By Brendan Martin Coyne.
Fall in New England. The hot summer months are dwindling and the days are slowly starting to get shorter. The Harvest Moon floats on the horizon; crisp, airy mornings become the rule; and warm apple crisp starts to dominate as the dessert of choice (sorry, ice cream!). Pumpkin beers adorn the menus of every bar, corn mazes pop back up, and so do advertisements for jack-o’-lantern carving classes.
What better to do on a sparkling fall day than enjoy the foliage and local hiking in the woods, and come across an authentic sugar shack, tucked away right here on the South Shore?
Photo: Mrs. Mekler
Down a long, winding road, one will find a clearing where a magical, gingerbread-looking house awaits your patronage. This, my friends, is Mrs. Mekler’s enchanted cabin, which is especially beautiful during the fall, right as the leaves start to turn deep yellow and copper red.
This traditional, rough-sawed-pine cabin built to house goods, based on a traditional mercantilist system, was born when inspiration hit Mrs. Mekler while taking a stroll in the woods during the COVID-19 pandemic. This shack with its shelves of provisions operates on an honor system, allowing for a bond of trust, and every product is chosen to support the local community.
It is filled with all sorts of goodies such as gourmet coffee; bourbon, sea salt, and butter rum caramels; coconut creams; cherry cordials; cinnamon, rum-barrel-aged, and coffee-infused maple syrup; pancake mix; hot chocolate; charcuterie boards; and so much more! Often, Mrs. M will have specialty items at the “sugar shack” that are not on the website, which provides an incentive for people to pop in, as the shack operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
So, pull up a seat and pour an Octoberfest (or other pumpkin-style beer). Prepare to hibernate for the long winter by gorging on regional treats, whether it be chocolates, rum-barrel-aged maple syrup, or homemade cranberry granola. Or put pep in your step on a cold, frosty morning with some locally roasted coffee.
Follow Mrs. M on Instagram for the latest updates @mrsmeklersmercantile—and remember, by supporting Mrs. M, you’re supporting local!
Mrs. Mekler’s Mercantile
492 Beechwood Street
Cohasset, MA 02025
(508) 433-0496
www.MrsMeklersMercantile.com
