This week’s sugarhouse was The Strawbale Cafe at Hanging Mountain Farm in Westhampton. I went there last year, when it was set up as an all-you-can-eat buffet, and we had a great time but thought it was a little pricey. In fact, I believe there was a sharp intake of breath all around when the cost per person was revealed. This year they’ve restructured and now you just order off a menu, so it’s more reasonable. Unless you’re a total glutton, in which case you might feel differently.
My dining companion and I rolled up at 9:45 or so, and we got a table pretty much immediately. Maybe it was just dumb luck, or maybe because it’s open year-round this sugarhouse doesn’t get the same frantic rush of people during sugaring season as the other sugar shacks, but we didn’t have to wait and we didn’t have to sit cheek-to-jowl with the other customers. It was busy the whole time we were there, but not crazed. Plus we were seated near the pellet stove, and nothing pleases me more than a direct heat source.
One of the menu options is a sampler plate where you choose three items from what 
seemed like an endless list. Sebastian and I, in our eternal cleverness, were very tactical about what we ordered so as to maximize variety. To the right is my plate before I tore into it- allow me to walk you through it. Clockwise from the top, you’ll see a veggie scramble, maple-oat french toast, baked oatmeal, baked eggs, hash browns, and veggie sausage. That’s basically everything I can imagine eating for breakfast, all on one plate. The oatmeal was especially tasty.
The thing I like best about Hanging Mountain Farm is that you can go right into the boiling room, and both times I’ve gone there have been people working who are happy to talk about boiling, and maple trees, and the set-up they’ve got there, and the future of agriculture in Western Massachusetts, and all sorts of other completely enthralling stuff. They actually seem happy to have people come and check out what they’re doing, which I really appreciate.
[...] by youngfogey A few weeks ago, I went to the sugarshack at Hanging Mountain Farm, and one of the many, many food items on my plate was baked oatmeal. It was delicious, so I tried to recreate it, and I feel pretty confident that I [...]