Maple Corner Net

Date: July 3rd 2008

The Maple Corner Net Newsletter is now being published 2 times a month, usually on the 2nd and 16th, depending on how much info I get, and how busy I am. You can easily contact me with news, comments, criticism, or compliments, by just replying to this email. This Newsletter now has 447 subcribers.
Please Note: If you change your email adress, you will need to re-subscribe. You can do this directly at www.maplecorner.net. I erase all undeliverable addresses after each issue. To help prevent spam filters from blocking delivery, it is a good idea to enter my sending address in your email whitelist, if you have such a thing.

To search & read archives of past newsletters, see:
http://www.songseek.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?f=list&l=maplecor or www.maplecorner.net

Address Change: I am eliminating some of my older email addresses, including steveg@songseek.com , which Ihave used for 7 years, and some of you may have in your address books. To find out my new email, go to www.songseek.com and click on the "contact me by email" link. There will be a form there which you can use to email me. I will reply with a working email. - Steve Gallagher

As of right now the Newsletter is being sent from steve@maplecorner.net , which is working, but may be changed in the future.

Contents:

• Calais Public Meetings in July
• Maple Corner Independence day Celebration July 5th
• would like house to rent in Maple Corner in August
• Worcester 4th of July announcement
• House for sale in Adamant
• Old West Church
• Fourth Annual Adamant Dinner Cruise
• Free and Cheap Items
• Fireplace help...
• Dot Naylor’s Unadulterated Notes - Calais Selectboard Action
• water quality in Curtis Pond
• My Notes and Occasioanl Comments: Calais Selectboard meeting, Monday, June 30, 08, by Peter Harvey
• strawberry shortcake recipe

 

Reminders and Updates:

• Updated Maple Corner Community Center Spring/ Summer Potluck Schedule!
• A cookout! - August 9, 2:00 PM - At June & Alden's, in Maple Corner

 

• Important Calais Web Links
  
  
• Community Quote of the Week
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are friends of Marialisa and Dirk of Calais/Maple Corners -- our family used to come up to your area,  but has bot been able to for years. We would very much like to rent  a place  for a family (two adults, three teens) for the last part of August -- after Aug. 17  ... would you be able to post the following? Thank you!!

Family would like to rent in Maple Corners or on Curtis Pond for a week or so after Aug. 17 and before Labor Day. Please contact ruthselig@aol.com or at 718-548-6172. Thank you.

 

Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 12:35 PM
Subject: Worcester 4th of July announcement

JOIN US IN WORCESTER ON JULY 4TH 2008

PARADE - 11 AM Featuring the 40th Army Band

CHICKEN BARBECUE - NOON To Benefit the Worcester Historical Society

Day-long events

 

 

 

 

HOUSE AND 31 ACRES FOR SALE IN ADAMANT
We are selling our beautiful house in Adamant and are looking for 
people who will love it and Adamant as much as we have.  It's a 
lovely, sunny, wooded wildlife filled retreat. Very private and set 
well back from the road, but only half a mile from the Adamant Co-op 
and Sodom Pond. Around 1900 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths.  Mud 
room leads to open living/kitchen area with southwestern fireplace 
and Jotul insert. New kitchen for someone who really loves cooking.  
3 season sun/meditation room. Trails, brimming perennial beds, and 
raised bed vegetable garden.  Wonderful neighbors and the opportunity 
to be part of a very rare, close and creative community.  For more 
information, photos,  please call Eva at 223-1772.

 

 

 

 

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope your summer is off to a great start.   Some of you have been asking about the annual concert at the Old West Church and I promised to send out a reminder to save the date.  Mark your calendar for Tuesday, July 22.  
Hard to believe it’s been 10 years already!  And it’s all thanks to my brother Jamie who suggested I put on a concert at the church in the first place.  So now with the Big 10th anniversary I’m honored to have the great Peggy Seeger be part of the program. She’s a big fan of my great-aunt’s collection and agreed to come all the way to East Calais.  But I’m equally honored to have Pete Sutherland perform along with cellist John Dunlop, fiddler Laura Marokowitz.  Also my dear friends flutest David Fedele and cellist Matt Herren are coming back to Vermont and will be part of the celebration too.   Should be lots of fun and I hope to see you there!
Deb

  

Celebrating Family Heritage
10th Anniversary Folk Music Concert
OLD WEST CHURCH, EAST CALAIS

Tuesday, July 22nd at 7:00pm

Peggy Seeger, folksinger, songwriter, activist, banjo virtuoso, daughter of
composer Ruth Crawford Seeger and half-sister of folk icon Pete Seeger, will
be the featured performer at the 10th annual Old West Church concert in
Calais, Vermont.   The Calais Concerts, organized by singer Deborah
Flanders, have highlighted the traditional music of New England for the past
decade, in honor of Deb's great-aunt Helen Hartness Flanders, one of the
pioneers of folk music history in the U.S.

