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Michael, in blue, guiding a group of young students in the Kennebec River, The Forks, Maine This past summer, with my son Michael, I embarked on an incredible sensory experience while we were traveling down the Kennebec River in The Forks, Maine white water rafting when I noticed something I wasn't expecting. It was the smell of pine. In the raft was a bunch of Massachusetts middle school students from an all-boys school who were on a school trip, chaperoned by one of their teachers. The teacher who also picked up the scent of the pine, shared with the boys to remember the sensory experience, especially as it was combined with the rushing water as we hit wave after wave. Of course, as you can imagine, the middle school boys just looked at him, with blank stares, but I assume his comments landed with at least one of the six boys. The other notable part to this story is Michael was also the white-water rafting guide. More on that in a bit. If you recall from my first post, Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate Review: The Intersection of Art and Flavor, I talked about Michael's love for trucks and watching the same Dirty Jobs episodes over and over again. When Michael was about 12 or 13, he asked for a camping tent for his birthday. I remember giggling because Mary Beth and I never took the kids camping. I only went once with friends just after college and remember feeling like a fish out of water. There was nothing natural or relaxing about camping to me. You will also read in a future post that we own Marriott timeshares down in Aruba. That is more my speed. A summer day at the Kennebec River, The Forks, Maine Michael's connection with nature was different, and one Mary Beth and I have learned to appreciate more as we got older, and a lot of that has to do with Michael. We did purchase the tent for him and set it up on our 3-season porch. We asked where Michael was going to camp and he stated in our yard and woods, which are directly behind the house. Over his high school years, Michael and his friends would camp in our yard and and as they got a little older, in the woods, having a great time. At some point during that time, we bought one of those outdoor firepits from one of the big hardware store chains only to have it fall apart after one season. With the help of a friend, we did buy one where we had to build it and Michael and his friends would build fires, camp, and just have fun. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Stacking multiple senses in a single experience will etch the positive experience into your long-term memory." Fast forward a few years, Michael is in his final semester at Keene State College in New Hampshire studying Sustainable Product Design and Innovation, where he gets to build things, primarily with wood. He wants to leverage that passion and become a high school wood shop teacher upon graduation. Michael's Registered Maine Guide Patch Towards the end of his second year, he signed up for an outdoor leadership class. It was a 5-day immersive class run by one of the Keene State professors, who was also a licensed Maine State White Water Rafting and Recreation Guide. She took Michael and 5 other students up to The Forks, Maine for a series of outdoor activities including white water rafting, hiking, rappelling, and rock climbing. Because of Michael's love of teaching, the professor suggested that Michael would be a great white-water rafting guide and he should look to apply the following year. The comment Michael made following his trip was that he "never felt more connected to a location than he did up at The Forks". Do you know how many times Michael went white-water rafting before this course...zero. Michael guiding. It does look harder and more dangerous than it actually is. Maine White Water Rafting Michael was going to go from never going rafting to being a guide. By the time he started his license training, he went 3 times beforehand. So, Michael, Mary Beth, and I started a quest of understanding what it took to be a guide, and through a few birthday and Christmas presents from us and family members, he amassed the gear he needed to guide. This is a similar concept of being a mechanic where you need to buy your own tools. Michael needed a helmet, paddle, life vest, rope, knife (to cut the rope), medical supplies, etc. At the end of his spring semester last year, Michael applied and was accepted to be a guide. He had one week of training last summer and then would become certified. As an aside, Maine is one of the few states that requires guides to be certified. Michael and some of his fellow guides on a fun run during an off day. It was mid-May when Michael and his peers took the training. The challenge with the week they took the training, it was unseasonably cold. Michael, and his peers, pushed through and ultimately became certified later that week. Following the training week, Michael started as a certified white-water rafting working for Adventure Bound. Adventure Bound specializes in bringing middle and high school age students on class trips or similar visits from local summer camps in the New England area. The students get to do all of the things Michael did when he was in his leadership class including the hiking, rappelling, and rock climbing. Michael is currently working to obtain his certified Maine recreation license as well this year. The Adventure Bound team, summer 2025 The sister company to Adventure Bound is Northern Outdoors. Northern Outdoors caters to adults and families. They offer all of the same summertime activities including the white-water rafting, plus ATVs. and even host weddings. During the winter, they offer snowmobiling. Northern Outdoors (which Michael has helped out and guided for from time to time), also has a great restaurant, bar, small gift shop, and accommodations. When we went to visit Michael a few times during the summer, we stayed at Northern Outdoors. The hospitality was fantastic. They also offer a variety of lodging options including the hotel in the main building (where we stayed), cabins for large parties, and a camping area where you can pitch your own tent and use the community showers in the main building. It really depends on your preference and budget. We went a few times to visit Michael. During each of those visits, we also stopped at the local food truck for breakfast, the Confluence Cafe, which I ate their Trailside Toast (avocado toast) on a bagel for each visit. There is always a line at the Confluence Cafe as it is in an area just off of the main highway where the logging trucks roll by. As a side note, the cafe is only open during the spring, summer, and early fall, most likely to align to the white-water rafting season. Their website references that they open in May this year. Michael, Mary Beth, and I went to Moxie Falls on one of our visits. This was a breathtaking waterfall. During our visit with Michael, we did a small easy hike to Moxie Falls, which was breathtaking, and even hiked Number 5 Mountain (yes, that is what it is called) which is about 45 minutes north of the Forks. Ice Dams at the Kennebec River this past winter. This summer, Michael will be guiding again, and we plan on making the 5-hour trip up to The Forks and having a great time once again. This time, we will try to get Mary Beth to join us for the rafting trip. If you are looking for an outdoor adventure, nestled in the pine trees of Maine, book a white-water rafting trip with your family and friends. You will be sure to have a great time. Hope to see you there. Frequently Asked Questions What are some unique things to do in The Forks? There is a natural spring at the side of the road to fill water. Many people who drive up for the week or weekend to their camp (small house with little to no running water) will stop at the spring to fill up massive jugs of water for the week. Michael and I stopped to fill our water bottles. Per my Google search, the location is situated just a short drive from where Lake Moxie Road intersects with US Route 201. As you head down Lake Moxie Road toward the Moxie Falls trailhead, keep an eye out for a small pull off area on the side of the road where the clear spring water flows out. What is your favorite part about The Forks? White-water rafting is by far the favorite thing to do and Moxie Falls is a very close second. How difficult is the hiking at Moxie Falls? It is a relatively easy hike in and out, probably about 1 mile in from the road. When you get to the falls, there is an easy viewing area with some steps but for the adventurous types, you can hike further down. What class rapids is the Kennebec? The Kennebec has rapids that are class II-IV. The upper gorge, where you get the smell of pine, has class III and IV while the lower gorge widens and makes for a more relaxing class II and III rapids. Start Your Own White-Wate Rapids Sensory Experience with Northern Outdoors If you are looking for the fun, adventure filled experience, Northern Outdoors is the way to go in The Forks, Maine. It will elevate your sensory experience and provide memories that will last a lifetime. Book today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services I truly love and use myself. Also, as noted, while none of the companies listed are sponsoring this post, Michael does work for Adventure Bound and periodically, its sister company, Northern Outdoors.

