March 2013

Stocks have been up lately and many may be tempted to “dive in” and move everything to stocks. But is chasing returns the way to go?  We all want the highest possible returns, but risk management matters just as much in investing. That is why diversification is so important. I have always favored a globally diversified portfolio. There are two great reasons to invest across a range of asset classes, even when some are clearly outperforming others.

#1: You have the potential to capture gains in different market climates. If you allocate your invested assets across the breadth of asset classes, you will at least have some percentage of your portfolio assigned to the market’s best-performing sectors on any given trading day. If your portfolio is too heavily weighted in one asset class, or in one stock, its return is riding too heavily on its performance.

So is diversification just a synonym for playing not to lose? No. It isn’t about timidity, but wisdom. While thoughtful diversification doesn’t let you “put it all on black” when shares in a particular sector or asset class soar, it guards against the associated risk of doing so. This leads directly to reason number two…

#2: You are in a position to suffer less financial pain if stocks tank. If you have a lot of money in growth stocks (and some people do), what happens to your portfolio in a correction or a bear market? You’ve got a bunch of losers on your hands. Tax loss harvesting can ease the pain only so much. Diversification gives your portfolio a kind of “buffer” against market volatility and drawdowns. Without it, your exposure to risk is magnified.

What impact can diversification have on your return? Let’s refer to the infamous “lost decade” for stocks, or more specifically, the performance of the S&P 500 during the 2000s. As a USA Today article notes, the S&P’s annual return was averaging only +1.4% between January 1, 2001 and Nov. 30, 2011. Yet an investor with a diversified portfolio featuring a 40% weighting in bonds would have realized a +5.7% average annual return during that stretch.¹

Believe the cliché: don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Wall Street is hardly uneventful and the behavior of the market sometimes leaves even seasoned analysts scratching their heads. We can’t predict how the market will perform, but we can diversify to address the challenges presented by its ups and downs. Keep in mind that while diversification may help reduce volatility and risk, it does not guarantee future performance. Diversifying across a range of asset classes certainly will help mitigate risk, but it does not eliminate risk.  No investment strategy can eliminate the risk of fluctuating prices and uncertain returns.

1. usatoday.com/money, Investment Diversification, 12-8-11

Damien helps individuals invest and manage risk. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and a principal of Walnut Creek Wealth Management. These are the views of Damien Couture, CFP^® and not intended as investment advice. Investors cannot invest directly in an index. Your comments are welcome.  Damien can be reached at 925-280-1800 x101 or Damien@WalnutCreekWealth.com.

The closest I ever came to being killed was when I drove my friend home to California from Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He had just been honorably discharged from the 101st Airborne, and we were taking the long way home. Somewhere around Oklahoma the hunger began to set in, but I knew exactly how to fix it. I pulled into a shopping mall parking lot, located the first person I could find and pulled up next to him. I leaned over my friend (still in fatigues) and asked the nice gentlemen, “Do you know where we can find a salad bar and chardonnay?” My friend didn’t talk to me until Arizona.

While the thirst for chardonnay has long left me, my hunger for a good salad bar has never waned. Most of my adult life has been in pursuit of this Lego building block way of eating, and so the fact that my years of tireless research have yielded the one true local oasis that deserves to be written about is not the surprise here. The surprise here comes from the location.

Many years ago, I was the manager at Blockbuster Video in Alamo Plaza. The many food options in the plaza never left me for want, however having discovered the Excalibur of all salad bars at Round Table Pizza applied the blinders for much of my tenure and constantly astounded me at the fact it was in a pizza place.

Owner operator Pierre Nader Soltan was the man back then and he still is today. Then he was serving a pimple-faced me in khakis and blue polo and now he welcomes (near weekly) my wife, my child and myself to partake in his artistic creation.

Marvel at the fact that this table fit for kings is all but eight feet long. My years of R&D have led me to salad bars that took up 100’s of square feet that couldn’t hold this bars ladles.

