There’s a joke that goes: “What are the four seasons in New England? Winter, still winter, and three months of bad sledding.” Any shrewd Yankee – or wise visitor – chuckles at this saying but knows it just ain’t true. Rather, winter in the northeast is a wonderland of opportunity. As the sage Henry David Thoreau observed, “a healthy man, indeed, is the complement of the seasons, and in winter, summer is in his heart.” And in Concord, where Thoreau tread across snowy dells and meadows blanketed in white, hearts are “warm and cheery, like cottages under drifts, whose windows and doors are half concealed, but from whose chimneys the smoke cheerfully ascends.”
For me, the change of seasons from fall to winter is about memories of holidays with loved ones and the sweet and savory family favorite recipes that we can’t help but love year after year. The flavors of apple and caramel were a tradition at my grandmother’s home over the holidays. Each year she’d set out traditional southern dishes alongside New England favorites.
The Spiced Candied Apple cocktail pairs well with cured meats, cornbread stuffing, rich mac and cheese, roasted veggies, and savory dishes. Or enjoy it for dessert.
In the late nineteenth century, Currier and Ives made beautiful and iconic engravings of New England winter scenes. They depicted gleeful children sledding, or skating on frozen ponds, surrounded by a snowy landscape. Fast forward 150 years or so, and you can still do those things, and more, in Concord during the winter. Let’s look at how you can have your own Currier and Ives adventure in Concord, with all the rich winter sports opportunities we have today!
Chanukah will once again be celebrated by the Town of Concord and Temple Kerem Shalom at Rideout Park on December 21st. Families will enjoy the blessing (and lighting) of the menorah, music, games, stories, and delicious latkes from Debra’s Natural Gourmet. And another beloved tradition will also take place this winter. The stunning display of menorahs in the window of Debra’s Natural Gourmet will be there for people to admire and enjoy all December long.
When the electric streetcar was first introduced in Concord in 1901, it transformed the town. It meant that the borough was no longer defined by walking distance. The trolley, which resembled a railroad car, revolutionized country travel. One resident was recorded in 1901 saying, “The trolley cars brought people to Concord and took people out of Concord. It was a very happy day when electric cars came.”
Flash forward to Concord 2022, when the Concord Trolley is again reshaping transportation.
It’s an interesting thing—interviewing a professional interviewer. On a warm summer morning, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Concord’s own Buzz Knight. A friendly and unassuming guy, he sits relaxed and smiling on the patio overlooking the fields of Hutchins Farm, ready to chat with me about his latest project. Armed with background research and a list of questions, I was prepared to gather the information for an article. Instead, I found myself entranced in a captivating story.
Autumn is a special time in New England. For my family, September means an excursion to a local orchard for apple picking, apple cider, and apple donuts. Then in October, it is off to the farm for pumpkin picking.
For anyone who is new to New England, or somehow has never had a cider donut, let me tell you these are a delicious fall treat! The best donuts are fresh from the fryer, covered in cinnamon sugar. They have a delicate crust and a warm, bready interior that is redolent of apple cider and cinnamon. When you bite into one of these treats, it is heavenly. Yum!
“I’d love to ride my bike more, but the cars scare me” is something I have heard from many people. Luckily, we are blessed to have a great place to ride, walk, run, cross-country ski, or rollerblade without cars, right in our own backyard! The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail runs from West Concord to Lowell in a beautiful, car-free setting.
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