By Analiese Paik

You will always find seasonal vegetables at the Double L. Root vegetables, including turnips and beets, line the counters.

You never know what you’ll find at the Double L Market in Westport. This boutique grocer offers the truest expression of local food outside area farmers’ markets, and it’s open 7 days a week. Vegetables and fruit from local farms and orchards, locally baked breads and pastries, prepared foods, granola, hand-blended organic teas, grass-fed beef, lamb and pork, bison from New York state, Connecticut and Vermont cheeses, milk and dairy from two Connecticut farms, eggs, apple cider, estate maple syrup, and fish from a Boston fishmonger line the shelves and fill the coolers.

“Pop-up foods”, as owner Lloyd Allen likes to call them, are small batch, highly seasonal, artisan food item that are in stock for a short time only. Allen told me “Now you see them, now you don’t. When they’re gone, they’re gone” just as another customer co-opted two small batch jars of heirloom tomato sauce I had set on the counter. It’s not a place to let go of your purchases. I advise calling ahead and getting your name and order on the reservations chalkboard if you feel strongly about a particular item. After missing the first round of Connecticut figs this summer, I did just that.

Tomorrow always holds the promise of new delights, which is why Lloyd Allen and partner Michael Van Haaften have such a loyal following. Customers know their tried and true favorites will be on hand, along with new surprises, accompanied by friendly smiles and a good story or two. I felt pretty lucky after buying two jars of heirloom tomato sauce, Arethusa Farm’s eggnog, and Doc’s estate maple syrup. I couldn’t think of any other store I could stop in to buy the same, because no other exists here in Fairfield County.

The Double L Market

730 Post Road East

Westport, CT

203-557-4705

http://www.doublelmarket.com/

Visit them on Facebook.

By Analiese Paik

Comstock, Ferre & Co., located in historic Wethersfield, CT, is the oldest continually operating seed company in New England. The company celebrated its 200th anniversary this past summer thanks to a recent acquisition by Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company of Missouri. Baker Creek has kept Comstock’s retail and catalog heirloom seed business under the Comstock brand rather than merging it with the Baker Creek seed business, making good on its promise to conserve and restore the business to its former glory.

Illustrations of vegetables from antique seed packets found in the company archives now grace the covers of heirloom seed packets and decorate the newly minted 2012 catalog, all of which are sure to become collectors’ items. The Comstock 2012 seed catalog is now available for ordering online (free) or viewing online. Of course you can skip the catalog altogether and just click on the vegetable and fruit categories on their website that strike your fancy to find tantalizing seeds, like the banana melon, a variety I am very tempted to try despite my dismal luck at growing melons.

An heirloom seed is one that is at least 50 years old and has been selected to be saved and passed down from generation to generation because it grew well and tasted good. Heirloom seeds, unlike hybrids or GMOs (genetically modified seeds) will reproduce true to the parent strain. Rewarded with the same excellent vegetable they remember from past years, gardeners would again save seeds for the next season’s planting. You can save seeds too!

Many of the heirloom varieties sold by Comstock are at least a few hundred years old and trace their roots to the founding of our country. Squash and pumpkin, so-called New World varieties, are native to the Northeastern US and the seeds were originally acquired from Native Americans. Others were introduced to this country by the Pilgrims and other European immigrants, including the bulb onion (not to be confused with native wild onions).  The legendary Wethersfield Red Onion served as a major cash crop in the 1800′s and today remains “an icon and logo of Wethersfield” according to the catalog where it is sold in packets of 300 seeds.

Visiting Comstock Ferre

Seed packets and local craft items are available for purchase at the retail store in Wethersfield, CT, just 5 minutes south of downtown Hartford. Comstock, Ferre & Co. is located at 263 Main Street in Old Wethersfield, and is open Sunday through Thursday from 11-4. Phone: 860-571-6590 or visit them online at www.ComstockFerre.com.

Babycat Milkbar, a pop-up store which opened in Wilton in May, was conceived by mompreneur Jeena Choi as a great place for locals to gather and enjoy coffee, tea and wholesome treats. The Milkbar can be found  inside New England Historical Connection, a retail store selling custom-made furniture from New England craftsmen. Whether you need a refuge from the cold, a spot to commune with friends, or a source for artisan treats and gifts, the Milkbar is your destination.