Allow me to compartmentalize a visual for you. First THE VEGGIES: Always fresh, he has the standards: Broccoli, peas, avocado, mushrooms, beets, onions (red and green), baby carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers (red and green), beans (garbanzo and kidney), fresh cut jalapeños, and kalamata olives (pitted of course). Sidenote: any of Pierres toppings may change daily based on his artistic mood. Then, THE CHEESES: Shaved parmesan, feta, blue, shredded cheddar and cherry mozzarella with basil. Next, THE CRUNCHIES (which is such an integral facet of any salad bar): Crushed walnuts and peanuts, crispy Chinese noodles, sunflower seeds, croutons, and real bacon (no bits here). Now, THE MEATS: Real Cubed Chicken, bay shrimp, imitation crab meat, and cubed ham. I have seen deli sliced turkey, salami, and more on any given day. And now the Pièce de résistance, the SALAD MIXES: Marinated olives and peppers, dolmas (who does this?), potato salad, corn and bean salsa, three bean, marinated artichoke hearts, gherkin pickle and pepperoncini, macaroni salad, and roasted garlic cloves. There are always additions and subtractions in this category. Top it all with THE DRESSINGS: Eight of them! All your standards as well as Oriental and Jalapeño Ranch. I mean really, this spread is royalty.

Couple this with arguably the best pizza in the area and there really is no reason any person/family shouldn’t make a day of their visit. Luckily, on that end, Pierre has installed a very large projection screen for sporting events, created a low leather chair and coffee table setting in front of the TV and put high tables behind so there isn’t a bad seat in the house. He has also walled in a private dining room area with another large screen for private parties and has enough gaming machines to keep the kids busy.

If ever I ask if you want to get a salad, just assume we are going to Round Table in Alamo because you deserve the best!

Spring is nigh. Pitches and catchers reported last month, the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues are in full swing, and we will find out in about ten days if Japan can continue its stranglehold on the World Baseball Classic.

Another fun rite of spring is making predictions for the coming baseball season. This is an unusual year for Bay Area baseball fans with the Giants defending their second World Series Championship in three years and the A’s defending their even more surprising American League West Division title. Both teams return mostly intact with just one or two key changes. The biggest challenges, though, are external, as both Los Angeles teams are behaving as though they have become money-printing governments and are showing the ability to purchase any player who meets their needs.

Since this is an East Bay publication, let’s cover the A’s first. Their biggest losses this offseason were outfielder/team leader Johnny Gomes, shortstops Stephen Drew and Cliff Pennington, and pitcher Brandon McCarthy. But if there was one thing the A’s showed last season it was that no individual player is indispensable. Under the leadership of Manager of the Year Bob Melvin, the A’s overcame injuries and suspensions to win 72 of their last 100 games to steal the division crown.

Oakland thinks it addressed its shortstop hole by signing Japanese veteran Hiroyuki Nakajima, and that leadership and pitching can be addressed in house. The bigger problem may be that the Angels reloaded again by signing free agent outfielder and perennial MVP candidate Josh Hamilton to go with Albert Pujols and Mike Trout to make the Angels lineup a modern day murderers row.

The Giants are in a similar situation. San Francisco’s biggest loss from its 2012 World Championship squad is probably Melky Cabrera, and Cabrera’s suspension made him ineligible for the last six weeks of the regular season when the Giants pulled away from the division. It could also be argued that Marco Scutaro over-achieved after arriving from Colorado in July and that it will be difficult for Buster Posey to repeat his MVP season.

And while Tim Lincecum should recover from a disappointing 2012 performance, the real problem for the Giants also comes from Southern California, where the Los Angeles Dodgers have reloaded in a manner not seen since George Steinbrenner’s hey day with the New York Yankees.

Since July of 2012, the Dodgers have added former All Stars Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Zack Greinke to go with incumbent front line players like Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw and Andre Ethier. And while it’s always possible that a collection of stars will not become a cohesive winning team, many experts are looking at the Dodgers as the team to beat in the NL West.

The 2013 season seems to be shaping up as a battle between the home-grown and shrewdly built teams of Northern California against the glitz, glamour and checkbooks of our neighbors to the south. Bay Area fans will have very good reason this year to scream, “Beat L.A.” at AT&T Park and the Coliseum, because if the A’s and Giants can’t beat the Angels and Dodgers it is unlikely that anyone else will be able to do so and we may all be stuck watching a Los Angeles baseball party come October.

One of the greatest entertainment vehicles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was the traveling circus. When the circus came to town, everyone came out to see this spectacular show. It was a major form of entertainment for many years, hence the slogan, “The Greatest show On Earth!” It still exists today. Circus music is a mainstay and is absolutely indispensible to the varied acts of the show. The music became almost a genre in itself.

