Dear Sun Spots: Boy Scout Troop 116 in Lewiston is looking for donations of camping equipment to be used by the Scouts for upcoming camping trips. We are in need of tents, cookware or anything else you might have that’s in good condition. If you have something you would like to donate, please call Don Sicotte at (207) 777-5409. – Scott Pare, Lewiston.

Dear Sun Spots: Would any readers have a recipe for pull taffy? I remember this great taffy as a child. We would pull it and cut it with scissors. I would like to make some this holiday. – M.D., Greene.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, you might be interested in the following recipe for Old-fashioned pull taffy. Ingredients: 2 cups granulated sugar, ½ cup light Karo syrup, ½ cup water, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, food coloring if desired, flavoring if desired. Method: Combine sugar, syrup, water and cream of tartar. Place over heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cook, without stirring, to 265 degrees on candy thermometer. Remove from heat; add coloring and flavoring if desired. Pour on greased platter or pie pan. Cool until it can be easily handled. Pull into ropes until chalky and porous. Break or cut into bite-size pieces with scissors. This makes a mess, but is a lot of fun for everyone involved. Greased hands make pulling easier.

You may also be interested in the following candy recipes for the holidays, featured in the column on March 27, 2002:

Maple sugar candy. Ingredients: 2 cups fancy grade-A pure maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon milk, cream or butter. Method: Heat the maple syrup and the milk, cream or butter in a pan over medium-high heat to 242 degrees Fahrenheit, about 10 minutes. Let the bubbles settle down for about 1 minute. Stir the hot, thickened syrup with a wooden spoon until it just begins to turn grainy or you begin to see granules forming, about 1 to 2 minutes. Working quickly, pour the syrup into molds. While the sugar is still soft, use a large, wide stiff spatula or scraper to pack the syrup into the molds and smooth the surface. The candies should take about 10 to 30 minutes to harden. When they are hard, pop them out of the molds. Store candies in an airtight container.

You may also be interested in the following recipes from “The Official Vermont Maple Cookbook”: Maple rock bits. Ingredients: 2 cups maple syrup, ¼ cup butter, ½ teaspoon baking powder. Method: Boil syrup, butter and baking powder to 260 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour mixture, without scraping, into a well-buttered shallow pan floating on cold water. As soon as edges are cool enough to handle, fold into center. When cool enough to handle, pull as for taffy. When pulled, stretch into rope and cut into “bits.” These bits will become creamy within a day or two.

Maple caramels: Ingredients: 2 cups brown sugar, 1½ cups Vermont maple syrup, ½ cup cream, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon butter, ½ cup chopped nuts (optional). Method: In a very large and deep saucepan, combine all ingredients and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Cook, without stirring, to 253 degrees Fahrenheit, and pour into a well-greased 9-inch square pan. Cool at room temperature and cut into pieces. Wrap pieces in waxed paper. Yield: 25 pieces.

The following recipe for maple-coated walnuts has been enjoyed by many families and friends through the years. Ingredients: 2 cups walnut halves, 1 cup maple syrup. Method: Cook syrup to 270 degrees Fahrenheit and place saucepan in hot water. Using lightly buttered tongs, dip each walnut half into syrup until coated. Drain a few seconds, then place on buttered cookie sheet to cool and harden.

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