A Maple-y March

Aaaaaand.... we're back to winter.  March is such a back-stabber. But, as much as I am TOTALLY ready for Spring, if I'm going to get "stuck" eating more comfort foods to warm up these winter-weary bones, they might as well be sweet and delicious.

If you didn't already know (and you're a bad guesser) it's maple season!

And Albany is a prime-location to be in during maple season, because most maple syrup is produced in New England, and our neighbor, Vermont, is the top producer.  This means we are pretty much surrounded.

Not such a bad thing, since maple syrup is a natural, versatile, delicious, and healthy sweetener.
In fact, it's loaded with vitamins and minerals, including calcium, and contains less calories per tablespoon than cornsyrup [fact].

And if you're feeling adventurous, check out one of the area maple syrup producers for a tour and to buy local products.  There are plenty of them out there, but my favorite, of course, is Sweet Water Maple Syrup by the Hay family out in Cobleskill.  Matt's been super busy tapping and boiling the last couple weeks, and they're having a tour this Saturday for anyone interested in viewing the process (or just stocking up on delicious syrup and candy).

Be creative with your syrup... and enjoy our own local sweets :)

Thanks, Hays!