The Circus Parade through the town streets offered an exciting preview of all the glories to come in the Big Top. This parade soon became a tradition in America’s smaller towns and cities. One of the most ornate and decorated wagons was the horse drawn band wagon. The musicians would play while the parade advanced down the street. The band wagon, along with the elephants and big cats, became a major attraction in the parade.

After the Civil War ended in 1865 there was a plethora of military band musicians looking for work and most of the circuses were looking for excellent musicians to fill their bands. Many of these military musicians found gainful employment with circuses.

The years 1870 to 1880 saw the size of the band increase from just several musicians to a full instrumentation concert band. Prior to 1870 very little special music was composed for the circus. After 1870 music specially composed for enhancing the entertainment aspects of the show and even certain acts like animal, trapeze and clowns were becoming the standard. By 1890 the music directors were part of the planning of the circus acts. It was obvious that by the last decade of the 19th century music had become a critical part of the circus.

The “Center Ring Concert” often occurred prior to the beginning of the show. It became so popular that people would come early just so they could hear a concert of fine music and it soon became part of the total circus entertainment. Of course, the time period was long before mass-produced recordings, radio or touring ensembles were common-place like today. In small towns this concert of classical and theatrical show music from Europe and Broadway was possibly the cultural highlight of the year in rural America.

“The Great Merle Evans” (1891-1987) called “The Toscanini of The Big Top,” was the most famous director of circus music. He conducted and wrote for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Band from 1919 to 1969 – 50 years! He was, without a doubt, the dean of circus band directors. Evans directed over 18,250 performances without ever missing one.

Music for circus performance was at its peak around 1900. Some of the most notable composers were from the first two decades of the 20th century. Russell Alexander (1877-1915) and Walter “Woody” English (1867-1916), two very famous circus composers, were musicians in the Barnum & Bailey Band at the turn of the century.

Karl King, Fred Jewell, Charles Duble, Henry Fillmore, J.J. Richards, Al Sweet and P.G. Lowery were other famous circus music composers and musicians. These men were all leaders around 1900 to 1930, “The Golden Age of the Circus.” Many others, too numerous to mention, all contributed to the wealth of circus music.

Some of the most recognizable tunes from these great composers include: Ringling Brothers Grand Entry; Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite; Entry of the Gladiators; The Circus Bee; The Flying Trapeze; The Billboard March; Bravura; Jewells Triumphal; Lassus Trombone and Colossus of Columbia.

As more and more railroad companies came on the scene, the circuses immediately saw the advantage of using the train to transport the circus including the animals, cast of entertainers and equipment from town to town more rapidly than ever before. Special rail cars had to be built to accommodate elephants, big cats, horses and other animals that were part of the show.

In the past, the circus went to their winter quarters in Sarasota, Florida and some stayed in Peru, Indiana, the boyhood home of the famous song-writer, Cole Porter. Both places have circus museums and in Sarasota they often present live performances for visitors. Check the internet for information on these well-visited attractions.

After 1930, the circus saw a decline commensurate with the early days of the great depression and the on-set of radio and mass recordings. To learn more about circus music, history and lore contact Windjammers Unlimited, Inc. at www.circusmusic.org. The Windjammers is a society of enthusiasts who play and preserve the heritage of traditional circus music. Many thanks to Dr. Patricia Wheeler, a member of Windjammers and a flutist in the Danville Community Band, for making available resources to research this article.

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.

If you have ever experienced a migraine, you know that very few maladies compare to the severe pain, intensity and nearly total brain and body shutdown of a migraine. Even worse, research shows (JAMA) migraine to be a progressive brain disease and more and more people suffer from them. It’s not surprising that migraines are on the rise considering the hectic pace of life, worries about money, lack of time for work, play and family. But what concerns me even more is the dependency on drugs that don’t contribute to improved health but do lead to a long list of moderate to severe side effects from the long term use, and can result in an increase in the severity and frequency of subsequent episodes.

Looking for the causes (triggers) of migraine can be a daunting task. These include alcohol, missing meals, dehydration, hormone changes, low blood sugar, etc. Because the cause(s) can often be traced to diet and lifestyle, making appropriate changes can improve or even eliminate the condition for many people.

You may already know that migraines typically affect one side of the head and can be accompanied with nausea vomiting and vision changes. But the long held theory about the root cause of migraine—that changes in blood vessels are responsible for the throbbing brain pain with each heartbeat, is now changing.

