Road Trip for the New Year...National Maple Syrup Festival in Medora, Indiana

We've officially escaped the winter doldrums of icy-covered roads, way too cold weather, and snow. It's time to get the little two-seater out of the garage and hit the road. That's just what we did today--we headed to Medora, Indiana, for the National Maple Syrup Festival. In a word...it was maple-istic!

The sky was blue, the weather crisp with the promise of early spring. We headed to the small town off Highway 50 to Burton's Maplewood Farm. Not only was there an abundance of maple sap being tapped on the property, there was also syrup in all stages of being cooked. 

There were a boatload of reenactments involving Native American settlements, chuckwagons, pioneers making maple syrup, broommakers, blacksmiths, potters, wood carvers...you name it. 

                          

The maple syrup was interesting; there were two grades of flavor, with Grade A being the lighter of the two and Grade B being much more intense. They are currently in the process of creating a keg of bourbon-infused syrup along with plans to make rum-infused syrup as well. It intrigues me that the syrup, when using it in cooking, can be treated as different types of wines. There is an annual cooking competition at the Festival...thinking maybe next year I might give that a try with an original recipe. 

Good food, great people watching, fun day...2011 looks promising for T-N-T road trips!