Here is a collection of some of my Superior Nut company 4lb bags of nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Salted Mixed Nuts, and Brazil Nuts). About 25 years ago, I was leading a small sales team outside of Boston. During the holidays, the team and I would package up and share some gifts of appreciation. Spoiler, these gifts weren't the elevated snacking experience from Superior Nut Company, but I will get to that in a minute. We didn't have a lot of discretionary budget to use, so for the local clients we purchased some homemade cinnamon swirl bread from a bakery not far from our office in Lexington, MA. There was nothing like buying 10 loaves of freshly baked cinnamon bread and having the car smell warm and cozy. Salted Brazil Nuts are a daily staple for Mary Beth and me. For the clients that were a bit further away, we sent them a 2lb block of chocolate from a well-known brand you would find in your local supermarket. The blocks of chocolate needed to be special ordered as you can imagine but the reaction we would get from the customers was always the same, which was the following "it was memorable and way too much to eat alone". By this time, I was in my late 20's and well indoctrinated into Mary Beth's family, having been married for a few years and dating since we were 19. Her dad used to do something different for gifting during the holidays. Every year, he would go to the local nut store and buy a massive amount of salted cashews or mixed nuts and drive all over New England giving them to his clients. Mary Beth and I even got a tin of nuts every year for the holidays. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Don't let the stubborn pistachios shells ruin your experience. Instead of using your fingers, open it with another shell, using it as a wedge between the nut and the shell. Your fingers and your patience will appreciate it." As well, whenever Mary Beth and I would go to her parents' house, which was just 1 town away, there would always be nuts on the counter for us to snack on. I never really gave it much thought over the years, and while I ate nuts, it wasn't a staple in my daily diet. As a result, when we did buy nuts over the years, the purchases were from random locations with no real intention. At least once or twice a week, I eat walnuts in the morning, as well as on pancakes and waffles. We first started buying our nuts at the local supermarket, probably some of the brand names that they sell at the eye level of the shelves, and didn't think much of it, especially since we didn't eat many of them. Over time, initially when Wegman's Food Stores opened up in the area, and then again with Whole Foods, they had the bins of nuts and seeds for individuals to self-service, with the periodic overflow of the container when I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been (I know I am not the only one who did this). Mary Beth and I used the self-service bins for a few years, especially as our eating habits were changing for the better. This lasted up until Covid when the food stores eliminated the self-service capabilities at the time (they have since reinstated them). However, with the lack of self-service capabilities and our taste buds changing for a better tasting nut, we couldn't go back to the store-bought nuts. They just didn't taste as fresh, nor did they have the same flavor profile. As a result, we had to find somewhere new to source our nuts. The Superior Nut Company Comeback I had to ask Mary Beth what the name of the company was that her dad used to buy his nuts from. She mentioned it was the Superior Nut Company based out of Cambridge, MA. Since my father-in-law used to work it Boston, it was a simple, quick trip over the Charles River to Cambridge to pick up his nuts every holiday season. For me, while Cambridge is only an hour a way, I have opted to use their website to order. As a side note, I did find out that Mary Beth's cousins not only still purchase from Superior Nut Company in person (and have for so many years), but they also buy in massive bulk and store it in their second freezers to last the year. Raisins are great standalone, mixed in with oats and bananas, and combined with cashews. An Elevated Snacking Experience Today, I find myself ordering every few months as Mary Beth, Matthew, and I all eat nuts on a regular basis. Mary Beth and Matthew like the salted mixed nuts and the salted Brazil Nuts. Michael eats nuts once in a while as does Emma, which are usually Pistachios and peanuts. While I will eat those as well, I usually rotate a daily morning snack of cashews, almonds, and walnuts (all unsalted). We also have a rotation of California Pistachios and on occasion, I will purchase the Turkish Antep Pistachios, which are out of this world delicious and an elevated snacking experience. I have also been buying their raisins which are fantastic as well. I also found a recipe for candied walnuts. It took me a few different recipes to find one that actually works the way I was expecting it to (you know, the one you buy at the local corner store or farmers market that tastes so good). All prior attempts didn't have the egg white which is the key to getting everything to stick to the walnut but not have the walnuts stick to each other. The recipe is from Sugar Spun Run. What made the candied walnuts standout was the combination of everything I have been sharing so far with ingredients from my prior stories. 1 egg white (local or pasture raised are the best in my opinion) Water Vanilla extract (I will have a future post on this but to give you a preview, I order from the Vanilla Company Walnuts Sugar from Burlap & Barrel Cinnamon also from Burlap & Barrel Salt from Slack Tide Maine Frequently Asked Questions Does Superior Nut Company have a sister website with a different name? Yes, you can also order through NutsinBulk. It is the same exact offering from what I can tell. Can you pick up your nut order in person in their Cambridge, MA store? Yes, when ordering, you have the option to have it shipped or be available for pickup. How are Turkish Antep Pistachios different from California Pistachios Turkish Antep Pistachios are more flavorful and have a more intense buttery taste. Are Turkish Antep Pistachios more expensive than California Pistachios? Yes, probably by a factor of 2 - 2.5x the cost but the flavor profile makes up for the cost increase. Start Your Own Nut Sensory Experience If you are looking to upgrade your snacking experience, Superior Nut Company will satisfy your cravings and elevate your sensory experience. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Mary Beth and me on our most recent trip to Stowe, Vermont in front of one of the famous covered bridges that Vermont is known for. Last night, I met a woman, probably in her mid to late 20s who was going up to Stowe, Vermont with her boyfriend in a few weeks. It will be her first Stowe, Vermont getaway and she was so excited. Her anticipation of the hopefulness that there would still be snow on the ground in early March, coupled with the idea of getting a breakfast with real Vermont Maple Syrup, is a scene out of a Hallmark movie. The conversation quickly brought back some great memories of how much I love Stowe. Mary Beth and I have been there a few times, both just the two of us and with the kids. One of the many waterfalls we saw during our weekend trip. If I remember correctly, this was on our way up to Smugglers' Notch and was about a 20-minute easy hike into the waterfall. If you are not familiar with Stowe (3 hour drive north of Boston), it is known for so many family friendly attractions including skiing on Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak mountains, experiencing the awe of multiple waterfalls, driving through and stopping within Smugglers' Notch (my favorite), as well as taking a tour and getting ice cream at the Ben & Jerry's factory, and walking or biking on the bike path that starts in downtown and winds its way through corn fields, rivers, and views of Mount Mansfield. When I think of Stowe, I think of two very special trips with Mary Beth. The first was for our first anniversary where we drove up from Stanford, CT where we were living at the time. We booked a stay at the Stone Hill Inn. I have some vivid memories of our first trip including walking the grounds and how beautiful the rooms were. We still have our Christmas ornament (which I dug through all of our Christmas boxes to find the ornament and take a picture). The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "A weekend getaway at your favorite home away from home can be just right to help relax, reset, and clear your mind." The second trip as a couple was for our 25th anniversary which we celebrated after our 26th anniversary. Stay with me here as this needs a bit more prelude. Our kids threw us a surprise anniversary party for our 25th. They even worked with Mary Beth's best friend to fly up from Georgia. So not only was the party a surprise, but the best friend's visit was a bigger surprise. We had a great time at our house celebrating with our friends and family. One of our 25 dates- Mary Beth and I on our visit to Stamford, CT. We visited where we used to live, walked around downtown, and took a stroll by the water on the Long Island Sound. Mary Beth's gift to me was a booklet of 25 dates. It was a bit easier now to do things as we had all three kids in college and we were quasi-empty nesters, at least for a few months each semester. The book was for us to do 2 dates a month for 12 months, culminating in a trip to Stowe, going back to the Stone Hill Inn. We did a lot of fun activities including glass blowing, a trip back to Stamford, bowling, visiting new restaurants, entertaining with friends, picnic in Boston followed by a visit to the Friends Experience. The gift, which was very creative on Mary Beth's part, allowed us to experience so many new things. I think glass blowing was my favorite. We made wavey bowls (mine was much wavier than Mary Beth's). We loved it so much, we took the kids back and make Christmas balls. Another one of our 25 dates- The Friends Experience in Boston. We watch Friends every night before bed. At the end of the 24 dates, we would celebrate our 25th anniversary with a weekend getaway. We also waited the year as we didn't have any kids left in the house. So, this is why we celebrated it following our 26th anniversary. Stowe Vermont getaway Date number 25 was to go back to where it all started and book a trip to Stowe and stay at the Stone Hill Inn. My memory of this trip is much clearer as it was only 16 months ago. We packed our bags and off we went. Smugglers' Notch area, Stowe, Vermont. I made sure the picture was big so you can feel the magnitude of the beauty of the location. As well, if you have been keeping track, I also shared a review and recommendation of a Smugglers' Notch Maple Works, a perfect pairing to remember your Stowe vacation. We left early in the morning to take advantage of the brisk fall day, shortly after the height of leaf peeping season with all of the fall colors. Our first stop was at Ranch Camp Stowe for lunch, which is a bike shop that has a fantastic restaurant. We visited a few shops and waterfalls up in the Smugglers' Notch area where we did some hiking as well. West Branch Little River nestled in the Smugglers' Notch area of Stowe. This was on one of our hikes. Following the hikes, we made our way to the Stone Hill Inn. The location is just off of the main road but not visible with the exception of the Inn's signage. You have to take a winding road up a few hundred feet and when you get to the top of the hill, the 9-room luxury Inn just appears nestled between a bunch of trees, including a small walking path for guests. The main attraction to the Stone Hill Inn is relaxation. Outside of the personal attention each guest receives upon check-in, the Inn excludes New England charm. Each room has a fireplace that sits between the bedroom and the bathroom which provides a sense of luxury (and warmth) in both rooms and ultra comfortable beds. The bathroom is spacious highlighted by a 2-person jacuzzi tub. All of the rooms are located on the main floor, with a walkout porch transporting you to the grounds. As we checked in, we were greeted by the Kristie and Todd Roling, the owners of Stone Hill Inn since December 2016. There was one person checking in before us, so I started looking around and noticed that Todd was an Emmy Award winning Cinematographer. Two of his Emmys were on display which was cool and unique to see. Mary Beth and I at Stowe Cider. Believe it or not, it was our first time trying cider. Kristie escorted us to our room which included a fireplace, and luxury bathroom. Mary Beth and I after