The New Migraine: Studies now show that during your migraine, a slow excitation, electrical wave is followed by a wave “spreading cortical depression.” These waves of electrical excitation and depression cause blood vessel constriction and low oxygen, and are responsible for the “Aura” of migraine. This cycle may begin 24 hours before the attack and causes inflammation which then leads to irritation of cranial nerves in the brain (specifically the trigeminal nerve) and severe pain to the face and head. This nerve activation causes a release of brain chemicals called neuropeptides like substance P and serotonin. When this occurs, pain can spread to other places in the body. Many brain areas are involved in this process (the hypothalamus, raphe nucleus, locus coeruleus, substantia nigra, red nucleus and glia) and so we know that migraine is really a brain dysfunction rather than a vessel problem as previously thought. Either way, the migraine event can last for days with impaired thinking, mood changes, sleep disturbance and lingering pain.

WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?

Since we know that migraine is both neurological and inflammatory, it should be approached with holistic techniques that deal with those conditions. Our functional medicine/chiropractic neurology approach is to direct our attention toward the brain by balancing brain areas of decreased function. During a migraine episode blood flow changes occur in specific areas of the brain along with increased nerve sensitivity. This can be addressed with specific and precise neurological techniques to stimulate the areas of decreased function that are allowing blood vessels to expand and contract abnormally. Also eliminating mechanical triggers like spinal imbalance can stop headaches caused by nerve compression. In addition electrical stimulation at the front or back of the head has been shown to be helpful in reducing the migraine frequency.

The inflammatory aspects of migraine are even more complex. This is because many of the problems have been laying in wait for months or years. Inflammation, whether it is in the nerve or at the system level is not only a concern in regard to headache but for heart disease, Alzheimer’s, joint degeneration and autoimmune conditions. With the aid of both laboratory testing and neurological examination a non-drug brain strengthening protocol is implemented to stabilize the imbalances present and a natural metabolic approach to decrease brain inflammation. So, if your current level of health care frustrates you, consider our approach, which has been very successful decreasing the severity and frequency of migraine.

If you are interested in seeing if you are a candidate for our breakthrough procedures for treating Migraines and Chronic Headaches give us a call at (925) 279-4325 or visit WalnutCreekHealth.com to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Davis.

When I attended UC Berkeley I majored in Physiology. For my practice treating TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorders) symptoms, this training turned out to be invaluable. This month, I will explain the complexity of treatment, how important it is to understand how muscles work, the causes of muscle spasms, and more importantly, how one should treat these problems.

There are two major factors involved in what most people call TMJ. One is the actual joint dysfunction and the other is the dysfunction of the facial muscles, otherwise labeled as MFPD (myofacial pain dysfunction) by those in our field. MFPD can manifest in many ways, sometimes resulting in unnecessary root canals, misdiagnosis of symptoms as migraines, neurological problems, fibromyalgia and unnecessary, very expensive dental work. In the majority of the TMJ cases the pain is commonly due to muscle dysfunction. This is the case, unless of course the patient had trauma or injury to the actual joint. In all cases, I can help.

The holistic approach used at Advanced Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Center, my clinic in Danville, first concentrates on a full medical history and discussion of your symptoms in detail. Knowing when the symptoms occur, how often they occur and what activities are taking place when they do, are all vital bits of information that help me arrive at the proper diagnosis. In most cases I design and fabricate an oral appliance which makes it possible to see if the occlusion of the teeth is related to the problem. The face, head and neck are palpated to check for muscle malfunction, pain and spasms. Those little, hard and tender bumps that you may feel in your cheeks must be dealt with.

The posture of the head is controlled, in part, by the muscles that create the function of your jaw. The muscles of the neck balance with the jaw muscles, thus, pain in the facial muscles is usually accompanied by neck and shoulder pain. Proper treatment of MFPD will often require the treatment of these muscles with physical therapy, occasional use of muscle relaxants, ultra sound and/or laser therapy. (Prescription pain medications can often add to the MFPD symptoms, and therefore should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.) We have a wonderful network of outside referrals at my center that specialize in the treatment of these MFPD symptoms with whom we work closely.

