Ben and Judy Benjamin of Ben and Judy’s Sugarhouse embraced the idea of Sunday morning family breakfast and spread it to the community.
One Sunday morning I took the short drive to West Edmeston for the annual maple open house. It seems as though the Benjamins thought of everything, even including a picture station outside for children, or the children at heart to take pictures.
I was greeted at the door by Ben, the very kind and knowledgeable owner who introduced me to his family. I was overwhelmed with the family atmosphere in the room. I truly felt as though I had been invited into someone’s home for family breakfast.
There was chat of politics and weather behind me, while family members joked around with each other and messed with Austin, Ben and Judy’s grandson, who was the man behind the grill.
The Kessler-Chase family of 10 stopped in for their traditional Maple Syrup Weekend breakfast, and waited until there was a whole table open so they could all sit together.
“It’s been an on and off tradition for our families for years,” said multiple members of the family.
The Salmon family who was enjoying a nice family breakfast said, “This has been a tradition of ours for about five years now.”
The lady behind the pancakes was Judy herself, in charge of the measuring and mixing to make the delicious homemade pancakes. Judy was constantly greeted by guests. It seemed as though every person that came in had to peak their head into the back to say hello to Judy and talk for a short while.
The sugarhouse was open to everyone that day, and everyone was truly family. The pancake breakfast was served with sausage and of course a medium amber maple syrup that is the favorite shade of a majority in America, and I sure know why now.
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