Begin with a cup of Mamacat’s Q. Tea, Choi’s line of fine, hand-blended and packed 100% organic teas. Born out of a desire to enjoy caffeine-free, refreshing teas that were gentle and tasty enough to share with children, Mamacat’s Q. Tea flavors include Ruby Slippers, Emerald Wonderland, Amber Maharani, Blossom Hill, Casablanca Mist and Golden Slumbers. Choi describes Emerald Wonderland as a mellow, beautiful blend of French lavender and Goji berries. With Casa Blanca Mist, she wanted to create a Moroccan green tea, which is traditionally super sweet and caffeinated. By choosing spearmint instead of mint and blending in rose petals, licorice root, elderflower and stevia, Choi created her “favorite new elixir that’s both rejuvenating and relaxing.”

Shopping for tea for someone out of town? The Milkbar is offering complimentary shipping and gift boxes for all online tea sales throughout December! No minimum amount, just specify that you’re ordering a gift in the “special instruction” section during check-out. SHOP NOW

We’re excited about two gift boxes featuring the best of local food artisans now available at Babycat Milkbar.

Mamacat's Q. Tea and Savor cookies make a sweet Tea and Cookies gift box.

Tea and Cookies, a top pick for a teacher, babysitter, letter carrier, school bus driver, or any other person that makes your life just that much easier, is a best seller at $19. Included in this gift box: a pack of organic Mamacat’s Q. Tea, hand-blended and packed by Jeena Choi, and Savor cookies, made in Waterbury by a baker dedicated to local and sustainable ingredient sourcing.

Macat's Q Tea's organic teas, Peace Tree Desserts' Cajeta Caramel sauce, Winding Drive's jam, and a chocolate bar from The Little Chocolate Company make up this Deluxe Artisan gift box. Design your own box from the Milkbar's line of fine artisan food products.

The Deluxe Artisan Gift Box, perfect for the foodies on your list, includes 5 of the finest local artisan food products from their line for $35. Here’s a list of artisan foods to choose from when creating a custom box just right for your gift recipient:

Hoardable Hot Sauce in Springdale, CT – delightfully robust “hot” sauce sure to perk up any dish or savory snack. The hot sauces are produced in small batches using locally grown, organic ingredients.

The Little Chocolate Company in Old Greenwich, CT – artisanal chocolate bars and barks studded with dried fruits and berries that are handmade in the Greenwich shop using the finest Belgian chocolate and local-sustainable ingredients. Bark flavors currently in stock are white chocolate with coconut, milk chocolate with peanuts and sea salt, and milk chocolate toffee.

Mamacat’s Q. Tea – organic, premium hand-blended herbal blends produced in Wilton by Babycat Milkbar owner Jeena Choi. Enjoy the teas hot or cold, day and night. The bright and colorful packaging makes for a terrific stocking stuffer or gift box item. Choose from 5 different custom blends.

Peace Tree Desserts in Westport- authentic Mexican style caramel dessert sauces made from Connecticut goat’s milk. These decadent sauces pairs well with cheese, fresh fruit, fondue, and are amazingly good in coffee, over waffles, pancakes and ice cream.

Red Bee Honey in Weston- as local as local gets! Beautiful, single-nectar source honey from hard working Italian honeybees. Seasonal flavors range from buckwheat to alfalfa and orange blossom.

Savor cookies in Waterbury- hand made in Waterbury by an artist turned baker with a dedication to local and sustainable ingredient sourcing. Sophisticated, delicious shortbread cookies in unusual flavors including roasted leeks, lavender, mocha/ginger and rosemary/lemon. A little savory, a little sweet, the cookies pair well with both wine and tea.

Winding Drive Jams and Jellies in Woodbridge – award winning, distinctively flavored seasonal jams and jellies made from Connecticut Grown fruit. The Milkbar carries their best-selling flavors including apple pie, limited edition holiday jam (pear, cranberry orange, cinnamon), British style orange marmalade, roasted garlic and caramelized onion, and habanero gold jelly.

Zumbach’s Gourmet Coffee in New Canaan- roasted fresh daily by Zumbach’s, the Milkbar offers 1/2 lb bags of the organic Gold Coast blend (mild), Five Star (bold) and Midnight Magic (decaf, but so smooth, you wouldn’t think so!).

Babycat Milkbar

300 Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT (inside NE Historical Connection)

http://www.mcqtea.com/Home.html

Phone: 203-493-1656

Cookbooks are always welcome gifts for the home cook, providing us with new inspiration when we get stuck in a rut. With more home cooks choosing to eat local-in-season, a cookbook that serves up recipes using native ingredients is sure to be a winner. Celery root remoulade, rosemary turnip ratatouille (recipe below!), baked pumpkin, winter day rice, apple soup and carrot bran muffins are a few of the seasonal recipes that author Emily Brooks offers readers in her cookbook, Connecticut Farmer & Feast.