Those hard lumps we call muscle spasms generally will not go away without proper therapy. They are caused by overuse of the muscle resulting in a binding of the muscle filaments which locks the muscle fibers together, thus interfering with the ability of the muscle to contract properly. The muscle fibers on each side of the spasm, and some within, continue to be able to contract which can be very painful when held by the non-functioning fibers. I have seen months of muscle pain end with just one or two laser treatments.

Occasionally, once the symptoms are reduced enough to find the cause, it is necessary to correct the malocclusion of the teeth. It is not the poor bite that caused the problem, but the clenching of the teeth when the bite is so off balance that the joints are not in place. A properly designed splint (orthotic appliance) not only prevents this damage, but allows the joint to seat itself so that the proprioceptive nerves no longer are active. Ideally, your teeth should only come together when swallowing.

If you are suffering from TMJ symptoms including popping, clicking or sandy sounds; jaw locking; headaches/migraines; ringing in your ears; joint pain; pain in your facial muscles, neck, shoulders or the top of your head; or even tooth pain that root canals or other dental work hasn’t been able to fix, please don’t hesitate in calling my office for a free consultation. We will be able to answer insurance questions, facilitate a referral from Kaiser, or even or set up payment options with no interest.

Life is too short to not live pain free. Best wishes toward your health and well-being.

Robert Brown, DDS has a TMJ, orthodontia, and sleep apnea practice in Danville and thoroughly enjoys discussing holistic medicine. You can contact him at 925-837-8048, at info@aodtc.com, or visit his web site at www.aodtc.com.

March is a transitional month at the farmers’ market, when spring crops slowly find their way into our weekly shopping expeditions. Few can resist the lure of early strawberries—and, to my way of thinking, no one should. But we’re also presented with a glorious proliferation of green…right in time for St. Patrick’s Day… artichokes; avocados; fava beans; tiny spring lettuces; spinach; and tender young peas of all persuasions—from common peas-in-the-pod to crunchy sugar-snaps. These are a far cry from the scary green vegetables that may have traumatized your childhood.

As a kid, I never would have guessed I could muster up honest enthusiasm over asparagus. (But then, I didn’t realize it actually had a “season.” It came from the freezer.) Unlike the stuff you see floor-stacked year ‘round at the warehouse store, spring asparagus has an incomparably delicate, sweet taste. Fortunately much of our nation’s supply is grown locally and now readily available to us, so freshness is a given. What we find at the farmers’ market is not only top-quality; it has been harvested within the past 24 hours. And not shipped half-way around the country. Or world.

There are zillions of elaborate recipes designed to highlight this elegant vegetable; but on a busy weeknight, time is of the essence. And we all know that few dinners can be thrown together faster than a sandwich. (C’mon. Admit it. You’ve gone there.) But give that sandwich a fancy French name and serve it open-faced with a salad of mixed greens and a glass of crisp rosé, and you’ve suddenly got a perfectly respectable lunch for guests. (And they’ll know these weren’t ordered-in from the local deli.) For brunch, you could top off each tartine with a poached egg. Oh mama.

I look upon this recipe as a serendipitous opportunity to use up all those little bits of cheese that accumulate in the refrigerator. Any cheese will work; but I find a combination of Gruyere, Mozzarella, and Parmesan sufficiently gooey and plenty delicious.

Cheesy Asparagus Tartines

• 1 1/2 tablespoons California olive oil
• 16 thin asparagus spears, tough ends removed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 long slices (about 3/4-inch thick)from a round loaf of crusty artisan bread
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup olive tapenade or basil pesto (store-bought is fine)
• 2 cups (or more) shredded or grated cheese
• 4 very thin slices prosciutto or ham (optional)
• Aged balsamic vinegar, truffle oil, or finely chopped parsley

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the asparagus and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, turning, until the asparagus turns bright green, about 1 minute. Remove the asparagus from the skillet and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 1/2tablespoon of oil to the skillet and warm over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Position the oven rack 3- to 4-inches from the top and preheat the broiler. Arrange the bread slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook, turning once, until very lightly toasted, about 2 minutes total. Do not turn off the broiler.
4. Leaving the bread on the baking sheet, spread each slice with 1 tablespoon each of mayonnaise and tapenade and top with a slice of prosciutto. Divide the onion evenly among the slices, and top each with about 1/4 cup of the cheese. Arrange 4 asparagus spears on top and sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese. Broil about 2 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese is melted through and bubbly-hot. Drizzle with a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar or truffle oil, or sprinkle with parsley. Serve at once. Pass the peppermill at the table. Serves 4.

