On a beautiful spring-like afternoon, students gathered outside in the bright sunshine to enjoy some delicious sugar on snow.
Tuesday March 19th, Tracy Sherbrook, assistant to the Provost, and head chef at Sodexo, Kip Mayo, held a sugar on snow event outside of the Hornet’s Nest. This event was open to all NVU students and faculty members who enjoy a delightful maple syrup treat.
This is the 14th year that this event is being held. It was previously part of the cultural festival. When asked who provides the maple syrup for this event, Sherbrook said, “My father provides the maple syrup right from his own farm. He has been harvesting maple syrup for about 20 years now.”
The traditional way to eat the taffy-like maple syrup is to pour the hot syrup right out of the pot onto a trough that is packed with snow and twirl it on a fork. The process however, is a long one. The maple syrup must first be heated to a temperature of 234°F and boil for over an hour. This will make the maple syrup reach the “soft ball” stage where it’s firm enough to have the consistency of taffy when poured on the snow.
For students who couldn’t stick around, personal bowls were offered so they could take it on the go. Maple donuts were also provided, as well as pickles. This event hosted about 50 students. As a fun fact, Sherbrook explained that we learned this process of eating maple syrup from Native Americans. This event is a big part of the spring season because it is the only time we can harvest maple syrup without it being too bitter. The perfect climate for harvesting is cold nights, but warmer days–just the kind of weather we’re heading towards.
Photography by Nathan Rubin