a long day's trip got takeout from American Flatbread pizza, which holds up to my pizza snob standards! The next day we got to experience the first of two amazing Vermont home cooked breakfasts at the Inn and then headed off for a bike ride on the path in town followed by some shopping downtown and then a stop for some cider at Stowe Cider. We had a great dinner at Harrison's Restaurant, which was hosting a very intimate wedding party with just immediate family at the table next to us. The thing I remember most about the Stone Hill Inn is the small, easy, 1/4 mile or so walking path winding through the woods that I believe I remember Kristie and Todd sharing that they made themselves. Since it was the fall shortly after the leaves fell, I recall having fun kicking up the leaves and listening to the crunch of each step with the smell of the crisp fall air. Stone Hill Inn Breakfast. One of the things that makes the Stone Hill Inn such an amazing destination is the full and elegant breakfast that is provided. Our trip had to end the next day, but not before we had our second Vermont home cooked breakfast at the Inn, holding us over for our 4-hour trip home. If you are looking for a truly Stowe, Vermont based experience (adults only), I highly recommend the Stone Hill Inn. I know you will love it. Frequently Asked Questions What are some unique activities to do in Stowe? One of the more unique things is to visit the Smugglers' Notch Distillery where you can not only sample award winning vodka, gin, rum, and bourbon, but also a phenomenal maple syrup. What is your favorite part about Stowe? The winding walking/bike path is by far my favorite. It starts in the downtown area and extends for 6 miles with views crossing over the river and mountains. Depending on the time of year, we also road past farmers markets and a corn maze. How difficult is the hiking in Stowe? There is hiking trails for all ages and abilities. My wife and I are between beginner and intermediate levels and have seen some amazing waterfalls, some within only 1/4 mile from the start. Note: Since I started this website 18 months after our last trip to the Stone Hill Inn, I didn't have any pictures of the Inn itself. With permission from the owners, Todd and Kristie Roling, they allowed me to use a few of their corporate pictures including the breakfast photo and the 3 gallery photos below. Thank you. Start Your Own Stowe, Vermont Sensory Experience at the Stone Hill Inn If you are looking for the quintessential New England vacation, the Stone Hill Inn is the way to go in this Stowe, Vermont getaway. It will elevate your sensory experience and provide memories that will last a lifetime. Book today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Did you ever eat the core of a pineapple? OK, more on that later. Growing up, I wasn't the best eater, especially with my vegetables. Plus, I ate with my eyes, as so many kids (and some adults do). Things that I absolutely love now like sweet potatoes, asparagus, and beans I would stick my nose up before even seeing, smelling, or tasting those foods (maybe if they were mixed with a Kauai White Pineapple, I might have ate more of my vegetables)! Wailua Falls, Kauai. On our first day, we drove around and these falls were visible from just off the road with ample parking and a very short walk and see the majestic nature of the falls. I was also pretty picky about entire classes of foods like Indian, which I didn't start eating until about 10 years ago or sushi, which I will try here and there, although I am not an expert on either cuisine by any means. One thing I was pretty good at eating was fruit. I loved oranges, bananas, grapes, watermelon, apples and pineapples. As I think back, I probably ate fruit 3-5 times a week as a kid. Now, its every day, and usually a few times a day. Our First Family Trip to Hawaii Mary Beth and I went on our honeymoon to 3 islands (Maui, Kauai, and Lanai) in Hawaii 27 years ago and then once again to Maui for a company trip about 10 years ago. We wanted to have the kids see Hawaii but wanted to try a few different islands. We opted for Oahu and The Big Island of Hawaii. Michael was an avid historian of WWII so we made a trip to Pearl Harbor but outside of that, we weren't too impressed with Oahu and probably wouldn't go back. It was a bit too commercialized for what we desire for a family vacation. During our trip to The Big Island, we got to do some amazing things like stargazing but couldn't see the volcanos as it was active just before we arrived and they cancelled the tours that that part of the island. Wailua River State Park, Kauai. This was our trip to the "hidden waterfall" which isn't so hidden anymore. I took this picture during our hike in. One of the special things we tried while we were there was a White Pineapple. I had never heard of white pineapples before but here is a summary. They are delicious and so much tastier and juicer than their traditional gold counterparts. They are also about 4x more expensive but worth every penny. We had bought a second one while we were there but that was it and I missed it ever since. Our Second Family Trip to Hawaii I have shared on a few posts including Kauai Chocolate Farm Tour Review: Lydgate Farms Sensory Guide as well as my About section, where I discuss our second family trip to Hawaii, this time where we spent 8 days in Kauai this past summer. This was such an inspiring trip for me. It was two weeks past being laid off from my company (which it was time as I had been there for 17 years), and coming out of the Cacao Farm tour, it initiated the start of this website. I intentionally let my mind wander, not having to worry about work, and knowing that at some point, I will secure a new job; I dove into being present in the moment. We adventured to tour the Napali coast, ate at a Waffle Food Truck multiple times called, Aloha Liege Waffles & Espresso, and did a rum tour with KAUAI SAFARIS, which was independent from Koloa Rum, which they leveraged their property. All were amazing. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Local farmers, near and far, grow amazing produce, made with love and care that will elevate your sensory experience." Kauai White Pineapple During this trip, we visited 4 different farmers markets in the 8 days. One of them, on the Saturday we were there, was the big one where there were about 100 local vendors. We made our first pass of the market just looking around and Emma started walking to the car. We said come back; we are just getting started. Farmers Markets are like Christmas to us. We went around and bought some local salt, local fruits and vegetables, some local honey, and lastly, I saved room for some White Pineapple from Kauai Sugarloaf. Sadly, this is my only picture of what was left of the Pineapple. We didn't take any pictures of the pineapples, or the farm stands themselves. The line for the White Pineapples were 20 people deep. They were not only selling whole pineapples, but they were also offering to cut the pineapples for you and give you a Ziploc bag full of goodness. They were offering tastings, which of course I took advantage of, and then we made our purchase of two pineapples. We ate the pineapples throughout the week and picked up another one at another farmers market later in the week from Kauai Sugarloaf. Don't get me wrong, I love regular pineapples and eat them all the time, including one in my refrigerator right now. The problem with the pineapples I get from the store, is that they are hit or miss on flavor. I have tried all different strategies to pick the right version, such as picking the leaves off and the ones that come off easy are ripe, or smelling the bottoms, which I am sure I look ridiculous if you see me in the grocery store. Here is what makes the white pineapples so special. white pineapples are so much more flavorful than their store-bought gold counterparts. If I had to put a number on it, I would say that white pineapples are 100x more flavorful. They are also so much juicier. And as I posed the question in the beginning, you can eat the core, which you can't do for a store-bought pineapple. Eating a white pineapple, elevates the sensory experience, bringing happiness to everyone who tries them! With all of this goodness, there is a downside unfortunately, and that is the cost. They are about four times more expensive than a regular pineapple but so worth it. Here is my recommendation. If you are in Hawaii, especially Kauai where their farm is, take advantage of being local. They also offer tours, which we didn't get a chance to do but will offer a link at the bottom if you are interested. Learn about the Kauai Sugarloaf and why Jude and Paul Huber share their love and care to make a delicious white pineapple. If you are home and want to taste this goodness, they do ship FedEx. Obviously shipping food 2-day FedEx air is expensive but can be worth it for a special occasion. I will drop the link below as well. For the history buffs, we got a small bit of history while we were there which was that White and Gold Pineapples were grown at the same time but Dole, the major manufacturer at the time in Hawaii, couldn't process the white pineapples as effectively. As a result, they pretty much just abandoned the white pineapples to focus on gold. This left the local Kauai farming community to produce and sell it locally themselves...which I am so glad they did. Frequently Asked Questions Can you eat the core of a white pineapple? Yes, the core is edible unlike that of its relative, the yellow or gold pineapple. Do other Hawaiian Islands other than Kauai sell white pineapples? Yes, they are typically grown in Kauai and The Big Island but you may find them available for sale at local farmers markets across the Hawaiian Islands. Are white pineapples juicier and more flavorful than their yellow and gold counterparts? Yes! I would say white pineapples are 100 times better than their yellow and gold counterparts. Start Your Own White Pineapple Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own white pineapple sensory experience as well as thinking about visiting Kauai, I’ve listed my favorite options below. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

"Instead of thinking of sleep as the ending of your day, start thinking about it as the beginning of your tomorrow". - Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell I am writing this story in an airplane coming home from a trip to see my dad dreaming of coming home to my Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed. This is the only picture Mary Beth and I took from our two visits to Laguna Beach in our most recent trip. We walked from Heisler Park down the steps to the beach nestled between the rocks watching the waves and surfers (not captured in the photo). Mary Beth and I took a few day trip cross country to California and had a great time. We spent the time at our favorite restaurant, Las Brisas, in Laguna Beach. Not only is the food amazing, the restaurant sits on top of the hill overlooking the ocean in front of you, the beach to the left down the hill, and the start of a short, beautiful winding walking path to the right. Mary Beth and I spend the next afternoon back at Laguna Beach walking the path and then heading down to a small beach just below nestled within the rocky cliffs. We watched some of the surfers on a wintery 86 degree day in January. The last day of our trip was spent driving 90 minutes to Temecula, where we went for wine tasting at Ponte, with lunch following at their restaurant. The tasting started with six, one oz pours of their wines, where we choose a selection of whites and reds, each one better than the last. The bartender (I guess that is what you call the person who is pouring the wine), also shared a small sample of a $110 reserve bottle they had. Let me tell you that there is a difference between a $110 bottle of wine and the $65 bottle we also sampled (which was excellent) and a $30 bottle, which was also very good. The $110 bottle was impressive. We had a few bottles shipped to us including the $110 bottle (thanks dad). I can’t wait to try it with our Josephinenhutte wine glasses. I feel like I am digressing but there is a point to this start of this story. The visit to see my dad reminded me of a time Mary Beth and I went to visit about 20 years ago. Mary Beth had back surgery a few years prior and had been having problems sleeping. When we were there, her back didn’t hurt and the two of us woke up much more rested. We had a better night’s sleep on my dad’s guest mattress than what we had at home. This prompted us to go home and search for mattresses the following weekend. We went to our local Mattress Firm and tried all the mattresses as one does when they go to a mattress store. Following a bit of pondering, we really liked the Tempur-Pedic mattresses but were hesitant about the cost (at least I was). We did wind up buying the adjustable frame but opted for another mattress brand at the time. This is the side profile of our bed in its fully extended position. We never use it to this extreme, but I wanted to share what the adjustable bed is capable of rising to. After getting it delivered and trying it for a week or so, we realized this was just not the right mattress for us. Taking advantage of the Mattress Firm 120 Night Sleep Trial, we took another trip to the store and made an exchange, this time spending a few extra dollars (ok, a bit more than a few), and exchanged it for a Tempur-Pedic adjustable mattress. Mary Beth saw an immediate improvement in how her back felt and while I personally never had many issues sleeping, my sleep improved as I started waking up more rested than before. It used to be that when Mary Beth and I went to a nice hotel, that is where you got to sleep in a nice bed. For us, it’s the opposite. It’s been about 15-20 years since we made the exchange. Every time we come back from a hotel or a visit to someone else’s home (including from my dad’s guest bedroom), there is nothing that compares to our Tempur-Pedic bed at home. