December 2015

It is no mystery why the friend who set up my computer system chose a character from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas as my password. He knows that I get a little cranky around the holidays.

Oh, I manage to put up a good front in public. I wear sparkly accessories; smile pretty for candid photos; attend a crazy number of holiday lunches and parties; and cook yummy things to share. I decorate my house and wrap gifts. Everything looks normal to outsiders—sometimes even better than normal. But those who really know me understand that every December I am like a crazed woman forced to spend thirty-one days in the penitentiary, methodically scratching off each day on the calendar until the New Year.

There are simply too many places to go. Too many things to do. And too little time. Yet I am determined to enjoy this very special time of year with family and friends.

After many Decembers, I have made a conscious effort to streamline my life. I no longer try to live up to the impossible standards set by all the glossy lifestyle magazines. In a good year the decorations for my home consist of a wreath on the door; a cluster of poinsettias in the foyer; perhaps a silver bowl of shiny red apples on the coffee table; and an arrangement of fragrant greens and tangerines on the dining room table. And guess what? Everything comes from the farmers’ market, where I can shop in the fresh air and avoid the mind-numbing traffic, cranky shoppers, and anxiety-inducing Muzak at the mall.

While I purchase all the produce and other specialty food items needed for the coming week, I inevitably find a few “tasteful” gifts at the farmers’ market…allowing me to happily cross a few names off my to-do list. Along with the bevy of bargain-priced fresh flowers and plants to brighten both my home and those of my hosts, there’s a wide variety of artisan jams and jellies; local honey; California extra virgin olive oil; glistening sun-dried tomatoes; and plenty of top-quality dried fruits and nuts just ripe for giving to my favorite foodies.

But even the best gifts pale in comparison to the thoughtfulness attached to something homemade. Unless you spent the entire summer putting up dozens of jars of homemade jam, maybe now is the time to go nuts… in the best way possible.

There are thousands of recipes that elevate shelled nuts to the next level; and such recipes can be a lifesaver this time of year. Just remember that the finished product will be only as good as the ingredients you’ve put into it. This is no time to risk opening a bag of rancid nuts from a supermarket. At the farmers’ market, you are sure to purchase only this year’s new crop of nuts.

The sweetness of these crunchy, easily prepared almonds is tamed by a whisper of heat from cayenne pepper, making them a versatile choice for the holidays. Other than eating them right out of hand, here are just a few of the ways to enjoy Sweet & Spicy Almonds:

–As a cocktail nibble, or tossed with dried cherries and tiny bits of crystallized (candied) ginger for a zesty snack mix.

–To add your signature crunch to an otherwise mundane cheese platter.

–Scattered over baked brie for a molten cheese course; or alongside aged blue cheese with a glass of port wine.

–As a deliciously decadent element to top of a baked & buttered sweet potato.

–To garnish a beautiful winter salad. (Consider something like wedges of ripe Fuyu persimmon on a bed of arugula, topped with bite-size chunks of soft California goat cheese and a few Sweet & Spicy Almonds.)

–For a unique dessert, sprinkled over ice cream (chocolate, vanilla, and banana are all good choices.)

— Packed into small cellophane bags and tied with rustic twine or a tartan-plaid ribbon as a gift for a favored host or other friend.

Sweet & Spicy Almonds
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tablespoons water
1 pound whole natural (skin-on)California almonds(3 to 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a half-sheet pan with a silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or aluminum foil sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites and water until foamy. Add the almonds, stirring gently to coat well. Transfer the mixture to a colander and let drain for 2 to 3 minutes. Wipe the mixing bowl dry with a paper towel.

2. In the same bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to blend. Add the almonds and vanilla and toss to coat well.

3. Spread the almonds into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, stirring 2 or 3 times, until fragrant and golden brown, about 30minutes. (Watch carefully to avoid burning.) Transfer the baking sheet to a wire cooling rack. If any of the almonds are stuck together, use a fork to separate them. Let cool completely. Serve at once, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. Makes about 4 cups.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at s1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well!