Please join Peggy Seeger, Deb Flanders, Pete Sutherland and friends for a
night of memorable music making.

A portion of the evening's proceeds will benefit the Vermont Folk Life
Center, in Middlebury.  www.vermontfolklifecenter.org

General Admission: $20
Tickets available through the Flynn Ticket box office at  www.flynntix.org or call 802-863-5966.

For more information call 802-864-0715 or visit www.debflanders.com



Also would you put these items in the cue:


Scheduled Old West Church Activities for 2008

Tuesday, July 22, 2008,  7:00 p.m.
10th Anniversary Vermont Folk Life Center Benefit Candle Light Concert,
“Celebrating Family Heritage” featuring Peggy Seeger, Deborah Flanders, and Peter Sutherlan. For information call 802-864-0715.

Sunday, August 3, 2008,  5:00 p.m.  “Home Coming Celebration” the Old West Church in community and personal history.  Rev. David Connor, Co-Pastor Old Meeting House, East Montpelier



Center and Director, Lamoille Family Center, preaching.  Traditional Hymn Sing, Annual Meeting, and Pot Luck dinner following service.  Special Choir Music, June Morse, Pianist.

Sunday, October 5, 2008, “Fall Foliage Festival” Artisans and Crafts, Fine Arts and Graphic Arts, Textiles: 12:00 to 4:30 Community Concert: 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008,  5:00 p.m. “Lessons and Carols” a Traditional  Christmas Eve Candle Light Service.

 

 

 

If you have any questions, please call Seth Frisbie or Erika Mitchell at 456-7054.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dot Naylor’s Unadulterated Notes

Calais Selectboard Action

Monday June 30, 2008

7:00 P.M.

SelectBoard members present: Paul Hannan, Anne Winchester, John Brabant and Cy Lamberton. Denise Wheeler was not present.

Also attending were five members of the public, including myself and Rose Pelchuck, Recording Secretary.

1. Call to order – assess agenda time allotments

2. Review and approve Selectboard minutes of June 9, 2008 – Some minor changes – approved 3-0 – Anne abstained, as she had been absent for the June 9^{th meeting.}

^{3. Review and approve road commissioner orders and town invoices – Two invoices were not there – one for the mapping for $2000 and one for Kenny Miller’s work on the Town Hall for $490. Both checks written on 2008 budget, but held until work is complete.}

^{4. Re-appoint Road Commissioner; Salary/benefits for town employees – Don Singleton was reappointed Road Commissioner although he said the 60/70-hour weeks in the winter were tough.}

^{The SB met in executive session to discuss the benefits and other issues. When they came out of executive session they reported that Don had decided to disperse the 3% increase in salaries evenly across the board. The SB then moved to increase vacation time for 20-year employees from three weeks to four weeks. They also voted to make the day after Thanksgiving a holiday.}

^{The road crew had asked to carry forward more than the 15 days sick leave they now are allowed to. The SB wants to be sure that such a benefit does not adversely affect the present disability insurance before it acts on that request.}

^{5. Review and sign annual contract with Woodbury Fire Department – The Woodbury Fire Chief came and requested that this be tabled till the next meeting as he was having trouble accessing files in the new Woodbury computer and did not have up-to-date in formation.}

<sup>6. Various brief updates:
- Curtis Pond dam (John) – John spoke with Morris Root who told him Alan Quackenbush (from the state) would be canoe touring Curtis Pond on July 1, 2008, to assess the wetlands. Morris also advised John that Alan had done his master’s thesis on the Curtis Pond wetlands.
- Batten Road bill (John) – nothing new</sup>

