Over the years, my family has developed an understanding about me and cold weather. It goes something like this:
1. Mama likes the beach. Mama does not like cold or snow. She believes cold is torture. She will begin to whimper when the thermometer shrinks below 60.
2. If the temperature is below 20 and Mama has to be outside for any reason, she will hiss like a Rhesus Monkey.
3. Snow hurts when it gets on bare skin. And inevitably, Mama's the one who gets it in her boots, up her back and down into her butt crack, and packed into the space between her glove and sleeve. This makes Mama very cranky. This is when she begins to call for an adult beverage (preferably hot) and we know it's time to go indoors.
4. If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
So my daughter and I had a dilemma. With a spring snow storm and a day off from school upon us, how could we incorporate snow into our creative fun without actually having to be out IN it? The solution came like a ray of light from my friend Michelle---make sugar on snow!
We had a great time! Mama's happy, daughter's happy. Here's what you'll need to do if you'd like to try:
Step 1: Using a clean scoop, gather snow in a large flat pan.
(...not the yellow kind of snow.)
Step 2. Store the pan of snow in the freezer while you boil 8 oz of pure maple syrup in a large saucepan. It will foam up and try to boil over, so be sure to use a large pan and don't walk away. Hot sugar is dangerous!
Step 3. Boil until a candy thermometer shows 235-240 F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can drop a little syrup into a glass of cold water. If it forms a ball you can pick up with your fingers, it's done.
Step 4. Remove your snow pan from the freezer and place on a table. Use a spoon for the syrup and dribble small medallion shapes into the snow. You can also make fun shapes, like curlicues and letters. The syrup will harden almost immediately into candy. Make sure to let them cool completely before you touch them!
Step 5: Lift the hardened syrup from the snow and enjoy!
You have been nominated for a Stylish Bloggers Award by Two Maine Moms!
Congrats, Donna!
http://twomainemoms.blogspot.com/2011/04/you-like-us-you-really-like-us-stylish.html
Posted by: Sarah and Kim | 04/02/2011 at 07:59 PM
Whooohoooo!!!! Thank you!!!
Posted by: Donna | 04/02/2011 at 08:18 PM
Love this!! I'm a fan of lists. I'm working on a list of 40 things I have learned in the first 40 years. To be published in The View From Here soon!!!
Posted by: CaliMishell | 04/04/2011 at 07:34 PM
Can't wait, Michelle! :))
Posted by: Donna | 04/05/2011 at 10:31 PM