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Sleep is so important to everything we do, I felt this quote should be restated... Instead of thinking of sleep as the ending of your day, start thinking about it as the beginning of your tomorrow" My perspective on buying a great mattress is the following. The experts tell us that you should get 8 hours of sleep a night but with only 24 hours in a day, that means on average, we are sleeping 1/3 of the day or in reality, 1/3 of our entire lives. So many of us take the time to research and invest in other things like the stock market, but what about investing in a quality mattress, a good pillow, and comfortable sheets. Should we invest 1/3 of our salary on a mattress, pillow, and sheets? Probably not, but making an investment in a great mattress is game changing for your sleep and how you will feel the following day. Do yourself a favor, this weekend, go to your local mattress store and try out a few mattresses. You may soon realize what you are missing. I am not naive to the fact that buying a Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed is a big financial investment and not everyone had that kind of disposable income. The mattress is only 1 piece of the puzzle and if you don’t have thousands of dollars stuffed under your mattress (get the irony😊), think about purchasing a really comfortable pillow. It's hard to tell but there is a slight indent in the middle to cradle your head. Pillows are just as important as the mattress but buying a pillow is cheap in comparison, with good pillows ranging from $50-$250. When researching your pillow, the first thing you need to determine is if you are a side, back, or stomach sleeper. There are pillows that are specifically designed for all three and some that offer combinations of the scenarios. For example, I sleep on a combination on my side and on my back. Flip side of the Tempur-Pedic pillow. This side is a bit more oval shaped. Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed After doing a ton of research, we purchased the Tempur-Pedic pillow which supports the combination of my sleep patterns. After realizing how our sleep continued to improve with the new pillow, we purchased one for each of the kids too. I know some people will think that kids are kids and they will sleep on anything we give them, which is true, but Mary Beth and I had the belief that if we felt better in the morning after a good night’s sleep with our pillows, our kids would as well. Stay with me here and I have a few more things to cover. This is the DreamFit sheets we use. We have two sets and alternate when we do laundry. We also purchased a nice set of sheets (two of them to be exact) to go with our adjustable mattress. The sheets we have had are very comfortable and have straps to have the sheet stay in place when we move the bed up and down. You can do some research on your own but the ones we currently use are from DreamFit. I would also consider Boll and Branch the next time I am in the market based our positive experience with their towels. I did have one challenge recently. The mattress pad we were using for many years needed to be replaced. I researched and researched but couldn’t find a mattress pad that fit the 11 inches, which was what our mattress measured in depth. All of the ones I was finding online stated they fit 10-18 inch depth but none specific to 11 inches. I had to purchase the all-in-one pad as there were no other options, including me reaching out to Tempur-Pedic. ZumberLock solved my problem of the mattress pad bunching up. Not seen but there is a strip that locks the pad or sheet into place. This was now causing a new problem with the mattress pad bunching up underneath the sheets. But problem solved; somewhere in my travels online, I came across the ZlumberLock sheet holder, which we now have on all 4 corners of the bed. It took all the lumpiness out of the mattress pad, and we are now back to a good night’s sleep. Newly purchased travel pillow for Mary Beth, which she really liked in our last two trips. The last topic I want to cover is a travel pillow. Mary Beth and I travel periodically and as I mentioned earlier, I don’t have any problems going to sleep but Mary Beth does, especially the first few nights we are away. The pillows are never comfortable, and it never feels like the peaceful sanctuary we created at home. This year for Christmas, I got her a Tempur-Pedic Travel Pillow which she used this week on our trip to California. It’s just a smaller version of what we have at home, and it offers her the ability to get a good night’s sleep while we are away. Frequently Asked Questions Would you buy a Tempur-Pedic bed again? Absolutely. Our current bed is still working great for us so we are not in the market, but when we are, we won't look at another brand. Our biggest decision will be which Tempur-Pedic mattress to buy! Have you ever flipped your Tempur-Pedic Mattress? We only did it once, about 10 years after we purchased it. We were amazed as to how well it held it's shape from the original purchase. Does the ZlumberLock really work? Yes, we saw an improvement in the smoothness of our mattress pad immediately. It went from being very bunched up to smooth as silk in seconds. While we use it for our mattress pad, it can also be used for sheets. Start Your Own Tempur-Pedic Good Night Sleeping Sensory Experience If you are longing for a good night's sleep, the Tempur-Pedic Bed is the way to go. It will elevate your sensory experience allowing you to become more alert when you wake up and throughout the rest of the day. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Cover image by Aleksander Popovski Dick Taylor Belize 72% Craft Dark Chocolate How It All Started Welcome to my chocolate journey! If you’ve ever wondered what makes the complexities of craft dark chocolate so special, this Dick Taylor Chocolate review is for you. It starts with the manual letter-pressed packaging to the snap of the bar, the aroma of a tropical destination, to every small bite slowly giving your taste buds the sensory experience they were craving. Also, if you are making a trip to the Hawaiian island of Kauai and want to experience an amazing tour of a Cacao Farm, book a trip to Lydgate Farms. Let me take you back to where it all began. My middle son, Michael, had a love for anything truck-related. We watched countless episodes of garbage and fire trucks on DVD. As he grew older, we started taping and enjoying Mike Rowe’s TV show, Dirty Jobs. We became fans of Mike Rowe, watching his adventures over and over again. Collection of current Dick Taylor specialty items including the Belize 72% Dark Chocolate, 72% Tanzania Dark Chocolate Bar with California Black Mission Figs, 68% Tanzania Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Covered Almonds, and Madagascar Cocoa Nibs Discovering Dick Taylor Chocolate Fast forward to the fall of 2014. I was at a technology conference where Mike Rowe was the keynote speaker. He had just wrapped up his long-running tenure on Dirty Jobs and was starting a new show called Somebody’s Gotta Do It on CNN. Mike shared stories about Dirty Jobs and introduced the unique co-founders of Dick Taylor Chocolates, Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor. These two carpenters decided one day to make chocolate. Their first manufacturing site was in a lumber yard, but they have since moved to Eureka, CA. That moment inspired me to order my first bar of chocolate from them. I fell in love with it! Here is the 15-minute episode if you’d like to watch it. You’ll get a real sense of the uniqueness and passion of Adam and Dustin. My hope is to someday visit their store. I keep trying to get them to host virtual tasting sessions, like the ones they do in-store. How to Enjoy Craft Chocolate Each day, typically after lunch and dinner, I grab a piece of chocolate to savor. I even started traveling with it! But as you can imagine, this isn’t the kind of chocolate most kids like. It’s not from the famous brand in Pennsylvania. To get the most out of your experience, unwrap the chocolate, close your eyes, and smell it. Then, bring it to your ear to hear the signature snap of perfectly tempered chocolate. Only now should you place it on your tongue and let it slowly melt. Resist the urge to bite it. Let it melt in your mouth to fully experience the taste. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Notice the packaging itself and the tasting notes. Treat the unwrapping of the package as part of the elevated sensory experience. Once you unwrap the bar, hold it near your ear to hear the snap of the perfectly tempered chocolate. Smell it to experience the flavors and then finally taste, leaving it on your tongue and let the flavors melt into your taste buds." Dick Taylor Chocolate Review For my Dick Taylor Chocolate review, my two favorites are the Belize and Madagascar chocolates. I usually buy them in bulk at 5 to 10 at a time. I also mix in a few different varieties with each order. Each month, they offer a limited-edition bar that sometimes catches my interest, prompting a special purchase. My other go-to favorites include the Black Fig bar, which has bits of California Black Mission Figs, and the Dark Chocolate Coated Almonds. My current personal collection of Dick Taylor chocolates bars. Expanding My Chocolate Use It’s been about 10 years since I started buying Dick Taylor bean-to-bar craft chocolates. Recently, I began exploring both the Nibs and the Baking Chocolate. I find the Nibs are fantastic for my acai and granola bowls (if I liked yogurt, they’d be great in that too). My interest in using the baking chocolate was driven by a desire to make better chocolate chip cookies—like the rich, tasty ones from bakeries or restaurants. In another post, I’ll share how I upgraded my flour to complement the new baking chips. My first unboxing video! Visiting a Cacao Farm Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a cacao farm. It was a vacation I’ll never forget! I watched as the guide broke open a cacao pod, allowing us to eat the fruit and then the bean. The tour deepened my understanding of the care and passion these small farmers and craft chocolate makers invest in creating the amazing products we enjoy. Me visiting a Cacao farm in Kauai, Hawaii. The picture is the Cacao pod before as in a full-grown state. Frequently Asked Questions Does Dick Taylor Chocolate manually print their individual chocolate bar packaging? Yes, based on the woodworking and craftmanship backgrounds of the founders, Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor, they print each bar package on a vintage letterpress machine. What is your favorite Dick Taylor Chocolate? The 72% Belize, Toledo bar is by far my favorite due to the fruity notes that are present when I smell and taste the bar. I also alternate with a variety of others, including the 72% Madagascar, Sambirano and the 65% Tanzania, Kilombero What recipes do you make with Dick Taylor Chocolates? I currently make chocolate chip cookies with their 68% Tanzania Baking Chocolate Chips and use the Single Origin Roasted Cocoa Nibs in granola, sprinkled on a banana, and in my Acai bowls. Start Your Own Chocolate Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own chocolate sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite bars below. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself. Enjoy!

