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PINNACLE MOUNTAIN NEWSLETTER

Issue 9                                                       February, 2004


President’s Message:

     Over the last several years, we have seen a decline of our reserve funds. This reduction of reserve funds limits our ability to resolve unanticipated expenditures. To better understand and initiate proper fiscal decisions, the board has started a detailed analysis of our expense history, trends, and future anticipated expenses. There are many factors that determine how we spend, but the primary expenditure is for our roads and their upkeep. We have posted the initial history and trend analysis in our "members only" section of the web site. Please contact me or any board member if you have any questions or comments

 

Riley

 

 

Naturalist’s Corner: North Carolina Salamanders

Western North Carolina's cold, swiftly moving streams, damp rock crevices and moist woodlands filled with decaying logs and leaves make for perfect habitats for members of the amphibian order known as salamanders.
Salamanders are extremely shy creatures, preferring to hide under submerged rocks, fallen logs and in damp caves. Their appearance is first recorded in the Devonian Period, some 345 million years ago and it is remarkable something so delicate managed to survive for so long. They prey on aquatic and terrestrial insects, worms, mollusks and the eggs of frogs and of other salamanders. More than thirty-five species are known to inhabit the mountains of western NC, some spending their lives entirely on land; others entirely in water and still others living ashore but returning to ponds or streams to breed. Some, like the Shovelnose are limited to the four westernmost counties of the state; others, like the rare Zigzag salamander are found only in Buncombe, Henderson and Madison counties. The Green is widely found in Rutherford County. These colorful creatures can readily be observed by prying around under rocks and detritus on a dry day. Be careful when prying though that you don't unearth one of the salamander's enemies--a snake!

(P. Saracin)

History Tidbit: Primogeniture reversed

When the colonists of North Carolina secured their freedom from the British, one of the earliest customs adopted was the reversal of the English rule giving the eldest son the real estate. Instead North Carolinians gave the youngest son the family homestead. When it came time to marry, each bride-to-be received a cow, a mare and adequate house-plunder with which to set up housekeeping. They rarely got the land as the husband-to-be was expected to provide this. This practice continued in effect in western NC up until 1914.

 

Recipe Time:

  Braised Lamb Shanks Submitted by Valerie Saracin

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 whole cloves garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 lamb shanks (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
About 10 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or
deep ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and
season with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring
occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown,
about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, mix well and cook until
the tomato paste darkens, about 3 minutes.
Salt and pepper the lamb shanks and lay them in a single layer, over the
vegetables in the Dutch oven. Add enough stock to surround but not cover the
shanks and bring to a simmer. Transfer to the oven. Braise the shanks,
uncovered, turning every 30 minutes or so, until the meat is fork tender,
about 2 hours. (The meat will brown during the final stages of braising.)
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes to allow the
fat to rise to the surface of the sauce. Transfer the meat to a plate.
Skim the fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Strain the sauce
through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing down on the vegetables
with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the vegetables.
Degrease the sauce again if necessary and return to the Dutch oven. Simmer
the sauce until reduced by about half. Return the shanks to the sauce, and
warm gently over low heat. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with
salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm serving dish and serve.