Sugar Snow

Today we received what the old timers called a sugar snow. It harkens back to the days of old when we would help my Dad and Grandpa boil maple sap. Fond memories resurface of the wood fired boiler warming us on a cold late winter’s night, huddled in the sugar shack as we watched the sap boil, smelling the smoke of the fire and the boiling sap, immersed in the sweet steam of the soon to be maple syrup. Occasionally skimming the foam from the surface, checking the temperature, stoking the fire, and for a real treat, putting some eggs in the boiling sap for a hard-boiled egg snack. And then the next day, Grandma would send us kids out to gather some snow in a big pan and she would drizzle a specially prepared maple confection over the cold snow. It made a delightful taffy-like maple candy that we called jack wax, also known as sugar-on-snow.
http://www.massmaple.org/sos.html
My favorite description of sugar snow is from the book Sugar Snow(My First Little House) by Laura Ingles Wilder.
“No,” Pa said. “It’s called a sugar snow, because a snow this time of year means that men can make more sugar. You see, this little cold spell and the snow will hold back the leafing of the trees, and that makes a longer run of sap.
“When there’s a long run of sap, it means that Grandpa can make enough maple sugar to last all the year, for common every day. When he takes his furs to town, he will not need to trade for much store sugar. He will get only a little store sugar, to have on the table when company comes.”
“Grandpa must be glad there’s a sugar snow,” said Laura.
“Yes,” said Pa, “he’s very glad. He’s going to sugar off again next Monday, and he says we must all come.”
Pa’s blue eyes twinkled; he had been saving the best for the last, and he said to Ma:“Hey, Caroline! There’ll be a dance!”
For a sorta technical definition of sugar snow, check this link: http://www.goshen.edu/merrylea/sugar/meterol.htm