^{- DRB "monitoring" report – if any (Anne) Anne reported that she thought we had dynamite DRB - and said she felt it was really good to have members of various boards attending meetings and getting a feel for particular issues. She said one thing that came to her attention was the difficulty some property owners face when their property is in two or more different zoning districts. She hoped the Planning Commission could study that soon.}

^{Dot Naylor, ZA, noted that the Planning Commission was working almost exclusively on the Town Plan at present as that had to be updated this year.}

^{A short discussion ensued regarding the fact that Anne felt it would be good for the various boards to get together. Dot Naylor brought up the fact that when Greg Johnson was SB chair the various chairmen met for lunch once a month at Greg’s office downtown. Paul Hannan asked Peter Harvey why he had objected to it as that is perfectly lawful and legitimate since there would not be more than one member of a board/committee there, much less a quorum. Anne noted that they all worked downtown and met at lunchtime making it a timesaving (and I might add a gas saving) undertaking –rather than all driving to some location in town and giving up another evening.}

^{Peter said he just felt they should meet in public in town.}

^{Stonewall on Tucker Road – John spoke with Hogue about what appeared to be construction of a stonewall in the town’s ROW without a permit. It turns out that Hogue is ‘releasing’ an old stonewall that has been there for years and years. It is below grade and Hogue is not expanding it or making it higher. According to John and Cy when the town widened all the roads (probably in the 1940’s) they more or less either covered up many stonewalls abutting the town roads, or used the stone to fill in the middle of the road. All agreed that was too bad.}

^{7. Review "draft" revised EMFD interlocal agreement and possibly sign – No revised draft available.}

^{8. Curb cuts:}

^{- Joan Grout – Max Gray Road – Agricultural curb cut – Although agricultural curb cuts do not usually need a permit this location was crossing a ditch and thus needed to go through the process. A near-by private road was not available. There is good sight distance and the Road Commissioner felt it was fine. Cy said he thought it was strictly for agricultural access to the fields by a farmer leasing the property.}

^{- Joe Murray – Max Gray Road – old road to new road ? - Question is, was the old Max Gray Road noted as the ROW in Joe Murray’s deed, ever discontinued? If not, it is a Class 4 road and then Class 4 Road Policy comes into play. Dot Naylor noted that in a 1923 deed to what used to be the Plainfield Town Forest, the new road is referred to in the metes and bounds. A cursory look at SB minutes back then revealed nothing. But the Ancient Roads committee will likely find an answer as it continues its work.}

^{If the SB discontinued the road at some time, it still serves as a ROW to Joe Murray’s property.}

^{In the meantime, the SB approved the construction of the curb cut as proposed by Bowen Construction and approved the maintenance of the old Max Gray Road as per the Bowen construction plan including the culverts as described. The one added condition was that the approach to the present Max Gray Road be perpendicular so vehicles entering the road could see clearly in both directions.}

^{- Don Singleton, Road Commission asked the SB to deal with an improperly placed curb cut on Bayne Comolli Road – Don said he had left messages for the contractor, Jody Bayne, and the landowner, that the curb cut was not constructed as per the permit. It was supposed to be at the crest of the hill and it is just to one side making it very dangerous. John Brabant said he would look into the matter. Rose read out the town curb cut policy that states that an improperly constructed curb cut may be revoked by the town and closed from use.}

^{9. Review and sign Sheriff’s contract – Paul did not have the past year’s figures for per hour/ per mile etc. with him, but felt the proposed numbers were fairly close. Anne at first did not realize that some of the funds from traffic tickets offset the cost of hiring the sheriff to monitor our roadways- mostly for speeding. Last year we contracted for an average 2 hrs./week. It was moved, seconded, and passed 4-0 to do the same this year.}

^{10. Pole location in town right-of-way – Fairpoint – Moscow Woods/Ledge Rd. - There are few poles on that stretch of Moscow Woods Road – Anne met with the Fairpoint Engineer and they discussed the possibility of underground wires. Joe Fortin who is awaiting phone service was very agreeable to finding another way besides the poles to get service to his new house. He now is able to get cell phone service, but would prefer a landline. Don Singleton, Road Commissioner, said he really does not like underground lines under roads of any sort as there is no could record of where they are. Even when he is able to contact ‘Dig Safe’ 24 hours in advance they and the particular utility often do not have the correct information.}