Author Emily Brooks will be signing copies of Connecticut Farmer & Feast at The Winter Farmers Market at Norfield Grange this Saturday, December 17, from 11 am until 1 pm. The Norfield Grange is located at12 Good Hill Road in Weston and there is plenty of free parking.

Connecticut Farmer & Feast introduces readers to Connecticut’s agricultural bounty and those passionate individuals – Connecticut’s farmers and producers – who toil endlessly to bring us our food. The book tells the stories of more than forty of Connecticut’s devoted farmers and artisan food crafters who proudly produce Connecticut’s vegetables, fruits, meats, cheeses, and other food items found at farm stands, farmers’ markets, and top restaurants throughout the Nutmeg State. Emily Brooks tells their stories in elegantly written profiles, showcasing lives rich in both food and history. In addition she includes up to three individually created recipes to feature each producer’s specialty foods. The result is a heartfelt invitation into the lives of Connecticut farmers and the foods they produce through a labor of love.

At the Winter Farmers’ Market at Norfield Grange, families can defy winter while purchasing farm fresh fruits and vegetables, honey, maple syrup, goats milk cheese and yogurt, handmade soap and body products, natural beef and pork, wild-caught seafood, eggs, baked goods, prepared foods, and more. Visit the Crafters’ Corner, and check some items off your last-minute holiday shopping list with beautiful hand-knit hats, hair accessories, boxwood wreaths and trees, live orchids, custom drawings and paintings, and much more. The Market is open every Saturday, from 10am to 2pm (closed Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve) at the Norfield Grange, 12 Good Hill Road in Weston.

About the Author

Emily Brooks is the founder of Edibles Advocate Alliance (ediblesadvocatealliance.org) and the founder and director of Bridges Healthy Cooking School. Brooks nurtures social entrepreneurs who support local agriculture, sustainable farming, and sustainable food systems as a business consultant. She is the creator of Buy Local Connecticut and is a regular local food and sustainability expert on National Public Radio. She lives in Woodbury, Connecticut.

This healthy and flavorful recipe from Connecticut Farmer & Feast was reprinted with permission and is an excellent make-ahead dish when you’re expecting a crowd. It’s also a smart way to prepare several days’ worth of vegetables for a busy family.

Joe Gazy’s Rosemary Turnip Ratatouille

From Gazy Brothers Farm, Oxford, CT

Serves 6-8

Marinade

• 1/3 cup minced rosemary leaves

• 3/4 teaspoon dried lavender

• 3 cloves garlic, sliced

• 2 teaspoons orange zest

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 3 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

Vegetables

• 3 pounds carrots, halved and sliced

• 3 pounds turnips, diced to the same size as the carrots

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a mortar and pestle or in a blender, blend the rosemary, lavender, garlic, orange zest, and sea salt to a coarse paste. Transfer to a small bowl and blend in the olive oil, lemon juice, and orange juice.

2. Pour the mixture over carrots and turnips that have been placed in large (16×9 inches) roasting or casserole dish. Toss to combine. (Note: Lots of air space is necessary for browning, so if the vegetables are piled too high and too deep, use two roasting or casserole dishes as needed, baking them together. Use sheet trays if desired.

3. Bake for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally to rotate the turnips and to ensure browning on all sides. Roast until carrots and turnips have released their juices and are brown and starting to crisp. Serve warm.

Note: This marinade is brilliant with lamb, duck, pork, quail, turkey, or beef. Will marinate up to 3 pounds of food. Marinate meat for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.

The Fairfield indoor winter farmers’ market at the Greenfield Hill Grange has grown from last year, making for a richer shopping experience.  Organic vegetable grower Sport Hill Farm, local-sustainable baker Scratch Baking, and Greyledge Farm, a grower of pastured beef, pork and chicken, have joined as vendors for the season.

A recent visit yielded two excellent sources of holiday gifts – Moorefield Herb Farm and The Herb Basket – original market vendors whom you may recognize from last year. Moorefield Herb Farm sells a variety of herb gardens that will dress up a windowsill while providing fresh, organically-grown ingredients for the home cook. Moorefield’s large herb garden (plastic) contains 6-7 culinary herbs including creeping rosemary in bloom, parsley, lemon grass, Vietnamese coriander (milder than cilantro according to owner Richard Moore), pineapple sage and marjoram. Hypertufa herb gardens are aesthetically pleasing, yet still lightweight, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The smallest square garden with 4 herbs sells for $25 while the largest oval, containing 8-9 herbs, costs $50. Custom and advance orders are welcome via moorefieldherbfarm@yahoo.com or 203-612-0530 for pick up at the market.