ASPARAGUS TIPS

• When buying asparagus, select firm, bright green stalks with little or no white and tight, dry tips. Asparagus breaks down quickly after harvesting, losing sugar and moisture, so check the ends; if they are shriveled and dry, the stalks are old.
• If your taste leans toward the exotic, remember that white asparagus is comparatively bland; and that purple asparagus turns green when cooked.
• White asparagus is the very same vegetable; it’s just grown differently. The stalks are covered with soil during the growing period to block out the sun, so they never produce chlorophyll—and never turn green.
• To ensure even cooking time, choose asparagus spears that are all about the same thickness.
• Thick or thin? Like people, it’s often the luck of the draw. Asparagus plants live 8 to 10 years. Young plants produce thin asparagus; mature plants tend to produce thicker spears. It’s as simple as that.
• To store, wrap unwashed asparagus in a damp paper towel and refrigerate in an open plastic bag for up to 4 days. If the spears begin to go limp after 2 or 3 days, rehydrate by cutting a bit off the ends and standing them upright in a container filled with about an inchof water; cover loosely with a plastic bag and refrigerate for an hour or two.
• To remove tough ends from asparagus before cooking: Hold a spear near the middle with one hand and near the bottom-end with the other hand. Gently bend the asparagus; it will snap apart at the spot where it begins to get tough. (If you’re a neat-nik, go ahead and trim off the ends with a knife.) Discard the tough ends….or freeze them for stock, or toss them in the compost pile.

STALKING IDEAS FOR ASPARAGUS

•  Steam or stir-fry it if you prefer, but roasting asparagus highlights its inherent grassy-nutty flavor. To roast asparagus: On a rimmed baking sheet, toss asparagus with just enough olive oil to coat lightly. Spread the spears in an even layer and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated 425 degree oven, shaking the pan once or twice, until lightly browned at the edges and the stems are crisp-tender, 7 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness.
• Serve roasted asparagus as is, or topped with a shower of grated cheese or toasted sliced almonds. Or, for a change, brown panko breadcrumbs in butter with a bit of finely chopped fresh mint and lemon zest; then scatter over the top.
• If you’ve already fired up the outdoor grill, toss the uncooked spears lightly with olive oil and arrange them diagonally on the grill (so they don’t fall through) and cook, turning with tongs, for 4 to 8 minutes, until crisp-tender. You’ll get that same delicious caramelization that comes from oven-roasting. Indoor grills work perfectly well, too—though it may take a bit longer to cook.
• For a slightly addictive appetizer, dip fresh asparagus spears in a tempura or light beer batter. Deep-fry and serve warm, with either a squeeze of lemon or a favorite dipping sauce.
• Roast asparagus spears until just barely tender. When cool enough to handle, wrap with paper-thin slices of prosciutto or other ham, roast beef, or turkey. Serve at room temperature, drizzled with a bit of balsamic vinegar, if you like.
• Why not a raw asparagus salad? Trim off and discard the ends from the fattest spears you can find; then shave them lengthwise on a mandolin or other mechanical slicer. Season the thin slices with salt and pepper, then toss with fruity California olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan cheese over the top.
• When you find thin asparagus, try Chef Anne Burrell’s take on the raw asparagus salad: Cut the trimmed spears crosswise into thin rounds; then toss with diced red onion and plenty of finely grated Pecorino cheese. Drizzle with red wine vinegar and fruity olive oil, and season with kosher salt.
• Make an Asian-inspired salad by topping roasted and cooled asparagus with a squeeze of fresh orange juice and a drizzle each of sesame oil and soy sauce. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and garnish with peeled orange slices or segments.
• Tuck roasted asparagus spears into omelets, quiche, or frittatas dotted with crumbled California goat cheese; or in simple pasta dishes or risotto.
• Glam up brunch by serving a poached egg over roasted asparagus spears, with or without a slice of smoked salmon or Fontina cheese…or a generous drizzle of Hollandaise. Serve slices of toasted crusty artisan bread on the side

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 1-800-949-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.

The best way to prepare for the onslaught of spring entertaining is to add a few new recipes to your repertoire. Check out Peggy Fallon’s upcoming class at Draeger’s Blackhawk cooking school on Tuesday, April 30, at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to www.draegerscookingschool.com, or call 1-800-642-9463 ext. 261.