^{The SB decided to take no action on this pole location while Anne and Joe and the utility could explore all avenues.}

^{11. Zoning violations, appeals, litigation, etc. (possible executive session) – Ray Foster called Paul saying he wanted to seal up his storm drain and did someone from town need to be there. Paul left a message that a agreed stipulation was that a town representative needed to be there to view the sealing of that drain. Paul has not heard back.}

^{12. Other business:
a) Re-visit date for joint School board/Selectboard meeting (9/16?) – this is a regular School Board meeting date – SB agreed they could meet 16 September at the school. And they looked forward to the light supper that is usually provided by the kitchen as School Board meetings get underway at 6:00 PM.}

^{b) Substitute Town for Consv. Comm. as Watershed grant recipient – Town via the Conservation Commission has been the recipient of grants from ANR that have funded various studies of our ponds, streams, and wetlands. ANR just wishes to make the town itself the recipient of the funds to be dispersed rather than the Conservation Commission. Passed 4-0.}

^{c) Doyle Poll report on website – There was a request that the results of Senator Doles’ annual poll be posted on the town’s website. Although it might have squeaked by under our present policy there appeared to be no enthusiasm for it from the SB and there was no motion to have it posted on the official town website.}

^{d) FEMA has again sent us material to apply for pre-disaster mitigation grants. The only pre-disaster anyone can think of is Curtis Pond Dam, but last year the SB discovered that dams are not covered by these grants! What other disasters can anyone forecast? If you know of one the SB would like to apply for a grant to mitigate it!}

^{e) School tax rate has been set to $1.28 for homestead and $1.32 for non-residential.}

^{State base per student annual cost is $8200 – the state average is $11,500 and Calais per student annual cost is $12,400.}

^{f) - An organization is giving away a limited number of Liberty Elm trees to towns that will plant them and display a plaque. The SB decided to have Paul order one if it is still available. These elms are supposedly disease resistant. Although Peter Harvey said he planted one and it died a few years later. He did admit to planting where another elm tree had died of disease and allowed that was probably the problem.}

^{g) Caleb Brabant mowed the parking lot at the town hall as part of his U-32 graduation 20 hours of community service requirements. Unfortunately his father, Calais SB member, John Brabant, weedwacked around the building and unwittingly through a heavy growth of poison ivy. He was having an itchy time of it this evening. Cy Lamberton has weedwacked there in the past, but apparently is not bothered by the ivy. Thank you Caleb, the parking lot is much roomier now. Thank you John, hope you have a good supply of prednisone and hydrocortisone crème.}

^{h) Revised Design Review Guidelines were given to the board and the document will be reviewed at the next meeting. Also, Anne will find out if there is any official action to be taken by the SB.}

^{13. Tentative Meeting Agenda for July 14, 2008:}

^{a) Singing of La Marseillaise for Bastille Day}

^{b) Discussion of Planning Commission direction and activities (Jack Russell)}

^{c) Review and sign annual contract with Woodbury Fire Department}

^{d) Review "draft" revised EMFD interlocal agreement and possibly sign}

^{e) Possibly revisit the Moscow Woods/ledge Road pole locations}

^{f) Revised Design Review Guidelines – review and act as necessary}

^{14. Adjourn. At approximately 9:40 PM.}

 

 

 

 

Steve,
    Hope that you can include this little piece on water quality in Curtis Pond in the next newsletter.  Thanks a lot, Noreen Bryan

Water Quality Testing at the Town Beach- Curtis Pond

Water quality testing at the town beach on Curtis Pond has commenced for the 2008 season.

The first test was taken on 24 June and the results are very good.

The test performed by the state laboratory in Waterbury showed 9 mpn/100ml of ecoli in the water sample.

This is well below the Vermont state standard of 77 mpn/100ml or less.  Happy swimming!

 

My Notes and Occasioanl Comments: Calais Selectboard meeting, Monday, June 30, 08, members present (clockwise: Paul Hannan (chair), John Brabant, Anne Winchester, and Cy Lamberton.  Denise Wheeler was absent. Rose Pelchuck, the Board's paid meeting secretary, took the official minutes. There were 6 people in the audience tonight: Joseph Fortin, Joe Murray, Don Singleton Jr., Dot Naylor, Steve Freihofner, and myself.