Drinking tea is a calming, almost meditative experience. The aroma, the warmth of the cup, and each sip make it special every time. My favorite mug, the Best Dad Evah (Boston slang for Ever) cup from my son Michael, adds a personal touch to the ritual. Cover image photo credit to Tang Don Where It All Began: Tea Memories from Childhood Tea was the first product where my taste buds started to realize the value of a well sourced product. Getting to this Golden Moon Tea Review was a journey and didn’t happen overnight. I remember growing up as a kid where my mom would make me the very popular store-bought black tea. I would add milk and sugar to it and even an ice cube because my mom would always tell me that would help it cool down so I could drink it sooner. What I started to learn over time is that the act of drinking tea became a meditative experience where the holding and smelling the tea was just as much of the experience as the actual sipping the tea. I wrote another post about creating a meditative experience, Why Stopping the News Made Life Calmer, that shares another angle to help create a sense of calm. Tea as a Ritual: Early Marriage and Bulk Buys When my wife, Mary Beth, and I were first married, we continued with the standard black tea as we really didn’t know anything different. We then started shopping at our local wholesale club buying our tea in bulk, black for me and green for Mary Beth. Over time, I started to drink the green tea as well and it became an evening ritual for the two of us. More of my Favorites from Golden Moon Tea- Sinharaja, Golden Monkey, Tippy Early Grey, Tie Guan Yin oolong tea, and English Breakfast The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Drinking tea is more than just the taste. The entire process can be a meditative experience. The smell of the tea when you open the can, the steeping of the tea, the pouring into the cup, the holding of the cup, and of course, the smell and taste of the tea itself." Golden Moon Tea Review However, when we went out to eat or to a coffee/tea shop, I would always gravitate towards Earl Grey due to my love of Bergamot, which to me smelled like lavender. This is where my review of Golden Moon Tea started. One day at work, I was talking to a colleague who had a personal friend open up a tea shop in the Virginia, US area called Golden Moon Tea, which sold sourced and sold Organic Loose-Leaf Tea. The following week, he was nice enough to bring me a small container of one of his teas, Sinharaja, which is a black tea that has hits of cocoa and honey (which as you read my other posts is probably the reason why I liked it). I also found that they had the best Earl Grey tea which ultimately became my everyday staple in the evening. As mentioned earlier, the holding of the cup, the smelling of the Bergamot, and the taste of the tea was a great meditative experience to end the day. Green Tea leaves: Jasmine Pearls (top), Sencha (bottom left) Matcha (bottom right) An Insider's Treat: Small Batches and Big Flavors The other thing I loved about Golden Moon tea was Marcus, the owner, used to offer an insider club, where he would source very small batches of unique teas such as Snow Dragon and Golden Monkey that typically weren’t meant for mass consumption but were sourced from a small patch of land on their farm and the tea was just out of this world. I hope he brings it back as I will be the first person on his list to buy it. Four of my favorite Golden Moon Black teas; Sinharaja (top left), English Breakfast (top right), Tippy Earl Grey (bottom left), and Golden Monkey (bottom right) Tea as a Daily Meditation: Savoring Every Cup As of today, I typically drink 3 cups of tea a day, one in the morning (typically a rotation of black teas), afternoon (Sencha), and evening (always Earl Grey). Every cup of tea I have is a savory experience. If you are ever on a conference call with me, you will see one of my teacups as I typically rotate from the three colleges my kids go to. I hope you enjoy the tea as much as Mary Beth and I do. Me in my office drinking Golden Moon Sencha tea in afternoon with my Keene State College mug The 6-Month Update: While I have been drinking loose leaf tea for years, I noticed one thing that made a huge difference in the taste of the tea. If you pour the water just ever so slightly on the tea leaves, swirl for a few seconds and let them open up, wait a few seconds, and then pour the rest of the water, the tea tastes so much better. It really opens up the flavor profile to elevate your sensory experience. I can tell the difference immediately as the tea leaves stay at the top of the steeper I use vs. drop to the bottom. Hope this tip helps you enjoy your tea even more. Frequently Asked Questions What is your favorite tea? I love Earl Grey tea. It is my absolute favorite because of the bergamot flavor. I have tried many different brands of Earl Grey tea and many of them use synthetic flavoring vs. the real thing. This is why the Tippy Earl Grey tea from Golden Moon Tea tastes so good. Golden Moon Tea is the only tea with no pesticides, no GMOs, no chemically treated teabags and no “natural” or artificial flavors. Most of their teas are also certified organic. How many cups of tea do you drink a day? During the week, I drink 3 cups a day. One in the morning, usually a black tea, usually Sencha in the afternoon, and then Earl Grey at night. On the weekends, it is usually 1-2 depending on what we are doing. How can tea be a meditative experience? For me, everything about the making of the tea as well as drinking it is a relaxing, meditative experience. From the time I open the can, I take a deep inhale of the aromas of the tea, and then do the same after I scope it before placing the cap back on. Pouring the tea and watching the tea leaves expand and distribute the flavor into the water. Next is the holding, smelling, and tasting of the tea. Everything about the process is relaxing. Start Your Own Tea Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own tea sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite teas. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself. I hope you enjoy!