No matter what your financial goals may be, hiring a “Financial Life Manager” may help you achieve them. Whether you are planning for retirement, buying your first house, paying off debt or wish to invest some of your hard-earned cash, a “Financial Life Manager” may help you along every step of the way to help ensure you meet your financial goals. But not all financial advisers are created equal and hiring the wrong one could have serious consequences.

Find out what to look for and how to choose a financial adviser:

Check Their Credentials:
The first step of choosing your financial adviser is checking their credentials. A Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA), Registered Investment Consultant (RFC), or Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), are some of the credentials you may consider. In order for an adviser to obtain a CIMA, RFC or CFP certification, the adviser must go through rigorous testing, ongoing continuing education requirements, and meet certain regulations concerning many of the different aspects of financial planning.

1. Ask Friends and Family: Ask people you know if they have any recommendations for a financial adviser in your area. This way, you will get a firsthand account of what type of services the financial planner offers and whether they could provide the kind of help you’re looking for.

2. Understand How They Get Paid: Some financial advisers get paid by commission when they sell you an investment product. Other advisers operate on a fee only scale, meaning they do not get paid from commissions. You might also be able to find a group of advisers that charge per hour for small projects.

3. Read Their Code of Ethics: As the old saying goes, the devil is in the details. While it may be tedious, read through each adviser’s code of ethics, and make sure they have your best interests at heart. Look for terms like “fiduciary,” which means they strive to look after your best interests at all times. Registered representatives who are not advisers are held to a suitability standard, which is a lesser standard.

4. Consider Specialization: The conversation with multimillionaires needs to be different than a conversation with two college graduates starting to build their lives together. Make sure that the team you are considering to hire has specific experience doing what you need. Finding the right “Financial Life Manager” for your specific goals may make or break your success.

5. Make sure to do your due diligence so you may feel that you are in good hands: The right “Financial Life Manager” will assist you along every step of the way, hopefully helping to turn your financial dreams into realities.

Mr. Kelly Trevethanis a Certified Investment Management Analyst& Registered Financial Consultant. He is aManaging Director with United Capital Financial Advisers LLC, a national private wealth advisory firmwith 79 offices across the nation. He can be reached at 415-418-2101.To obtainyour free copy of the New York Times Bestselling book “The Money Code”, email him at Kelly.trevethan@unitedcp.com.

We have a lot of Christmas traditions in America but you may be surprised to know where they really came from. America, as we all know, is a very young country compared to other advanced countries, especially in Europe. Many, if not all of our Christmas traditions and music came from European heritage.

An interesting comparison of customs in the United States and Germany has shown how many of our traditions came from primarily the German speaking countries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Emigrants from Germany, and to a lesser degree, England, brought their music and other traditions to this country. They incorporated their old customs from their homeland to their new home, celebrating traditions they knew.

German Christmas Traditions
The most important major holiday in Germany is certainly Christmas, or “Weihnachten.” This season begins with the start of Advent that commences with the four Sundays before Christmas.

They decorate an Advent wreath that is made from fir or pine boughs. On it are placed four candles that are lit each Sunday during the Advent period. The Advent calendar, usually made out of cardboard with 24 tiny windows, are opened one at a time, until Christmas. Sometimes the windows contained a small present or candy for children.

In Germany, Santa Claus, or Saint Nicholas, does not come on Christmas Eve but on December sixth, the feast day of Saint Nicholas. It is said that Martin Luther quelled that practice and replaced it with the Christ child who brought gifts to the children. Another tradition common in Germany is Mistletoe – not to encourage a kiss but to ward off disease and old age.

The Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree – der Tannenbaum, came to America during the Revolutionary War in the 18th Century by Hessian soldiers who were mercenaries for the British. The tree was a fir or spruce and a nativity scene was usually placed beneath the tree. In Germany and other countries, candles were used to light the tree, under strict conditions to prevent fire.