Another relaxed summer meeting. We were all in good humor. The Board skipped around the printed agenda to accommodate the members of the public appearing before them.

MINUTES: The Board approved the minutes of June 9, 08 with several minor clarifications, 4-0.

POLE LOCATION IN TOWN RIGHT-OF-WAY: Joseph Fortin and Fair Point telephone are asking to put a phone line to his house, which does not already have electric poles servicing it. The applicant is requesting permission to put a guide wire across the road and a series of poles along the road. Anne & Joseph asked the Board to consider tapping into an existing underground telephone line coming down the hill towards East Calais Village. Joseph told the Board, "I would prefer to have it spliced into the underground line and be willing to pay something more for that." He told them that he is not in a hurry for a decision. The Board discussed the pros and cons of running the phone line on poles vs. underground. Road Commission Don Singleton Jr. told the Board that he prefers above ground because of the troubles he has had digging them up, even after contacting Dig Safe. The Board asked Anne & Joseph to meet with the engineers from Fair Point to explore the options and report back to the Board.

THE ORDERS: As they do the last meeting of each month, the Board passed around The Orders (to the Town Treasurer to write out checks) for each member to sign. Paul told the members that two items to be signed for did not yet have receipts because Eva wants to pay for them using the 2006-2007 fiscal year budget that ends tomorrow: paying for the new Tax Maps ($2,000) and paying Kenny Miller to repair the porch roof and handicap ramp at the lower door at the Town Hall. The orders were signed by those present.

CURB CUTS:
Joe Murray appeared before the Board asking for a curb cut for a house he is going to build opposite the Plainfield Town Forest on Max Gray Rd. This permit is confusing because the road was moved, probably almost 100 years ago. Joe asked the Board to use a portion of the "old road" for access to the current Max Gray Rd. The Ancient Roads Committee, which is researching all the roads from the late 1700s, has not yet found evidence about the road change. The "old road" may still be a town road (now class 4) or it may have been thrown up. The Board approved the curb cut with the usual conditions that the driveway entrance built perpendicular to the Town Road and the first 20 feet of the entrance should be of a grade less then 3%. Treating the "old road" as a class 4 Town Road, they also granted him permission to replace 2 culverts (18 inch & 24 inch). During the last 20 years Mr. Murray has lived on and off in a camp on the property and is now building a larger, permanent home for his family. The Board granted his permit 4-0.

Joan Grout applied for and was granted an agriculture curb cut on Max Gray Rd. for the field next to the Grout farm house. The application was granted (4-0) with the usual conditions: a15 inch culvert and the first 20 feet of the entrance should be of a grade less then 3%.

The curb cut that Lisa Levangie had been granted at the May 25th meeting is back on the table. The Board had granted the permit with the condition that it be moved to a safer location, a the crest of a rise, for visibility. Still, Board member Denise Wheeler had voted against the permit because she thought that was not safe enough. Tonight Road Commissioner Don Singleton Jr. told the Board that it had not been built in the approved place, that it is dangerous to use, and that he would not sign off on it. Saying, "I've spent too much time on it now, that's why I'm bringing it to your attention now," he told the Board that he had tried contacting both Lisa Levangie and the contractor, talking with the property owner once. The Board asked John to contact both the applicant (property owner) and the contractor to find out why it was not built as permitted. The owner lives out of town.

ROAD COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENT: The Board reappointed Don Singleton Jr. to another one year term as Road Commissioner.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: The Board went into executive session for 30 minutes to discuss employee job issues with Don. Upon reconvening, the Board voted (4-0) to add another paid holiday to town employees, the day after Thanksgiving, and to add a 4th week paid vacation to 20 year employees. Until tonight there was a 3 week vacation cap. Town employs earn a 3 week paid vacation after 5 years of service. The Road Crew has 1 employee who has worked for the Town for over 20 years. Both changes take effect tomorrow, July 1, the start of new fiscal year. Paul also reminded the audience that the 08-09 fiscal year budget, approved at Town Meeting, gave Don money for a 3% raise and said that Don has decided to spread that raise evenly across the road crew. Paul announced that the Board will look into the possibility of carrying sick leave forward beyond the current 15 day cap.

