Marvelous Maple: A Sure Cure for Cabin Fever

Margo Oxendine, Contributing Writer

Margo Oxendine

Are you mired in dreariness? Got cabin fever? Ready to get out and find some fun?

I’ve got just the ticket: The Highland County Maple Festival. If you’ve never ventured over the mountain and through the woods to Monterey for the Maple Fest, then make a plan to do that now. If you’ve been before, chances are you’ll want to experience it again. And again.

Monterey, Virginia’s “Little Switzerland,” is just that, without the watchmaking and ski slopes. Monterey, and indeed all of Highland County, is a remarkably friendly, hospitable place. And you won’t find lovelier scenery anywhere.

For some reason — perhaps it’s their remote locale and the absolute necessity of community cooperation — Highland County is able to successfully mount festival after festival, throughout the year, for years on end.

The Maple Festival is a great example: This will be the event’s 57th year. Believe me, Highland County folks have their formula honed to gleaming for this and other festivals. Well-rehearsed teams of volunteers band together to flip flapjacks, make donuts, help you park, take tickets, set up tents and tables, tap and bottle that heavenly maple syrup and, above all, make every visitor feel welcome.

That alone is a monumental task. I think an estimated 10,000 visitors descend on the charming town each day of the two-weekend festival. It’s always held the second and third weekends in March; this year, it’s March 14-15, and March 21-22. One must jostle a happy throng jamming the sidewalks of town, vying for tasty treats and cute souvenirs. Don’t know why, but there’s not a grumpy person in the group. There’s so very much to see and do and hear and buy and eat.

Ah, yes. The food is what I love most about the Maple Festival. Pancakes — with buckwheat if you prefer — are piled onto plates with local sausage and endless pitchers of maple syrup at several strategic spots. You’ll find them in McDowell,

at the eastern end of the county; in Williamsville, out yonder south of McDowell; at the Blue Grass Ruritan Club on the northern end; Bolar Ruritan Club on the southern end; and right in the heart of things — in the school cafeteria, where the vast gym and school halls are filled with exhibitors.

That takes care of breakfast, or as I call it, Highland County Brunch. But save room, and lots of it. One thing Monterey is known for, although not as well as maple products, is its Allegheny Mountain trout. You’ll find trout dinners, maple-glazed chicken dinners, ham dinners, grilled pork tenderloin, lamb kebabs, vegetarian dinners — the choices abound. Now you know why the festival runs both days of two weekends. There is a full list of fabulous foods available, and how to find them, at the Highland County Chamber of Commerce site, www.highlandcounty. org. Just click on the Maple Festival and you’ll find everything you hoped to know, and more.

But back to the food. I was never much on pork rinds until someone gave me one from her bag at the Maple Festival. Oh. My. Goodness. It was so good! I begged for more, but she was being rather stingy; I happily bought my own giant bag of still-warm, terribly bad for you but terribly tasty, pork rinds. Share yours with a stranger, or several strangers. Make new friends!

By all means, however, you absolutely must save room for a maple donut, or even a dozen maple donuts. These hot-out-of-the-fryer treats are sticky with real maple glaze. They are one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

Be prepared for a long line at the donut outlets. A very long line. One wintry March day, my mother and I waited in an impossibly long line for more than an hour. Smiling folks walked out the door carrying towers of boxes of dozens of maple donuts. We didn’t mind waiting, not one bit.

When we finally reached the counter, the donut lady asked us, “How many?”

 “Two,” we said, salivating.

 “Two dozen?”

 “No. Just two.”

 “Well my lands,” the lady said. “If you only wanted two, you should have just come to that little window over yonder.”

Oh. Mom and I laughed at ourselves, and gazed at the heap of donuts boiling in the fryer. We made our decision.

 “Uh, we’ll take four.”

They were gone before we reached the car.

To order Margo Oxendine’s A Party of One, email [email protected], or call 540-468-2147 Monday-Thursday from 9-5.