Now, instead of that old vacuum machine pulling milk out of his cows, it's pulling sap out of his maple trees. His only problem, common to other sugar camps in the area, is that squirrels like to chew through his plastic tubing. Back in Monterey, we stayed at the landmark 1904 Highland Inn, a three-story Victorian with Eastlake porches and 17 rooms of comfortable fading elegance. Here, even the pecan pie is oozing with rich maple filling, a great marriage of northern and southern tastes. Not everyone in Highland County shares the local fondness for all things maple.
Familiarity seems to have bred some contempt.
Mom used to boil shrimp, even our hot dogs in sugar water. When I was in grade school I'd have given anything for just one bottle of store-bought Mrs. Butterworth's on the table. Follow U.S. 250 across four ridges to McDowell and turn right at the Stonewall Grocery on Route 654. Go eight miles to Doe Hill, turn left on Route 624 and continue two miles to Eagle's Sugar Camp . The comfortably upscale Highland Inn serves dinners Wednesday though Saturday and brunch on Sunday.