Maple Baked Beans Vermont

   1 pound dry soldier beans (or yellow-eye)
   1 teaspoon baking soda
   1 cup maple syrup
   1 teaspoon dry mustard
   1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
   salt and pepper
   4 to 5 slices of bacon

   Preheat oven to 325 F. Parboil beans in cold water with soda until all beans
   have floated to the top (2 to 3 minutes). Rinse beans, refill pot with water,
   and finish cooking beans until tender (about 1 hour). Put beans and cooking
   water in bean pot and add syrup, mustard, salt, pepper, and place bacon on
   top. Bake for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed.
   Makes 8 servings.

** Blue Ribbon Recipes from; Yankee's Country Fair Cookbook