Early tree decorations consisted of tinsel, glass balls, sweets and a star or angel on top. Christmas glass ornaments, invented in Germany in the late 16th Century, were brought to America from Germany by dime store magnate, F. W. Woolworth in the 1880’s.

The famous carol, O Christmas Tree or O Tannenbaum, dates from 1550. Martin Luther is said to be credited with the custom of having the Christmas tree in the home.

Christmas was and is a time for families to enjoy an evening meal, sing carols, read the story of Christ’s birth and exchange gifts. Christmas Day is usually a family day spent celebrating with relatives. The traditional meal is usually goose, rabbit, a roast, or more rarely, a turkey.

At Christmastime it is traditional to make stollen, a form of German coffee cake. Also making gingerbread houses, nativity scenes, and nutcrackers are long standing traditions. Epiphany, or 12th night, is January sixth and is observed in commemoration of the Magi, or three kings.

The custom of sending Christmas cards also came from Germany. Many earlier cards were made by German printers. Today it is a very popular custom in the United States to send cards to family and friends. It’s easy to see that without these German influences, Christmas would be very different in America today.

Christmas Markets
The famous German Christmas Markets, started in Nuremberg in 1545, begin each year in late November and are held in most German cities. They are very popular beehives of activity featuring music; beer; food; hot-mulled wine; apple cider; tree decorations and all sorts of handmade gifts.

In the United States this tradition is celebrated in certain cities that have a substantial German presence. Each December, Chicago has a very popular and famous open-air German Christmas Market that began 20 years ago in 1996.

Christmas Music
Early German Christmas music dates from the Middle-Ages – some from the 11th Century. The music came from folk melody origins with the words or text written by local clergy. This music was humble and solemn and sung in churches.

In the Reformation some of the music was intended for use outside of the church. The religious connotations were there, however, the nature of the carols were more secular than the music sung in church. In the 19th Century much of the Christmas music we know today came into being. Some of the favorite carols we sing today actually came from German traditions. Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming, circa 1599, In Dulci Jubilo, circa 14th Century and the best know version, Good Christian Men Rejoice.
Probably the most famous and favorite carol we sing today is, Silent Night, Holy Night, in German, Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht. It was written by an Austrian church organist, Franz Gruber and first performed in 1818. The first American performance of Silent Night was in New York City in 1839. It has been translated into more than 100 languages.

Some famous English traditional carols we sing are: The First Noel; Hark the Herald Angels Sing; Joy to the World; Deck the Hall; Away in The Manger; Angels We Have Heard on High; The Holly and the Ivy and Carol of the Bells.

English Traditions
Not to be slighted, but of lesser significance in terms of Christmas traditions in America, are customs from England. As German immigrants brought customs to the United States, so did the English bring theirs. German traditions were also adopted by the English. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s German husband, brought the first Christmas tree to Windsor Castle in 1841.

A well-known English tradition is the Christmas cracker. It is a paper-covered tube with festive covering. When the tabs at the end of the tube are pulled there is a loud crack and out comes a paper hat to wear at dinner plus a riddle to read at the meal.

A traditional English Christmas dinner may consist of a turkey or roast beef with Yorkshire pudding or a stuffed goose. Dessert may be plum pudding with brandy poured on it and then set aflame. The custom of baking the plum pudding with a small charm in it is said to bring the person who finds it good luck the following year. The Wassail Bowl with hot spiced wine is a welcome treat to top off the dinner.

Most people in the United States have grown up with many of these ancient European traditions; thinking they were part of our American heritage. Indeed, they have been widely incorporated into the fabric of our culture.

Because of our multi-cultural nature many varied Christmas traditions can be found in our country today. Regardless of how it is celebrated, we wish all mankind a time of joy, peace and understanding this coming season and throughout the New Year.