WOODBURY FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTRACT: Woodbury Fire Chief Steve Freihofner asked the Board to wait until the next Selectboard meeting to review & sign the contract. He explained to the Board that the Fire Department has a new computer and he was unable to retrieve the contract from it before the meeting tonight. But, in a matter related to the previous item, he showed his copy of the 2007 Vermont Municipal Compensation & Benefits (published by the VLTC (Vermont League of Towns & Cities) showing what each town in the state pays its employees. Steve Freihofner is chair of the Woodbury Selectboard.

SHERIFF'S CONTRACT: The Board voted 4-0 to renew the contract.  The Board contracts with the Sheriff's Department each year to slow down speeders. Citizens should report crimes to the State Police and other problems to the Calais Constable or Selectboard. Phone numbers are inside the back cover of the Annual Report Red Book.

VARIOUS BRIEF UPDATES:
- Curtis Pond Dam: John  reported that he had talked with Morris Root who has been in contact with Allen Quackenbush of the ANR (Agency of Natural Resources). Allen Quackenbush is scheduled to inspect the pond tomorrow by canoe. John told the Board Allen did his Masters Thesis on Curtis Pond wetlands.

- Batten Road billing: John had no more current news on this item.

- Stonewall Permit? At the last meeting the Selectboard had received a report of building a stone wall within the Town right-of-way. Tonight John told the Board that he has checked into the matter and found that a resident had repaired an old stone wall within the right-of-way. Repairs do not require a permit.

- Anne told the Board that at the DRB meeting she had attended, the problem of overlapping zoning districts presented a problem. She would like to see better communication between the boards, such as between the DRB and the Planning Commission. Paul noted that the Selectboard meets yearly with all the boards. It was remembered that half a dozen years ago, then Selectboard Chairman Greg Johnson held monthly luncheon meetings with the chairs of all the boards at his office in Montpelier. Anne explained that they all worked in Montpelier and that because they did not assemble more than 3 members of a board, the Open Meeting Law did not apply to them. Tonight, I told the Board that I objected to those Montpelier meetings because I believe that it is not a matter of legal technicalities, but a matter of openness, accessibility, and public trust. I believe all meetings should be held in Calais and open to the public. I believe public accessibility and transparency of all town business, legal or otherwise, far outweighs individual convenience. I concluded by telling the Board I think it would be a great idea to revive those chair get-togethers, as long as they are in Calais, advertised, and open to the public.

OTHER BUSINESS:

- The Board has scheduled to meet jointly with the School Board on September 16, 2008 at the school.

- The State has decided that the Selectboard must now sign the grants for the Lakes & Ponds Study. The Board already co-signs all the grants that other boards apply for. The Board voted 4-0 to sign the grant.

- Senator Dole asked to have his poll put on the Town web-site. Although everyone seems to enjoy looking it over, the general feeling seemed to be cautious. Anne read aloud the guidelines for postings on the Town Web-site. No one put a motion on the table and the issue was not voted on.

- SCHOOL TAX RATE: The rate has been set: Non-residential $1.3181 per $100 of assessed value and Homestead at $1.2763 per $100 of assessed value. That is 2 to 3 ¢ higher than last year.

- ELM TREE: The Board voted 4-0 to accept the gift of a Liberty Elm tree to be planted in the Town, place to be determined. The tree, with a bronze plaque, would come from the Elm Research Institute, Keene, N.H.

- John asked the Board to recognize his son, Caleb for 1 hour of community service for mowing the lawn around the Town Hall. John, who helped, trimming while his son mowed, came away from it with a bad poison ivy rash. The Town Hall is the only place in Calais that I have found poison ivy, which grows heavily in the Lake Champlain valley and up the Winooski River valley.

The Board adjourned at 9:50 The Board will be meeting at the Calais Town Hall for the summer. The next scheduled meeting of the Board will be 7:00 PM, Monday, July 14, 2008. Agendas are posted at the Calais Town Clerk's Office, the 3 stores in town, and the East Calais Post Office. Only items posted on the agenda are voted on at any meeting. Those wishing to bring items before the Board should contact Chairman Paul Hannan at 223-5528. Agenda items for the next meeting need to be received by 6 PM, the Wednesday before that meeting.

 

 

 

Home Cooking Recipe Swap #4, strawberry shortcake & Peppermint Iced Tea

This time of year I traditionally, almost exclusively, eat only strawberries.

