Sugar On Snow Is An Iconic And All-Natural Snack In Vermont

Many regions have their quirky food traditions. In Utah, a popular cheesy potato dish is topped with fried cornflakes and comes with a macabre name: funeral potatoes. And in Vermont, a famous dessert has residents squirreling away trash bags full of snow during winter to save for the spring's sugaring season when maple syrup is harvested. The sweet treat, known as "sugar on snow," is such a time-honored tradition that Vermont residents will host entire parties dedicated to it.

This iconic, all-natural dessert consists of heating up maple syrup between 234 and 238 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on which recipe you're following, and then pouring the concoction onto a bed of snow to cool and congeal. The resulting taffy-like substance is then spiraled onto a popsicle stick or fork (the bold simply pluck it out with their fingers) and is immediately enjoyed. The treat doesn't hold together well once removed from the snow bed. Any remaining maple substance is dug out and consumed snow cone-style from the frosty base.

Though it's iconic to Vermont, sugar on snow is also a tradition in other U.S. states where maple syrup harvesting occurs, such as New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

If you want to try this New England classic but don't happen to live near a snowbank or maple grove, you can make a faux version using store-bought maple syrup and ice from your freezer. Just make sure to differentiate between snow cone-style ice and shaved ice — the latter more closely resembles new-fallen snow if you want a more authentic experience.

There are various simple ways to make your own shaved ice at home, including using a food processor or blender, or employing the finest shredding option on a cheese grater for a great hack. You can, of course, also invest in an at-home shaved ice or snow cone machine. Just make sure the result is super cold.

However you choose to duplicate that fresh snow essence, the next step is to simply heat your maple syrup to about 235 degrees Fahrenheit in a high-sides saucepan to prevent boil over, and then pour the syrup over your faux snow for the resulting taffy. You can feel like a Vermonter for a few minutes while you enjoy this regional dessert, even if your backyard is actually somewhere sweltering like Phoenix or Las Vegas.