Don’t miss “T’was the Night Before Christmas,” The Danville Community Band’s free annual Christmas concert, Sunday, December, 13, 2015, 3:30 p.m., East Bay Four Square Church, 2615 Camino Tassajara, Danville, Ca.

Please submit your questions and comments to banddirector01@comcast.net
Visit our website at www.danvilleband.org for up-to-date information about the Danville Community Band.

At least once a year I get to shout to the world, “I LOVE CHRISTMAS!”

I love the change in the seasons, the chill in the air. I love the smells; the neighbor’s chimney wafting out the scent of burning wood and cinnamon apples baking in the oven. I love the pine trees, sap and all because they smell like Christmas.

And don’t forget the flickering lights and the brightly clothed packages under the tree. Yup, Christmas rolls around and I’m a goner. So, I will share a secret with you…I’m a schmalzy Christmas movie junkie. If I didn’t have such a busy schedule, I’d probably just put a fire in the fireplace and curl up on the sofa with Christmas movie after Christmas movie after Christmas movie.

Hallmark is the King, or maybe the Queen of “feel good” holiday movies. They started out by adding a few new ones every year. This year they have really stepped up their game and many of the other TV channels have followed suit. Hallmark now has two channels and at Christmas they need both of them just to keep up. UP Channel has some newer holiday movies as well as ION, Lifetime and of course the network channels. I’m sure there are more but you get the picture. (Pun intended).

My favorite of the older Hallmark movies is Season for Miracles. I actually purchased it a few years ago (yes you can purchase Hallmark movies on DVD) so I could watch it in the off season. Last year they introduced North Pole, a fun family movie with a sequel this year called North Pole, Open for Christmas. You might want to grab the popcorn and the grand kids for that one.

You might ask, how do I know when they are showing? Well, it has already started in November! There are so many that there are now calendars online that give you the when and where. Just to name a few, countdownuntilchristmas.com, christmastvschedule.com and chiff.com. Go online and print it off or just turn on the TV and check it out.

I personally believe that The Nativity Story is a beautiful celebration of the season and should be on your list.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the ones that will be in the theaters this year. Get bundled up, let someone else make the popcorn and head to your local theater on one of your days off. You’ll find Love the Coopers, The Peanuts Movie, A Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life in select theaters. Hopefully, somewhere on the big screen you’ll be able to catch one of my favorites, The Polar Express.

Anyway you like your Christmas entertainment fare, Tis the Season for fun, family and food—the Milk Duds and Junior Mints variety. Whether it’s at home or in the theater, Christmas movies are a great way to keep your priorities straight, family, friends and of course the Reason for the Season, Faith.

As always, I cherish your comments and the privilege of writing for you another year. Chastings@rockcliff.com

In the true nature of “I’ll have what he’s having”, let’s take a trip away from particular establishments, and take a look at individual ingredients.

I have never shied away from spice and heat; in fact, I have gone out of my way to seek it out. As with most things that one consumes on a regular basis, a tolerance begins to form and the rush get’s sought out at higher levels.

I was first introduced to BhutJolokia, or the Ghost Pepper, while managing the Walnut Creek Yacht Club. Proprietor and Executive Chef Kevin Weinberg had been making his own Habanero Hot Sauce for years, and wanted to make a small batch of atomic sauce to push the envelope (another thrill seeker looking for the next level). He mailed away for the illustrious ghost pepper and the day it came was like Christmas in the kitchen. If we were going to touch it, we were required to wear gloves and quickly the $5 bets were flying around. Put it on your lips, nibble the stem, etc., we all had a great time testing the level of spice for the first time.

What is the BhutJolokia and where does it rank on the spice meter?

