Almost Had A Great Experience Last Night

Got a call from a friend of mine last night about 7:30 p.m. I was in the midst of making some biscuits for some strawberry shortcake. Now the berries I have are not native Vermont, but come this time a year, usually pick up some Florida berries. They are nothing like our native Vermont berries because they lack the juice.

My friend wanted to know if I wanted to take a trip up to a relative of theirs sugar house and I told him I was in the midst of something. He then said the secret word, "Maple Walnut Ice Cream." Now my favorite ice cream is Maple Walnut and when he went on to explain that he was picking up a half gallon of Maple Walnut Ice Cream so they could drizzle hot maple syrup over it, well, wild horses couldn't keep me from it.

I asked if he could wait 45 minutes while I finished making the biscuits and he said no problem. Finished the biscuits and gave Maryann a dish of strawberry shortcake, which I decided not to have as I knew there was something much better in store later on.

As I was waiting for my friend to arrive, the phone rang and it was my friend calling who felt really bad, but the place we were going to to have the "Maple Walnut Ice Cream Party" did not have enough sap to boil, so wouldn't be boiling. Well, I did have some nice warm shortcake biscuits, so it wasn't all a total loss. I know Maryann was snickering just a bit, as I had gloated just a bit before that I wouldn't be having strawberry shortcake with her as I was saving space for the Maple Walnut Ice Cream & Hot Maple Syrup.

My friend felt really bad about the whole thing, but I was very pleased with the very thoughtful gesture on his part. His intentions were certainly very good, it just didn't work out.

The Burlington Free Press has a story in it this morning about Robert Howrigan's sugar house up in North Fairfield, who still sugars the old fashioned way and another Fairfield Resident who uses modern technology. The story might bring some memories for you of "Fun Times In The Sugar Woods," so just click on the following link if you would like to read it:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090322/NEWS/90321009