing in the woods.

What a great visit to Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock. Our view on the way out. The whole experience was a good one, made so by the friendly, welcoming employees and sampling of the wonderful products. We’ll be sure  to visit again. (And soon.) Check out the  Sugarbush Farm website.

We stopped at beautiful Quechee Gorge on our way home.

Thanks for coming along on the field trip and hope you’ll have opportunity to visit Vermont and Sugarbush Farm one day. Have a great weekend!

The post Sugarbush Farm appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.