This is strawberry season! I luxuriate in strawberries and satisfy myself until next year. My recipe for shortcake is easy and foolproof, probably not much different than everyone else's. LeGare's, right here in Calais has berries to pick, the best deal around unless you have your own bed. I planted 2 ten foot rows two years ago and pick 6 to 8 quarts every other day this time of year. Peppermint Ice Tea is my favorite drink on a hot summer day, and even easier to make.

Berries: In the morning, right after I pick them, I cut up the strawberries, then add an 1/8 cup of sugar for each quart to both sweeten and bring out the juice. I like really cold berries, so I refrigerate them with a cover for 6 hours or more before eating them. I cut up 3 quarts of berries at a time, because that is what my bowl holds and I eat them for breakfast, lunch, and supper.

Biscuits: Preheat oven to 450°. Blend dry ingredients: 1 cup flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons baking soda (I like Rumford best, named after the Tory who invented the improved fireplace before fleeing to England during the Revolutionary War); cut in 2 tablespoons butter; stir in ½ cup milk with a rubber spatula; add enough flour to make the dough easy to knead in the bowl. Flour the counter and roll out the dough to 5/8" thick. An easy way to gauge the thickness is that it makes four 3½" diameter biscuits. Bake for 12 minutes, or until they look way you like them. Cool on a rack for 10 or 15 minutes, but they are best still slightly warm. They do not store well.

Whipped cream: A matter of personal taste, for 1 to 2 people: In a medium sized bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of sugar, ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and ½ cup of heavy cream. Whip at high speed for about 1½ minutes. I hold a section of newspaper behind the bowl to catch any spray and wear an apron to keep my shirt clean.

Peppermint Iced Tea: The Adamant Coop has Richard Czaplinski 's dried mint leaves. I crush them up, filling half a 2" tea ball with leaves that I crush between my fingers as I put them in. Using a 3 qt sauce pan, I boil about 2 ½ quarts water with the tea ball in it, then turn if off and let it steep on the stove top all night. In the morning, after it has cooled to room temperature and absorbed all the mint flavor, I refrigerate it all day.

Rumford Baking Powder History http://www.rumfordworld.com/htdocs/rumford.htm
In 1859, Eben Norton Horsford (1818-1893), a co-founder of The Rumford Company, formulated and patented Rumford Baking Powder, the first calcium phosphate baking powder. Originally dubbed Horsford's Cream of Tartar Substitute, Rumford Baking Powder quickly became widely accepted since it achieved more dependable results and was less expensive than using crude formulas of cream of tartar and baking soda. The calcium acid phosphate in Rumford Baking Powder was also considered to be healthier than cream of tartar.
The origin of the Rumford brand name is traced to Count Rumford (Benjamin "James" Thompson of Woburn, Massachusetts), a gifted inventor and scientist. Thompson, who is said to have bootlegged physics courses at Harvard when still a poor boy, became one of the discoverers of the Law of Conservation of Energy, and left the endowment for the Rumford Professorship in 1814. The Rumford Chair of the Application of Science to the Useful Arts was given to those who showed exceptional achievements in Science and Cooking. Professor Horsford, founder of the Rumford Company, once occupied the Rumford Chair at Harvard The Rumford brand logo depicts a cameo of Count Rumford in honor of his contributions to the fields of cooking and baking.

- submitted by Peter Harvey

 

 

 

Community Quote of the Week:

"Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." - Eric Hoffer

 

This e-mail newsletter is open to submissions from the public, as long as they are noncommercial, and appropriate to the community. Please remember that it depends on you, the subscribers, to let people know what is going on in town. Have you written something you want to share with the community? Do you know of an upcoming event in our area? Contact me by just replying to this email, or call me, Steve Gallagher, at 802-223-0505, though the actual notice has to be emailed to me. You can get an idea of what has been posted in the past by reading the archives at: http://www.songseek.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?f=list&l=maplecor

You can contact me about this newsletter by just replying to this e-mail. It is sent out about 3 times per month, so if you are sending a time critical message or announcement please plan to allow enough time before the event. If you just recieved a newsletter, the next one may not get sent for 2 weeks. You can subscribe to this list by typing your e-mail address into the form found at www.maplecorner.net and hit subscribe.
-----Steve Gallagher ------

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