Last year I purchased a bay laurel plant from Moorefield Herb Farm and nestled it into my herb garden along with sage, parsley, oregano, tarragon and rosemary. The leaves grew bright and big, so I harvested them and dried them for use as bay leaves. I figured I’d get another crop next year. A quick consultation with Richard Moore revealed the error of my ways. Bay laurel is a Mediterranean plant and therefore unlikely to survive a Connececticut winter, so they should be brought inside during the colder months. He winced when I told him I’d stripped the leaves and dried them. “It will probably die. Just harvest the leaves as you need them and use them fresh” he recommended. Bay laurel plants are available in 4 inch plastic pots for $8 or 6 inch terracotta pots for $15. Just be sure to tell the recipient how to care for it.

In an earlier holiday gift guide installment covering Connecticut maple syrup, we mentioned gift-worthy bottles and where to find them. The Herb Basket has one we’ve never seen – a log cabin-themed bottle filled with maple syrup from Sugar Maple Farms in Lebanon! It’s part of the $35 CT Sweetness Box, a boxed gift set that also includes wildflower honey and strawberry-cranberry holiday jam made with strawberries from Jones Family Farm in Shelton. Gift boxes of pickles and relishes are available in sets of two for $15 and sets of three for $20. The Herb Basket’s own adorable Tea Time Jam Samplers are available in snowflake or pine cone themed gift boxes as either a set of 6 for $18 or set of 9 for $25.

Fairfield Winter Farmers’ Market at the Greenfield Hill Grange

Saturdays from 10-1 pm - Closed Christmas weekend

1873 Hillside Road, Fairfield, CT

on Facebook at

Calling all local honey lovers and holiday shoppers looking for a unique gift for someone special. We have a sweet deal for you! Marina Marchese, author and founder of Red Bee Honey in Weston, is generously offering a bonus gift package exclusively to Fairfield Green Food Guide readers through midnight December 11. For two days only you will receive a free signed paperback copy of her book, HONEYBEE Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, when you order a Honey Tasting Party in a Box four jar set for $50. That’s a $64.95 value! Perfect for honey lovers, wine lovers and adventurous eaters, this tasting kit created by Honey Sommelier Marina Marchese includes everything a party of 10 needs to taste, evaluate, and savor four different single nectar source honeys. There’s even a special chapter on honey tasting in the book that’s perfect to read aloud before the tasting adventure begins.

Carol Herman, the Books Editor at The Washington Times, named Marchese’s Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper one of the “Books We Loved” in 2009. It’s now in its second printing in paperback and retails for $14.95.

Red Bee Honey is listed in the most recent edition of Patricia Brook’s “Food Lovers’ Guide to Connecticut”, a best of the best foodie guide to Connecticut. James Beard Award-winning author Rowan Jacobsen calls Marina “The Red Queen” and dedicates one chapter of his new book American Terroir to tasting honey with Marina at Red Bee Apiary.

How to Order:

Online Orders:

Orders must be placed by midnight on December 11 at http://www.redbeehoney.com/. When ordering online, please choose item # RG00HT2 + Honey Tasting Party in a Box 1 which includes four, 4-ounce jars of Red Bee Honey’s Limited Harvest Honey and 10 Honey Tasting Score cards for $50.00. You will receive a FREE signed copy of HONEYBEE Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper when you type “Fairfield Green Food Guide” in the Special Instructions and Comments box at checkout. You may also specify the gift recipient’s name in this box so the book can be signed for her/him. Since this offer is exclusive to our readers, you will not see this special offer mentioned on the website.

Holiday Boutique Orders:

On December 11, Red Bee Honey is holding its annual holiday boutique and open house from 11 am until 6 pm. You may take advantage of this offer in person at the boutique. Just mention that you are a Fairfield Green Food Guide reader and would like to purchase this exclusive bonus gift package.

Last year’s event was a roaring success and more guests are expected this year due to growing concerns about counterfeit and tainted honey imported from India and China. News outlets around the country last month published articles citing studies which provided incontrovertible evidence that many retail products labeled “honey” contained no pollen and were therefore not real honey according to the USDA’s definition. Consumers in the know are turning to local beekeepers as a trusted source for real honey.