One of my favorite Burlap & Barrel Spices, Smoked Chipotle Cover photo by Jarek Jordan My Early Spice Memories Years ago, when I first started working, I was commuting into New York City by train from Stamford, CT. For this commute, I used the Grand Central Terminal, which is as magnificent as it sounds. One of the things that I remember vividly was a spice vendor who was connected to the train station. While I didn't have the appreciation at the age of 23, spices have become central to elevating every meal we create, and why I am sharing this Burlap and Barrel review. Our spice drawer continues to bust out at the seams as we add more and more spices. I recall walking through the Grand Central Terminal spice store a few different times as I was waiting to board my train. I also remember that I thought buying expensive spices was crazy. First, everything in New York is more expensive and second, I already had my store-bought spices like pepper, table salt, and probably just a few others like dried basil, oregano and parsley. There were probably a few others but not many more. Our spice cabinet was also not too far from the basics of what you would expect two young married 24-year-olds to be using. Needless to say, I never bought them. Burlap & Barrel Review About 15 years later, I was talking to a few people at work, and they had recommended a popular online and retail store brand. We started to experiment with their spices, and it was a major upgrade to what we were using from the store brand. We still use a few of them today based on what the kids became accustomed to for some of their foods as well as they have a few spices we just can’t get from our new vendor. However, we were ready for another sensory experience upgrade for our spices. Enter Burlap & Barrel. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Begin by reading the farm origin story and tasting notes, treating the harvest with the care the local farmer intended. Once you open the jar, notice the vibrant colors, a visual promise of the flavor profile you will experience. Lean in deeply to engage the complex aromas and then finally taste, choosing to season during the cooking process to build a savory foundation, or sprinkle over the plate as a bright, textural finishing touch." Four of my favorite Burlap & Barrel spices: Flowering Hyssop Thyme, Smoked Chipotle, New Harvest Turmeric, and Royal Cinnamon It was a few years ago when I wanted to uplevel our spice cabinet. Similar to the single origin dark chocolate I was buying, I thought that single origin spices could have the same impact. As with all the other stories I am sharing, I did my research and Burlap & Barrel continued to come up in the searches. Every review I read raved about the flavor that was bursting out of every bite. I decided to make an initial purchase with their Royal Cinnamon. Not doing anything different to the French Toast I would make, I tried it with their Cinnamon, and it was impressive. That taste test got us hooked and our cabinet started to quickly change over to Burlap & Barrel spices. After you cook your French Toast, you will want to top it with some Vermont Maple Syrup. As you can see, I keep buying more of the spices in these 16 oz bulk containers. My Burlap & Barrel Favorites To start my Burlap & Barrel review, I started experimenting with peppercorns and purchased all of them, using a combination of the Robusta and Zanzibar for my everyday use. For specialty items that have limited ingredients like eggs, I use the Purple Peppercorns to taste the subtly of the flavor of this limited-edition spice. Of course, eggs also taste better when they are local. Burlap & Barrel's peppercorn lineup. The Wild Timur Pepper gives a nice tingle to your tongue. I mix the Robusta Black Peppercorns and Zanzibar Black Peppercorns together in my pepper grinder for everyday use. The last one I will highlight is my new favorite spice, Smoked Chipotle Chili Flakes. I had ordered a small jar and loved it. I started to put it on everything from corn on the cob to meats to nachos only to run out pretty quickly. I then had to wait for a few months as it was on back order. As soon as it was back in stock, I ordered two large 16 oz containers just to make sure I wouldn’t run out. The flavor of this spice and so many others just make a huge difference in the food you are cooking. I could go on and on about the specific spices. I would encourage you to try a few and then go from there. I am confident it will bring your meals to a whole new level. Frequently Asked Questions Are Burlap & Barrel spices worth it? Yes! This is a company that cares so much about its farmers, frequently posting pictures of their visits, sharing why the local farmer grows such as flavorful spice. Burlap & Barrel's spices are single origin, meaning, they come directly from the local farmer, packaged by Burlap & Barrel, and then straight into your recipes elevating your sensory experience. What is your favorite Burlap & Barrel spice? This is so hard to choose but my favorite is Royal Cinnamon because of the way it enhances the flavor of my French Toast. Recently, I have found a pinch of Royal Cinnamon has given my candied walnuts a rich flavor. What is your favorite non-traditional Burlap & Barrel spice? My wife and I both love the Wild Ramps, which is a relative of the garlic plant. We use it to flavor soups and even started using it as the base for garlic bread instead of parsley. Start Your Own Spice Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own spice sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite spices below. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

As a child of the 80’s, I am way too familiar with the Ginsu knife commercial (video is linked below). Do you remember it? The Ginsu commercials were all over the TV and it was fascinating to watch as a kid. These knives were so sharp, they cut through tin cans as well as tomatoes with ease. What they were playing up is your frustration that your knives weren’t sharp and could barely cut through an over easy egg. My HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener sitting on my Boos Block Cutting Board When I was a kid, and I was a bit embarrassed to share that up until recently, there were only three options for dealing with dull knives. You lived with it, you went to a professional to sharpen it, or you bought a new one. I think most people either just lived with it or wound up buying a new one. Regardless of your knife, don't forget to leverage a great wood cutting board to protect your blade from prematurely dulling. Summertime Mistakes When I was in high school, probably around the age of 17, I saw an advertisement in the newspaper for a part-time summer job. I remember it vividly. I drove up to a small office building in Edison, NJ and attended an informational session about Cutco Knives. These knives promised something very similar to Ginsu in that they were sharp and you needed the entire set that cost at least a few hundred dollars (maybe more but my memory is a bit fuzzy on this one). I was so excited about it and all I had to do was pay $25 to get started and they handed me a set to go sell. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "With a sharp knife, it just glides through the food. Sharpen your knives regularly to experience the feeling of cutting through your food like it's a hot knife on soft butter." I went home and shared the “new job” with my mom and stepdad, Bill, and they shared that while it was probably legitimate, this was not something that I should be pursuing. The selling premise was that you would have to sell directly to family and friends of family… of which they weren’t keen on me pushing these expensive knives onto our family and friends. The concept is very similar to selling life insurance. Later that day, I took a trip back to the Cutco office and returned the knives and got my money back. Again, my memory is a bit fuzzy, but it is possible my mom or Bill called the Cutco sales manager or wrote a letter explaining I was 17 and this was not something I should be participating in (I wonder if my mom remembers this story). Coincidently, my college roommate of three years, Bill, sold Cutco knives during one of the summer breaks and was wildly successful. My New Knife Set When Mary Beth and I got married (now 27 years ago), we had a knife set on our registry. For about 20 of those years, we had the same set. I never really thought much about sharpening it as I just learned to live with dull knives. We each had our own chef’s knife, and the set came with a few other smaller knives, along with some steak knives. Over the years, on Mary Beth’s trips up to Maine with her mom, they purchased a few other serrated knives that we would use for cutting tomatoes and other soft items that our original set couldn’t cut. It wasn’t until about 7 or 8 years ago that we saw a vendor at a farmers market stand offering to sharpen knives. We started talking about it with one of our neighbors and he offered to do it the next time we saw him as he used his belt sander in his basement. Our newly sharpened knives gave us a new lease on our existing set for a few years. The test that I was fascinated by was our newly sharpened knives could now cut through tomatoes with relative ease. All was good until two things happened. Mary Beth’s knife handle broke and I decided it was time for me to get a new chef’s knife. As I have shared in previous posts, I am not happy with my current chef’s knife, so I won’t be posting a recommendation about it (It cuts but I just don’t like the feel of it). Over the course of a few months, we both had new knives and they were sharp and all was good. Over time, I realized that I should expect more from my knives and they should cut tomatoes with no effort at all. When they started to get dull, I brought up the conversation to our son Michael and he shared that from the initial research he did, HORL was the best option. HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener HORL2 Ceramic Honing Disc (opposite side is the Diamond Grinding Disc) I did a bunch of research on the topic of knife sharpening as there are a few different kinds including whetstone, which seemed a bit more complicated than the effort I wanted to expend. I then looked at HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener and did some research going to a few of the standard product review sites. The feedback was all the same, regardless of the site. Whetstone is a good option if you are more of a professional chef or if you want precise control, but if you want chef quality without the effort, HORL is the way to go. As I dug into my research, there were a lot of lookalike options to HORL but the reviews, both written and via YouTube, were that the cheaper versions don’t glide as nice and didn’t sharpen as quickly and efficiently. The great thing about HORL is it’s small, packed away under my cabinet, and only needs to come up every 6-12 months (I am sure there are specific recommendations as to when to sharpen your knife, but I use my tomato test. If my knife starts to struggle to cut the tomato or my tomato gets smushed in anyway by my knife, it’s time to sharpen it. By the way, I use my chef’s knife to cut everything now including very small grape tomatoes. If you are in the market for a knife sharpener, I highly recommend HORL. It is simple to use, offers two “settings” of 15 degrees (Japanese knives) and 20 degrees (American knives) based on your knife origin, which attaches via magnet to the knife. It offers a diamond cut circular end that just rolls along the knife to sharpen. The other side is used to just smooth out any rougher edges. The paper test. Your knife is sharpened when you take a clean sheet of copy/printer paper and hold it with one hand and then cut through it. If it cuts with a sharp, clean cut of the paper, you are good to go. Two other key points to know, if you aren’t familiar already. First, a dull knife is more dangerous to cut food than a sharp knife due to the additional effort you need to place in cutting, leading to more injuries. Second, most (if not all) professional chefs will recommend that if you are going to spend any money on a kitchen utensil, it should be a good chef’s knife. Many will say you don’t need any other knives. To that end, I don’t use the serrated knives anymore to cut tomatoes, only my HORL sharpened chef’s knife. Last part of the story. My mom never really liked to cook although I thought she was a good cook. She often complained and after I moved out, she didn’t cook or entertain like she used to. Mary Beth and I thought it would be a great idea about 25 years ago to get my mom and Bill a new set of knives as we liked our new set from our wedding. Instead of buying them a good chef’s set, we got a bunch of serrated chef’s knives which were a flop of a gift. Serrated chef’s knives just don’t cut it😊 Frequently Asked Questions How long does it take to sharpen a knife using the HORL sharpener? It just takes a minute or two per side. It is really quick and with just a few passes back and forth, you will feel like you have a brand-new knife! Is it more dangerous to have a sharp knife than a dull one? Actually, it is more dangerous to have a dull knife. Dull knives will often require more pressure which can cause the knife to slip and cause more accidents. What is your favorite food to cut with your knives after they are sharpened? I love the smell of freshly cut cilantro, scallions, limes, and tomatoes when I am making guacamole. Do you have a favorite cutting board to use with your knives? Yes, we use and Edge Grain Boos Block from John Boos. Start Your Own Knife Sharpening Sensory Experience If you have a passion for cooking food at home, having a sharp knife is a requirement and it will elevate your sensory experience in the cooking process. