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If you forget about the turkey and cranberries, the November farmers’ market offers one-stop, stress-free Thanksgiving shopping. From table décor to farm-fresh produce, they’ve got it all. This is also a perfect opportunity to support the people who grow the food we eat throughout the year.

In addition to the big feast happening at the end of this month, this is also the time of year when the need for a quick dessert may suddenly hit with little or no warning. Impromptu gatherings are often the norm, and the following stunning tart is as fitting a potluck offering as it is a gift for the host. It’s also just the thing when friends are stopping by for coffee; or a heartfelt token of support for a friend with the blues. In other words, any occasion.

This simple Italianesque tart is adapted from a recipe by cookbook author Cindy Mushet. It features a thin layer of sweet-tart jam encased in buttery shortbread and topped with crunchy almonds. What’s not to like? And as if that were not enough, it’s easy to make, easy to bake, and the finished product tastes as impressive as it looks.

Best of all, it comes together from ingredients you can keep on hand throughout the season, eliminating the need for a late-night run to the supermarket. If you have homemade jam in your pantry, that’s definitely the way to go. But if you didn’t spend your summer canning, not to worry. Our local growers have done the work for you, and sell top-quality jams at our farmers’ market.

I happen to think this tart needs absolutely no embellishment, but for a special celebration you can certainly serve whipped cream or ice cream on the side. Or just before serving, sprinkle the tart with confectioners’ (powdered) sugar.

Buttery Jam Tart with Almonds

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup best-quality apricot or other favorite jam
1/3 cup sliced California almonds

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Have ready a 9-inch tart pan with a fluted rim; a springform pan; or a ceramic pie or quiche dish.

2. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula until the mixture is light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.

3. In a small bowl, gently whisk together the flour and salt until well blended. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture just until combined and a stiff dough forms.

4. Remove about 1/2 cup of the dough and place in the center of a sheet of plastic wrap. Press the dough into a disk 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick, cover with the remaining plastic wrap, and place in the freezer.

5. Firmly press the remaining dough evenly onto the bottom of the ungreased pan. (If you find the dough too soft to work with, refrigerate for a few minutes.)

Spread the jam evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Remove the reserved dough from the freezer, unwrap, and crumble over the top, letting some of the jam peek through. Sprinkle the almonds evenly over the top. Bake until the crust is golden brown and just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Serve this the same day it is made or store well-wrapped at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

6. To serve: If your pan has a removable bottom, to unmold, center the pan on a large can and release the sides so the rim falls to the counter. Leave the bottom of the pan under the tart for support, or run a large, thin spatula between the crust and the pan, using the spatula to carefully guide the tart onto a serving plate.

Alternatively, serve directly from the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut into wedges. Serves 8.

Cook’s Tips
For variation, toss the finely grated zest of half a lemon or orange in with the flour and salt. This will add another layer of flavor to the shortbread crust.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad & 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.org. 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!

“French music wishes first of all to give pleasure.” Claude Debussy

The music of French composers, although significant in its own right, is sometimes overlooked when remarking about the music of the great German, Austrian, Russian, Italian, and English composers. This unfortunate fact was brought home to me during our recent trip to France and England in September. It dawned on me that, in my own writings, I have not given the French the same coverage as other composers and countries.

The French Revolution (1789-1799) had political and social implications and attributed to the rise of music for the masses. No longer was some music just for the aristocracy and well-to-do segments of the population. Instead of musicians and composers trying to make it on their own, working for royalty or rich landowners, many became state employees.

Around 1871 a society was formed to give instrumental music a platform. It was called Societe Nationale de musique. Many important works were first heard by the societe. The adherents of this group wanted to establish a French school to show that the Germans were not the only talented composers.

The Baroque Period (1600-1750) produced many French composers including Jean-Baptiste Lully, Francois Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau.

Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) was basically self-taught and was talented enough to be director of the orchestra, court composer and music master to the French Royal Family. Aside from his music, he has the dubious and unfortunate distinction, of being the first person to die as a result of conducting. When ensembles grew large enough to need a conductor Lully used a large stick and hit it on the floor to beat time. He missed his target and hit his foot instead of the floor. He developed blood poisoning and subsequently died from the blow.

Francois Couperin (1668-1733) specialized in keyboard music and wrote a very famous book on The Art of Harpsichord Playing. He worked in two eras, Baroque and Classical.