To learn more about Red Bee Honey, visit the web site and read Lessons from a Local Beekeeper on this site.Marina’s transition from art director to beekeeper and Honey Sommelier is also told via a beautifully produced Yahoo  Second Act video.

This is not a paid advertisement and Fairfield Green Food Guide receives no benefit from sales, other than happy readers!

By Renee B. Allen

Local honey lovers and those on the road to good taste and new discoveries won’t want to miss Red Bee Honey’s annual holiday open house on December 11 from 11 am to 6 pm. Last year’s event was a roaring success and more guests are expected this year due to growing concerns about counterfeit and tainted honey imported from India and China. News outlets around the country last month published articles citing studies which provided incontrovertible evidence that many retail products labeled “honey” contained no pollen and were therefore not real honey according to the USDA’s definition. Consumers in the know are turning to local beekeepers as a trusted source for real honey.

If you’ve never tasted single nectar source honeys side-by-side to compare and contrast them, this is your chance to do so with Red Bee Honey’s founder, beekeeper, and Honey Sommelier Marina Marchese. Once you’ve picked your favorite flavors, choose from a wide assortment of beautifully packaged individual bottles of honey or boxed gift sets that include lavender lip balm and beeswax candles. Or create your own gift boxes at any price point. Relax by the fireplace and enjoy the live music as your gifts are boxed up, wrapped and tied with ribbon- compliments of the house.

For the readers on your list, pick up a signed copy of Marina’s book “Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper”, now also available in paperback. Carol Herman, the Books Editor at The Washington Times, named Marchese’s Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper one of the “Books We Loved” in 2009.

Red Bee Honey is listed in the most recent edition of Patricia Brook’s “Food Lovers’ Guide to Connecticut”, a best of the best foodie guide to Connecticut. James Beard Award-winning author Rowan Jacobsen calls Marina “The Red Queen” and dedicates one chapter of his new book American Terroir to tasting honey with Marina at Red Bee Apiary.

To learn more about Red Bee Honey, visit the web site and read Lessons from a Local Beekeeper on this site. Marina’s transition from art director to beekeeper and Honey Sommelier is also told via a beautifully produced Yahoo  Second Act video.

Red Bee Honey Apiary & Gardens

www.redbee.com

Email: redbee@optonline.net

Honey Sommelier and Author Marina Marchese of Red Bee Apiary will be the featured guest at the Winter Farmers’ Market at Norfield Grange in Weston on December 3 from 10am to 2pm. During this event, Marina will host her Signature Artisanal Honey Tasting at “The Drizzle Table” and be signing copies of her international selling book, Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, which will be available for purchase. Also available for purchase will be a wonderful selection of Marina’s Red Bee Artisanal Honeys, gift items, and her honey-based skin care products including lip balm, soaps, honey facial scrub, and beeswax balms.

Marina Marchese is a passionate and inspirational speaker who has dedicated her life to honeybees and educating chefs, foodies and beekeepers about the culinary delights of artisanal honey. The founder of Red Bee® Honey as well as The American Honey Tasting Society, Marina is an unparalleled connoisseur of honey from all over the world. Ms. Marchese is the current president of the Back Yard Beekeepers Association of Connecticut and enjoys sharing her personal story and journey into beekeeping with domestic and international audiences including beekeeping and gardening clubs, woman and motivational groups, libraries and general audiences.

The indoor, heated Winter Farmers’ Market at Norfield Grange kicked off its second season on November 12th and provides local residents with fresh local produce and products through the winter season. The market is open on Saturdays through April 7, 2012 from 10:00am-2:00pm (closed Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve). Each weekend nearly 20 vendors will set up shop inside the Grange during the market so visitors can enjoy shopping in a warm and comfortable environment. Guests are encouraged to bring reusable bags and their holiday shopping list to purchase local artisan foods and other specialty products, which make great gifts.

This Saturday several new vendors will join the market: Du Soleil (hot soups, tapas, and prepared gourmet food), Pasta Heaven (gourmet pasta), Stoneware by Krisa, Designs of the Season miniature boxwood trees, Laszlo Accessories (belts and headbands), and Weston High School Crafters for a Cause.

