Blizzards and other major storms force us indoors, to do indoor activities. No doubt everyone has heeded media reports to stock their fridge and pantry with enough foods to stay fed and happy while locked up inside. 

But for many there's also something of a pioneer spirit deep inside that yearns to come out when the elements act up. We light our wood stoves, gather wood for the fireplace, even cooking large batches of food evokes the days of long ago, when winters were much harsher and having enough food to last the winter meant planning, preparing and sometimes going without.

Luckily we don't have to go out and shoot a moose to feed our family anymore, but there is still a fun way to enjoy this snow with a sense of the pioneering spirit. Make maple snow cones. How's that you say? Snow cones?  Aren't those the things you made with your snow cone machine when you were like 11?  Actually snow scones and shaved ice have a long history, way beyond the plastic snow cone machines we played with as kids.

According to the University of Chicago's Web Institute, the Roman Emporer Nero was the first  to have enjoyed frozen ices. He was said to have sent slaves up into the mountains to bring back snow and ice. The ice was then mixed with nectar, fruit and honey. 

In the 1800's and early 1900's, handheld shaving machines were used to make snowball desserts. When times were good out on the prairie, even the pioneers enjoyed eating snow or what they called "Snow Candy", drizzled with molasses.