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) was an accomplished organist and harpsichordist. He wrote a treatise on harmony as well as a collection of harpsichord pieces. He made a living teaching music.

Hector Berlioz, Cesar Franck and Camille Saint-Saens are some of the significant French composers of the Classic, Romantic and early Modern eras.

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) was one of the most original and noted French composers in the 19th century. He is recognized as a master of descriptive, program music. Berlioz began to compose music at an early age. At 18 his father sent him off to study medicine in Paris. He hated his studies and it was reported that, “he sang arias while cutting up cadavers.” Berlioz was composing his signature work, Symphonie Fantastique in 1829. He won the Prix de Rome, a French scholarship for artists, in 1830 after many unsuccessful attempts.

In his Symphonie Fantastique he employed the use of ‘idee fixe’—a musical idea or person that may remain unchanged or transformed rhythmically. This work is remarkable for a first symphony. It has five movements, each movement descriptively titled. It is autobiographical to some extent. It is said Berlioz had a restless imagination and originality that he employed using any experiment he found necessary for a vivid or musical effect.

Cesar Franck (1822-1890) the so called “Father of the French School,” was born in Belgium but lived the greater part of his life in Paris. Mus ically, he developed slowly and his best and noted works were conceived in later years. Franck was a very quiet, retiring man whose life was spent in the organ loft, as an obscure church organist or teaching at the Paris Conservatory. Unfortunately, he had little recognition during his life. Franz Liszt compared Franck to J.S. Bach; perhaps because of Franck’s inspired polyphony (when two or more melodic lines are combined) and chromaticism (the use of notes foreign to a key or scale). Franck often used continual modulation (changing keys). His best-known work is the Symphony in D minor.

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) being French and scholarly he strived for an adherence to classical music form. He was not only a composer but was recognized as one of the greatest organ virtuosos and improvisers. He traveled everywhere and absorbed many different styles. Saint-Saens was a man for all seasons as he wrote about poetry, plays, astronomy and mathematics.He wrote Danse Macabre and composed in many forms and styles. Saint-Saens masterpiece is arguably Symphony no. 3 in C minor–The Organ Symphony.

Impressionism is briefly described as an impression of an object being more important than the object itself. This is accomplished through colorful instrumentation and different harmonies. Emotionally it is cool, obscure and detached. The suggestion of fleeting moods or emotions is more prevalent than showing musical detail. Impressionism was meant to be a reaction to romanticism.

The great French impressionists in music are Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Their music was not conventional in standard and practice. They wrote with less detail with emphasis on atmosphere and subtlety. Functional harmony was replaced by sonority with rhythmic freedom.

Claude Debussy (1852-1918) was born in a small town outside of Paris.
He studied piano and entered the conservatory at the age of eleven. Debussy won the Prix de Rome in1884. His public appearances were rare. His musical style was greatly influenced by Richard Wagner’s harmonic vocabulary. Debussy was very interested in Russian music, particularly Rimsky-Korsakoff and Borodin and the native music of Java and French-Indo-China.
Debussy said, “French music is clearness, elegance, simple and natural declamation, French music wishes, first of all to give pleasure.” His most celebrated orchestral composition is Afternoon of a Faun. It used a small orchestra with two harps. Clair de Lune is also one of his most popular and famous works.

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937 has much in common with Debussy, both being impressionistic composers. His composition and extraordinary orchestration mark his music with virtuosity. Another characteristic of his music is his pre-occupation with the dance. He also favors topics and subjects of a humorous nature as in The Mother Goose Suite. Among his many works are the ballet, Daphnis and Chloe, Rhapsodie Espagnole and the famous and popular Bolero. Bolero, except for a change of key approaching the end, the entire piece is a reiteration in different orchestral nuances of just two themes. Some of his compositions are influenced by Spanish folk music, Viennese waltzes, Baroque keyboard music and even jazz.

The composers mentioned here are but a mere fraction of the fine French composers from the past few hundred years. I hope this small sample has shed some light on these outstanding artists.

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

There is a reason this season is called “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”—it is a joyous time to gather with family and friends. Everyone loves to open their home to entertain when it is beautifully decorated. Calendars are booked with holiday parties, cookie exchanges, and multiple course sit-down dinners from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve.