Along with the REGULARS: Gazy Brothers Farm (produce), Daffodil Hill Growers (produce + jelly, jam, syrup and more), Eaglewood Farms (meat & eggs), Butterfield Farm (Promote the Goat with cheese, milk, yogurt and more), Whistle Stop Bakery (cakes, pies, muffins & cookies), Pemaquid Seafood, Connecticutly Grown Hot Sauces, The Bites Company, Sticky Nuts, Jesse’s Kettle Corn and Nod Hill Soap, Kareen Kanaga (handmade jewelry), antique & collectible holiday gifts, hand knit infant & kids hats, handmade boxwood wreaths by Weston Girl Scout Troop, picket fence artwork, and more.

The winner of the market’s HOLIDAY TREE RAFFLE will be drawn at 2:00 pm on Dec. 3. Weston Gardens generously donated the 6-7 foot Balsam Tree. Tickets are free with a purchase from any of the market vendors or 3 for a dollar.  If you didn’t win they have 440 more trees for sale down the street; stop on your way home.

HOLIDAY SEAFOOD RAFFLE – 8 Maine Lobsters!  Drawing Saturday, December 17th at 2:00pm.

The Norfield Grange, located at 12 Good Hill Road in Weston, Connecticut, is a community center that hosts events for the residents of Weston. It serves as a meeting place for members of the community to socialize. It also hosts fairs and other farmer’s markets throughout the year, where local vendors sell fruits, vegetables, baked goods, art work, needlework, rugs, photographs and more. It is also home to the Grange Coffee Club, where local artists meet to share their works of art and is available for private events.

For additional information about the Winter Farmers Market visit www.wintermarket-ct.com or www.norfieldgrange.com or call 203-226-8233.  For additional information about Marina Marchese and Red Bee Honey visit www.RedBee.com.

Most of us pour it on our pancakes and waffles without a second thought, yet maple syrup is an agricultural product with a long history in the eastern US. European settlers learned to harvest sap from sugar maples and make syrup and sugar from Native Americans. Various Native American legends offer differing accounts of how the sweet sap was discovered, but my favorite is a more recent version. Maple Moon borrows from legend to weave the fictional tale of a young boy whose natural curiosity about nature led to his discovery of maple tree sap. It’s a wonderful book to read by the fire with a young child.

Maple syrup is only produced in Connecticut during a few short weeks in February and March, just as the spring thaw begins. A good harvest depends on weather conditions so yields will vary. According to the Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut, freezing nights and warm sunny days are necessary for sap to flow and be collected from taps during the day.

Just recently, a  study conducted by Cornell University raised the specter of decreased maple sap production in the eastern US by the turn of the century due to climate change. Our beloved and iconic maple trees are also at risk of attack from Asian Longhorned Beetles, an invasive species with no natural predator that is making its way across the northeast. Please help protect our trees by reporting any beetle sightings via email to CAES.StateEntomologist@ct.gov or contact the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven:

Dr. Lou Magnarelli – 203.974.8440
Dr. Kirby Stafford – 203.974.8485
Dr. Victoria Smith – 203.974.8474

Vermont may be our country’s biggest maple syrup producer but many farms in Connecticut tap their trees (the sugar bush) and hold maple sugaring demonstrations in their sugarhouses for the public’s enjoyment. In Fairfield County Warrup’s Farm in Redding, Ambler Farm in Wilton, and the Stamford Museum & Nature Center (Heckscher Farm) invite the public to visit and watch as large vats of sap collected from their tapped trees are boiled in wood-fired evaporators to reduce the water content, concentrate the sugar, and produce thick, delicious maple syrup.  Try tasting sap still sitting in a collection bucket (don’t use your finger!) and comparing it to the same sap that’s been processed into maple syrup. It’s a great way to appreciate the volume of sap necessary to produce a gallon of syrup – 40 to 1 according to the Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut. Visit their website for a complete list of Connecticut sugarhouses open to the public.

Now that you fully appreciate how special Connecticut maple syrup is, why not buy a few bottles as holiday gifts? I picked up a beautiful  glass bottle etched with a maple tree, bucket and falling leaves from Brookview Sugar House at the CT Wine Festival this past summer. I know it will make the perfect gift for someone special. Visit a winter farmers’ market to buy a few bottles or visit Brookview Sugar House, Rick’s Sugar Shack or McLaughlin Vineyards online to place an order.

Are you inspired to tap your own trees? Tap My Trees is a company dedicated to helping do-it-yourself types harvest their own sugar maple sap and turn it into homemade maple syrup. Perhaps you have a DIY family member or friend on your holiday gift list? Tap My Trees sells all the equipment and instructions (a book and DVD) necessary to help anyone through the entire process from preparation to cleanup. Maybe you’ll even get a bottle of their syrup as a gift next year.