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Let me start from the beginning. Every year since Mary Beth and I have been married; we took a vacation. The year before we decided to have kids, we decided to take a trip to Aruba, in part because I wanted to have the Caribbean experience, which we didn't get in Hawaii on our honeymoon. Me standing next to a cacao pod during our Kauai Chocolate Farm Tour at Lydgate Farms That trip, we bought a Marriott timeshare in Aruba, and as it turns out, as I was prepping Mary Beth not to get too excited when we went on the timeshare tour, I was the first one jumping out of my seat to buy in. Maybe I will post about Aruba and our Marriott timeshares on another post, but this story will ultimately land on a Cacao tour in Kauai, Hawaii. I also wrote a story from our trip about eating white pineapples. For 20 (and soon to be 21 years) we have been going to Aruba on our Marriott timeshare and built so many memories from it. Outside of Aruba, we stayed local during the pandemic heading to Rhode Island and twice we made it to Hawaii, trading our Aruba weeks. The first trip was to Oahu and the Big Island, which officially is called Hawaii but is often referred to as the Big Island to differentiate it from the state itself and the collection of other islands. We loved the Big Island and got to try white pineapples for the first time (which will be another post at some point). The second time around, we wanted to give the kids a different Hawaiian experience which was in Kauai. This was one of the islands Mary Beth and I went to on our honeymoon, now 27 years ago. Kauai is an amazing island full of waterfalls, lush tropical rainforests, and the world-famous Nā Pali Coast. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Immerse yourself in the sensory experience by touring local farms to understand the history and terroir behind the harvest. There is a greater appreciation gained when you witness the love and care taken of a local farmer firsthand." Kauai Chocolate Farm Tour As we started to do our research, which as it turns out we didn't act quick enough to book the tube ride down the mountain, we did book some amazing tours, including Nā Pali Coast Sea Caves Raft Expedition from Nā Pali Riders, which was amazing, and a very close second to my favorite tour of all time, Lydgate Farms Chocolate Farm Tour. This was by far the best tour I have ever been on. From my first story I shared 6 months ago, Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate Review: The Intersection of Art and Flavor, you know I love craft dark chocolate. When I saw that Kauai had a cacao farm and they offered tours, I figured this might be my only time when I get to visit an actual farm and see how they grow the cacao pods due to the location that cacao pods grow (which is known as the Cacao Belt or Cocoa Belt, which is 20 degrees north and south of the equator). We asked all of our kids who wanted to join us on this Kauai chocolate farm tour, especially now as they are older and can decide which activities they want to join us for or not. Not surprising, Michael, who is our foodie kid, jumped at the chance to join us. We booked the tour and now we had to wait for the summer to come (roughly 6 months from the time we booked). From start to finish, this tour was incredible. Not only was I genuinely excited about the opportunity to experience what I loved most, craft dark chocolate, this tour went above and beyond. Initial flowers budding that will develop into a cacao pod. As soon as we got there, they offered us to sit in a small area where they did their first introductions. While we were waiting, they had us crack Macadamia nuts and drink some Cacao chocolate. When we sat down, they offered us Apple bananas (sometimes referred to as a candy apple banana), which are native to the area and smaller than a traditional banana by about half the size and sweeter. Mind you, we tasted three amazing foods, and we didn't even start the tour! Cacao pod in mid development After the introduction about the tour and overview of the farm, they brought us down to the Cacao trees. They talked about how they are grown, offering us the ability to look at the pods when they are in their infancy all the way to full grown. The interesting thing was that Cacao trees have been hit recently with some disease around the world but their farm was relatively insulated as they also grow many other fruits (for fun as they don't sell them) and this splits the attention of a potential disease not to affect their Cacao trees (that is my non-technical description of what happened). Peppercorns from a pepper plant. Then we ventured off to another part of the farm where they walked us down past dragon fruit plants and peppercorns on the pepper plant. They offered that we could taste the peppercorns right from the plant. I took advantage of that opportunity as well as I wasn't sure I would ever get to taste peppercorns right from the plant. Yup, it was as good as you can imagine. After tasting the peppercorns, they led us into the chocolate tasting area. We didn't start with the chocolate but tasting some of the other fruit they grow on the farm but don't sell. This included dragon fruit, apple bananas, and soursop (yup, I never heard of it either as it doesn't travel well) and my personal favorite, white pineapples, which are sweeter and juicier than regular pineapples (and about 4x more expensive). We started with the guide taking a mature cacao pod and splitting it in two. After pulling it apart and seeing the beans strung together in their original form, the guide had us try one. We first sucked on the fruit which was the white fleshy part but had to then wait. From there, we broke apart our beans with our teeth to see the inside of the bean. We ate the outer edge of the bean and were left with the nibs, which I started adding to my smoothies, acai bowls, and ice cream. The guide shared the entire process of how they go from pod to bean to craft dark chocolate. Mary Beth, Michael, and me (left) on our Chocolate tour at Lydgate Farms. Wait, you thought we were done. Nope. We then tasted 10 different chocolates to get a feel for what each would taste like. Five where from Lydgate Farms and 5 were from other manufactures including one popular store brand. I was fascinated to learn that the popular store brand dark chocolate has less cacao (45% or so) then the milk chocolate version of a craft chocolate maker (usually 55% or so). So even milk chocolate from a craft chocolate maker gives you a better sensory based experience in taste than the popular store brands. Time to wrap it up. Nope. We then moved to the honey tasting area. They also offer a honey tour which we didn't do where you get to interact with the bees wearing the protective suits and all. Maybe on my next trip, we can experience that tour. Lydgate Farms offers three different types of honey we which were able to taste as well. We loved the Lehua Blossom Honey and bought some for the trip home. I also plan on writing a story on their honey as well at some point. Our last stop was to a small popup stand on their farm where they were offering their farm grown products for sale. Of course, we had to buy some. Frequently Asked Questions Would you tour Lydgate Farms again? Yes, in a heartbeat. I would absolutely go back to the Chocolate Farm Tour and also add the Inside The Hive: Honey and Bee tour as well. What was your favorite part of the Lydgate Farms Cacao tour? All of it honestly. It is really hard to pick one thing that I liked more than others. There were a few standouts though including getting to taste the entire cacao bean and also tasting the peppercorns right off of the plant. Outside of the chocolate, what was your favorite fruit that you tasted on the tour? White Pineapple was by far my favorite. It tastes 100X better than a regular pineapple (which I also love and eat on a regular basis). Start Your Own Chocolate Sensory Experience If you have a passion for chocolate, honey, maybe consider yourself a foodie, or just want an amazing tour, this is the place to elevate your sensory experience. Book today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself. Enjoy!

This is one of my favorite photos. Michael took it in Aruba about 5 years ago. It is a 3-inch space within the volcanic rock of the Arikok National Park. The white in this photo is sun dried sea salt that was left after the water that splashed up on the surface evaporated. My current SaltWorks collection which includes Sea salt, Himalayan salt, Sel Gris, Flake, and Fleur de Sel Talking about salt (and specialty salts) feels a bit like a Goldilocks situation where sometimes you read about consuming too much salt, and other times you don't have enough. This story will not cover the health benefits (and negative effects) of salt but more about how picking the right salts can help enhance the flavor profile whatever you are cooking or the meals you are eating and help you get started. Like most of you, growing up, there was one main store-bought table salt in the house. You know, the one that says, "this salt supplies iodine, a necessary nutrient". As a side note, while probably not required as much now, there was a part of the country in the US that had illnesses related to a lack of iodine back in the 1920's which is the reason why it was added. