Plus, honoring Tim Wakefield.
 
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Today’s Forecast

51º | 5% chance of precipitation | Sunrise 6:47 a.m. | Sunset 6:57 p.m.
 

🥞 Sweet, sticky, and delicious

Celebrate maple sugaring season in Boston
A person leans over cast iron pots boiling over an open fire outdoors for maple sugaring.
Boiling is just one step of the maple sugaring process. | Photo by Kristin Foresto via Mass Audubon
Smell that? That’s the sweet and warm aroma of maple season. Did you know that maple syrup is made right here in Massachusetts?

The process

Maple sugaring dates back to the early 1600s, the process for which was created by the Indigenous peoples of North America. There are many steps to making maple syrup, but it essentially involves tapping a tree and boiling the sap. See the maple sugaring process in action.

Let’s dive into some of the numbers from Mass Audubon:
  • 50,000-60,000 gallons. That’s the amount of maple syrup Massachusetts produces every year.
  • 40-50 gallons. The amount of raw sap necessary to produce a single gallon.
  • 2%. The average concentration of sugar in Sugar Maple tree sap. That relatively high concentration is why Sugar Maples are considered the best trees for syrup production.
  • 66-67%. The sugar concentration of the final product — maple syrup.
Several trees with tin cans attached to their trunks for maple sugaring.

There are 13 species of maple trees native to North America, but only four can be used for syrup.

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Photo by Kristin Foresto via Mass Audubon

How to partake this year

You don’t have to go far to celebrate sugaring season. Check out Maple Fest at the Charles River Speedway in Brighton this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rite Tea & Espresso will serve a full maple menu, Super Bien will have waffle empanadas, and stop by Pizza Project for a maple BBQ pizza. Bonus: Koji Club will have a maple water sake, brewed by Farthest Star Sake in Medford.

A wooden table with eggs, bacon, and pancakes, roast potatoes, and a chocolate chip waffle, backdropped by a bottle of North Hadley Sugar Shack syrup.

North Hadley Sugar Shack specials are available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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Photo via North Hadley Sugar Shack

Enjoy a maple-themed breakfast and demonstrations at the North Hadley Sugar Shack. Expect a ~two-hour drive from Boston. Might we recommend this podcast about the Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919?

Or try the Sugaring Off Festival at the Weston Middle School Sugar House on Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Take a free sugar house tour and see the process of boiling sap into syrup. You’ll only need to drive ~30 minutes for this one.
Improv Asylum
 
Events
Wednesday, March 20
  • Vino & Vintage | Wednesday, March 20 | 5-8 p.m. | Boston Landing, 123 Guest St., Boston | Free entry | Shop 10 local vintage collectors, artists, and upcyclers while enjoying a complimentary wine tasting from The Urban Grape and Progressive Pours.
  • Less Than Jake | Wednesday, March 20 | 6:30 p.m. | Big Night Live, 110 Causeway St., Boston | $30 | Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the Return To Rockview 2024 show.
Thursday, March 21
  • Blackberry Smoke | Thursday, March 21 | 7 p.m. | House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., Boston | $34-$60 | Rock out on the Be Right Here Tour.
Friday, March 22
  • Lil Jon | Friday, March 22 | 10 p.m. | Memoire, 1 Broadway, Everett | $50 | Head to Everett to see the rapper known for songs like “Turn Down For What.”
Saturday, March 23
  • Run the Fens 5K | Saturday, March 23 | 9 a.m. | Time Out Market, 401 Park Dr., Boston | Registration varies | The inaugural road race will benefit BigSister Boston.
  • Boston Bruins Alumni Charity Hockey Game 2024 | Saturday, March 23 | 2-4 p.m. | Warrior Ice Arena, 90 Guest St., Boston | $25 | Proceeds from the event with go toward the following local charities: Operation Delta Dog, Team Impact, and Life is Good Playmakers.
Events calendar here
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News Notes
Open
  • J.J. Carroll House redevelopment project is now finished. The Brighton addition will offer 142 new affordable apartment homes to 2Life’s existing 763-apartment campus. The redevelopment is 2Life’s first certified Passive House building — the highest standard for energy efficiency.
Biz
  • Foundation Medicine is setting up its headquarters in Seaport. The biotechnology firm will consolidate its four locations into one 630,000-sqft building at 400 Summer St. (near the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center). (Boston Globe)
Sports
  • The Red Sox have a lot to celebrate at their home opener on Tuesday, April 9. The pregame ceremonies will honor the 20th anniversary of the 2004 World Series championship, plus a special tribute to the life and legacy of Tim Wakefield and his wife Stacy. Score your tickets. (Boston.com)
Listen
  • The Boston Public Library’s “Revolutionary Music” kicks off this week. The year-long series will feature programs + examples from the library’s collections to spotlight how music has spurred social change. It launches a three-year cycle of programs called “Road to Revolution,” leading up to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Number
  • $2 million. That’s the amount that English for New Bostonians will receive as an awardee of the Yield Giving Open Call — the largest gift in the org’s 22-year history. English for New Bostonians provides English classes for 1,200+ immigrants yearly. Help make an impact by volunteering.
Asked
Featured Deal
  • Deals so tasty, you’ll want to come back for seconds. Explore exclusive menus during Dine Out Boston, now through Saturday, March 23. Reserve your table.*
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  • Meet The Daily Upside, a free business newsletter that offers sharp analysis of the latest finance, economics, and market news. Navigate the complexities of inflation, rate hikes, and more without clickbait headlines. Join 1+ million subscribers when you sign up for free.*
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Answered

“What’s the best Boston book?”
Recently, we asked for your favorite book set in Boston. We gave you a few options, and here’s what you said:
  • ~53% of our readers voted for “Make Way for Ducklings” by Robert McCloskey.
  • 23.5% preferred “The Boston Girl” by Anita Diamant.
  • And only one person voted for “Infinite Jest” by David Foster Wallace. Ouch, DFW.
Interior view of the Copley Square Boston Public Library branch

All these reads and more are available at the Boston Public Library.

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Photo by @wirangrongg

The rest of you wrote in your own suggestions. Here are some of our favorites:
  • “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin
  • “Cold Service” by Robert B. Parker
Looking for more local reads? Check out our list of books written by authors with connections to Boston by tapping the button below.
Dozens of reads
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Jessalin
From the editor
This will be my last newsletter for a while, as I’m going on leave to be with my newborn.

We’ve got a ways to go until we’re ready for our kids-friendly activity guide, but enjoy it on my baby’s behalf.
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