Also known as BihJolokia, U-Morok, Ghost Pepper, Red Naga, Naga Jolokia, and ghost chili, it is cultivated in India and certain parts of Hawaii. In 2007, Guinness World Records certified that the ghost pepper was the world’s hottest chili pepper. The ghost chili is rated at more than 1 million Scoville heat units. The Habanero pepper is 100,000-350,000 scovilles and the Jalapeno is only 2,500-10,000. TheJolokia is still not the world’s hottest pepper. In 2011 a pepper called the Naga Viper Pepper was created as a hybrid of the three hottest peppers in the world and tops out at 1.382 million units!

Since that fateful day six years ago when I was introduced, I have seen the Ghost Pepper pop up in unsuspecting places. As fast as the world is moving these days and as numb to almost everything that media has made us, we seem to all be looking for some new thrill. In my head, I am repeating the melancholy quote, “I just want to feel something…”, but perhaps that it is a bit dramatic.

Restaurants are using the Ghost Pepper sparingly as an ingredient so they can oversell it on marketing. It is not uncommon nowadays to find Ghost Pepper Cheese on sandwiches. Norm’s Place in Danville has it on their Garden Burger and currently Eddie Papas in Pleasanton has a Southern Spicy Chicken Sandwich on their special menu that showcases the cheese! Just because the pepper is cased in the anti-agent (dairy) of spice certainly does not negate the effect. In fact, I was unaware that Norm was putting it on my “go-to” sandwich until half way through I found myself inexplicably using napkins for my running nose.

Even Ace Hardware in Alamo has gotten in on the action. They have a BBQ section that hosts a variety of rubs and sauces and a few of their selections have the, once illusive, Ghost Pepper as their marquis ingredient.

Shortly after my introduction to my new spicy friend, I became obsessed with learning as much as I could, and one of my more uncomfortable, yet highly entertaining moments came from watching people self inducing a Ghost Pepper Challenge to themselves on YouTube. In a couple of instances, people were taken to the hospital for eating as little as three of the one-inch firecrackers. Let the record show that generally when ingested orally, the Ghost Pepper will not create a medical condition, but rather induce a panic attack from the thought that your insides will never feel normal again. You will be fine, but uncomfortable, for a little while.

Go try ONE, but stop there!

It was real struggle for me to settle in and write my column this month. I want so badly to always leave you with some feeling of positive expectation for the future, but this month, finding the words was a challenge. Even as I write this, phrases have appeared on this page, only to be discarded a moment later for fear of causing you discomfort. The year should end on a good note, and the New Year, begin on an even better one!

And so, while I have tried in every way I know of to avoid bringing it up, I have to deal with the attacks in Paris. I want to offer anything I can, however meager, to discover something positive or at least meaningful out of such a horrendous event.

At the outset, I would say that that, in itself, might be something—maybe a good place to start—that one of our first reactions could be to adopt the belief that there must be something good to come from something like this. For me, if nothing else, it confirms some of the doctrines of my religious beliefs, reminding me in the harshest of terms that human beings are flawed by “sin” and that some people are so deeply infected by evil, the rest of us can scarcely recognize them as “human” at all.

As this latest tragedy unfolded, I felt the same feelings I had on that other horrendous day, September 11, 2001. As awful as that was, what bothered me most at the time was the realization that life would never be the same, and that my then ten year old son would have to grow up in a time darkened by a new, grotesque incarnation of pure evil.

With the attack in Paris that feeling is back, only this time it is more in relation to the children of some friends who live nearby. Our neighbors have four wonderful young children between the ages of two and eight, and seeing them nearly every day reminds me of how, fourteen years ago, our collective feeling of security was shocked and some level of innocence was stolen from our children. It angers and saddens me at the same time.

So what good might come from this? Perhaps we will appreciate those closest to us more. Perhaps we will see our nation once again as the last, best hope for civilization. Perhaps we’ll develop the wisdom to measure actions more than words. Perhaps it will strengthen our character so we will recognize the evil in this world and call it so, and then have the courage to deal with it as we should, so that our children won’t have to.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matt 7:15-20 (KJV)