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Start with a clean palate. Place a few salt crystals on your tongue, close your eyes, and let the flavors melt. Notice the texture profile and complex taste. Season throughout the cooking process, then finish with a flaky salt to add depth and texture, elevating your sensory experience." In addition to the table salt, some households like mine also had Kosher salt. That was it, just 2 salt varieties to add to your food. Himalayan salt from SaltWorks For years, especially when we were first married, this was the only 2 salts we had in our kitchen. At some point in time, we either bought or received as a gift, salt and pepper grinders. Using these grinders made the food taste better so we started to incorporate it more and more into our daily cooking and meals. I think we started out with sea salt and over time also started using Himalayan pink salt as well. Nothing changed in our use of the grinders and the sea/Himalayan salts we were using for about 10-15 years. These salts became our standard way of cooking and eating but we never had a favorite or was brand loyal. The assumption was as long as we were not using the table salt, we were good. Review Of Specialty Salts and Cooking Blocks A few years ago, I started a quest to upgrade our salts. I started reading about finishing salts (salts that you sprinkle on your meal just before eating) which gives the food flavors an extra pop. SaltWorks finishing salts- Sel Gris, Flake, and Fleur de Sel After doing lots of research, I landed on the company, SaltWorks, which when I went on their website was surprised to see that I had actually used their products once before buying a salt grinder from a local retail store year's prior. I started with buying their Sea salt and Himalayan salt and then extended my purchases to also include specialty salts, which are often called finishing salts, including Sel Gris (French grey sea salt) used for meats, Flake salt (which I use for eggs and guacamole; typically used as well for anything that calls for Kosher salt), and Fleur de Sel (which I use on caprese and cookies). Saltverk Lava salt (great on eggs) We have also been venturing into some other salts (it's like a whole new world of options and can be a full-time job in and of itself tasting all of the varieties and brands). However, two that have made an impact to us are Saltverk Lava salt which is hand harvested from Iceland and Maine sea salt from Slack Tide Maine (picture below). While I haven't tried it yet, I think my next purchase will be their Maine Blueberry Sea Salt as I also love Maine Blueberries (which are smaller and more flavorful than regular blueberries). This is Michael's salt block that he uses for his smoker. The other salt item I want to share is a salt block. This was a Christmas gift from last year that has been such a fan favorite in my household, I had to get a second one to fit all of the food we were cooking on it. If you haven't tried a salt block yet, you don't know what you are missing. It gives a great even profile and subtle flavor of salt across the entire meat or veggie you are cooking on. There is some care that needs to be taken when heating it up (slowly) and cleaning afterwards, but the food tastes incredible. We use it on our grill and cook it at the same length of time we would for anything on the grill itself. Slack Tide Maine Flake salt Just a point to note, when we use the salt block or the finishing salts, I use little to no sea or Himalayan salts when cooking. I don't know if there are any specific rules about using or not using it, I just find that if I use both, the salt taste is overpowering. I hope you try some of these salt options to elevate your sensory experience with your meals. Of course, don't forget to pair your salts with pepper. My favorites are from Burlap & Barrel. What are some of your favorites? Frequently Asked Questions What do you cook on your salt block? We cook steak, chicken, and pork on the salt block as well asparagus and onions. What is your favorite dish to use with Slack Tide Maine Flake salt? I love the Slack Tide Maine Flake salt on eggs. It really brings out the flavor of the eggs. What is your everyday salt that you use? We use Himalayan salt from SaltWorks as our everyday salt. Do you salt your pasta water? Yes, we use Sea salt from SaltWorks to season our water after it boils and just before we put our pasta in the pot. Start Your Own Salt Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own salt sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite flakes below. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Cover photo by Luke Tokaryk I don't think there was a kid growing up that didn't have pancakes with the breakfast syrups that they sold in the grocery store (unless you lived in Northern New England where maple trees are abundant. While those store-bought brands defined my childhood, I have recently discovered the wood-fired difference of Smugglers' Notch Maple Works and their artisanal approach to crafting maple syrup. Having pancakes, waffles, or French toast with syrup was just a way of being a kid. We all had our tradition of where we would put the syrup. Some it would be on a separate plate, others poured right on top. For me, it was on the same dish but off to the side and I would dip into the syrup to get the perfect amount. Picture from the Stowe, VT bike path celebrating our 25th Anniversary. When we moved up to Massachusetts, we started going to the local wholesale club that sold real maple syrup. This became the standard in our household for years. It did get to the point where shortly after transitioning to real maple syrup, I couldn't go back to the breakfast syrup I grew up as a kid (by the way, it's called breakfast syrup because store brands contain little to no maple syrup). I even became a bit of a food snob where when we would go out to breakfast and they didn't have real maple syrup, I would eat my French toast plain vs having to go back to using the breakfast syrups. For years using the wholesale club maple syrup, we never really tried anything else. Sure, we would go to restaurants that offered maple syrup, but we never ventured to try maple syrups from local producers, which is a shame I didn't start this earlier given we live in New England, home to some of the best maple syrups in the world. Box Opening and initial tasting of Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Single Forest Wood Fired Maple Syrup and Rum Barrel Aged Maple Syrup. Please note, I reference Rye in the video. It was actually Rum. Over the years, we did start to sample the small variety packs of maple syrup and came to really like the Amber flavor, in which the sap is collected in the middle of the harvest season vs. that dark and very dark, which are harvested towards the end. The darker varieties are used more for baking, but some people like it just the same for their pancakes. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Start with pouring a small amount of maple syrup on a spoon. Notice the rich color and viscosity of the pour. Next, lean in and inhale the aroma of being transported to a maple forest. Slowly taste the syrup, allowing it to rest on your tongue highlighting the notes the Sugarmaker intended." As we started to learn about the variety differences, we realized our wholesale club syrup was on the dark side and when taste tested against some of the other maple syrups we started to buy, we realized Amber was our preference. This then started us looking for maple syrups in our travels across New England, especially Vermont and New Hampshire. At any given time, we would have 2-3 bottles of maple syrup from different producers, but they all tasted the same to me. I never actually took the time to do a taste test. Forest Mill Farm Maple Syrup This past weekend when Michael was home for Thanksgiving (yes, I am posting this long after writing it), I decided to do a taste test. We had a few bottles from various Vermont and New Hampshire based travels, plus one from Forest Mill Farm in Coventry, CT. This is owned by Kelly Barber and Brian Murray. Me and Brian Murray (right), co-founder of Forest Mill Farm in Coventry, CT Brian used to be a customer of mine when I used to sell to Travelers Insurance. I stopped by his house, and he showed me around as they owned the farm for a few years now and have been doing upgrades ever since. He was nice enough to give me a small bottle which was one of the bottles we used for tasting. It was the Forest Mill maple syrup that prompted me to do the taste test as to me, it had a bit of a woodsy taste to it which I really liked. Unfortunately, they currently don't ship so you have to go to the Coventry farmers market to try it for yourself. We also tried a few others and one that had a similar woodsy profile that Michael and I both liked was from Ben's Sugar Shack in New Hampshire. Ben's was an interesting story as he started his tapping maple trees as a kid (under 10 from what I recall from him being previewed on a local TV program). He then grew it to a point where he know runs a retail store selling a variety of products and made to order food in Tempeh, NH. I then started to find it ironic that I didn't choose any of my maple syrup options that were from Vermont. It was then that I actually did some research to find what others said is the best around. One that struck me was Smugglers' Notch Maple Works, which is based in the Stowe, VT area. Stowe is one of our favorite places to visit and while my family is not into skiing, we just love the area. It has a great bike path with amazing views along a river and of Mount Mansfield. It also has some amazing restaurants including a cafe in a bike shop, Ranch Camp Stowe. Smugglers' Notch itself is breathtaking. It is a windy road up to the top where many cars get stuck because of the massive boulders next to the road. During the summer, it is near impossible to park in the area due to the extremely limited parking. We went last fall just after peak leaf peeping for our anniversary and had no problems parking, walking around, and hiking. It's also called Smugglers' Notch because people used to illegally transport goods like liquor and livestock in its caves and forests during the Embargo Act in the early 1800's and the Prohibition era of the 1920's. Smugglers' Notch is also home to some amazing waterfalls. Quick side story. We went up with friends many years ago and we did a small hike to a Moss Glen Falls (a waterfall). Michael and I went up the path to a section where you could take pictures. We sat on a log and as I was taking our selfie, the phone slipped out of my hand and slid down the hill (it was very dry out for the last few weeks prior) and over the side to a 100-foot drop. After going around, I could see that it landed on a jagged area not far from the top but nowhere near safe to get it myself. I assumed it was gone for good. Then the friend I was with was a PhD in Engineering and said we can get it. I assumed he was crazy but he thought, we are in Stowe and people like to rappel down mountains for fun. So, we went on a quest to 3 different shops (bike, fishing, and other bike shop) to find Tag, a person that was willing to do it. The next day, it took Tag about 10 minutes to rappel down over the cliff and secured my phone. I did pay him for his time, which was much cheaper than having to buy a new one. Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Rum Barrel Aged Maple Syrup Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Ok, back to the maple syrup. I just had two varieties of the Smugglers' Notch Maple Works shipped to my house to try (video unboxing and taste test at the end of the story). The first was Single Forest Wood Fired Maple Syrup and the second was the Rum Barrel Aged Maple Syrup. The things that I loved was the complex, woody taste of the syrup as it made me feel like I was back in Stowe. The Smugglers' Notch syrups are a bit more expensive than traditional maple syrup so I plan to use it when I have something where I can really take advantage of the taste. The first thing that comes to mind is some candied walnuts (which I am getting better at making) as well as some homemade French Toast. Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Single Forest Wood Fired Maple Syrup I think the Single Forest Wood Fired Maple Syrup is going to be one of my new favorite products and I am excited to go back to Stowe for a visit to their tasting room. The father and son owners, Ron and Jeremy Elliott, primarily own a distillery and then partnered with longtime maple producer Craig Walker of Underhill, VT. Ron and Jeremy took their maple syrup a step further to barrel age it in their own distillery barrels. I am now a huge fan of Smugglers' Notch Maple Works. It is definitely worth the upgraded sensory experience. Don't forget to pair your maple syrup with Cinnamon from Burlap & Barrel your pancakes and French Toast on your new All-Clad Copper Core Pans! Frequently Asked Questions Which is your favorite Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Syrup? We have now tried all three maple syrups, the Wood Fired original, the Rum Barrel and the Bourbon Barrel versions. My favorite is the Wood Fired original. My family, particularly Mary Beth and Michael, love the Bourbon and Rum versions. No matter which you choose, you will love it. Have you been to their distillery and sampled the products in their tasting room? Not yet, but on our next trip to Stowe, it will be the first activity on our list. What recipes do you use maple syrup on? Like so many people, we are big fans of using maple syrup on breakfast foods like French Toast, pancakes, and waffles! I also love it with candied walnuts and every once in a while, as a treat, I will just take a spoonful and enjoy the elevated sensory experience transporting me back to Stowe. Start Your Own Vermont Maple Syrup Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your Vermont maple syrup sensory experience, I’ve listed a few of my favorite products and one that I haven't tried yet, but I am sure will be a fan favorite. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.