Whether you are hosting or attending these fabulous events, the cost of food, beverages, and hostess gifts all add up and can take the jingle out of your bells. However, a little planning in advance can help you maintain your holly jolly spirit and keep your budget in check.
Regardless of the type of holiday event you are hosting (holiday dinner, cookie exchange, cocktail party, or white elephant party), use the following steps:

MAKE A LIST: Make a list of all the people you want to invite to your event. Knowing the total count will help you set an accurate budget and determine the theme of your party based on the number of guests.

SET A BUDGET: Take the time to determine and write down the total amount you can afford to spend on the event you are hosting. Then, break down the amount into categories (food, beverages, dessert, decorations, gifts) and note the anticipated amount for each. Research the cost of each category and make certain that your estimated amounts will allow you to purchase enough for all of your guests and that each amount is within your budget. If your numbers are off, review by doing the following.

SCALE BACK: If the cost of any one category is too high, trim back by either adjusting the number of guests you are inviting or changing the theme or menu. For example, if you are hosting a sit-down dinner holiday party, either change to an appetizer party, or reduce the number of main dishes and choose to have more appetizers. More times than not, guests prefer appetizers over several main dishes as they are juggling several holiday events (sometimes, more than one on the same date) and prefer to nibble, mingle, and not overeat.

ALLOW GUESTS TO CONTIBUTE: If the thought of cutting out guests makes you feel like the Grinch, allow guests to contribute and bring items. Guests always offer to “bring something” and allowing guests to do so, makes the occasion far less stressful and helps reduce entertaining expenses. Additionally, you are able to spend more time enjoying your guests versus being in the kitchen.

CREATE A THEME: Get creative and make the evening fun! There are loads of fun ideas on the internet from Flannel & Frost to Mistletoe & Margaritas! Find a theme and have guests sign up to bring a festive libation, a scrumptious appetizer, or a decadent dessert that compliments your theme. Guests love to showcase their holiday favorite(s) and creative dishes make for fun conversations!

DECORATIONS: Keep it simple. You don’t have to spend a fortune on decorations to make your home festive. During Thanksgiving, take a walk outside, gather beautiful leaves, and use them to decorate your table. For the holidays, find pine cones, spray paint each, and use to dress-up your table. Simple sprays of mistletoe, holly or tree branches with berries also provide lovely splashes of festive decor.

GIFTS: Attending a party during the holiday season includes a gift for the hostess and these little goodies add up. Give the gift of homemade treats to each hostess versus scrambling to find the perfect little treasure. You can either bake a treat, make a holiday jelly or jam, or grab a Mason Jar and layer it with the ingredients of your favorite holiday cookie mix. Dress up each gift by attaching a cute thank you note, recipe, and a festive ribbon and you have a unique and thoughtful gift! You can make several of these special treats for the cost of one hostess gift. Homemade gifts not only save you money, but the hostess appreciates the thought and care that went into making the gift.
Taking the time to plan in advance, setting and sticking to your budget, being creative with holiday entertaining, and decorating and gift giving will allow you to deck the halls with financially-sensible style!

For these and many more financial tips and money saving strategies, check out my new book Digging Out available for pre-order at jodeebrydges.com. Give the gift of Financial Literacy this holiday season to family, friends, and college students! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for launch dates, worksheets, and more!

It is estimated that more than 10 million people in the United States are affected by Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorder (TMD). One researcher estimated that 75% of the US population will, at some time, experience one or more symptoms of this condition. TMD is very complex and includes joint and connective tissue disorders as well as muscle dysfunction (myofascial pain dysfunction, MFPD). The majority of those affected are women of childbearing age, but it can impact most age groups and men as well.

Common TMD and MFPD are poorly understood by many primary care clinicians and commonly misdiagnosed as ear infections, migraine headaches, vertigo, tinnitus, chiropractic disorders, and even as psychological issues. Because TMJ disorders can cause a multitude of other symptoms like neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, depression, anxiety, and poor sleep, all of which can have other etiological factors, many misdiagnosis are made as well as unnecessary drugs prescribed or unnecessary surgeries performed. The patient who holds the record in my practice had been given a total of 26 prescriptions, none of which were necessary and resulted in many serious side effects, which took years to overcome.

The first step, before treating any symptoms, is to make a proper diagnosis. This requires a dentist or oral surgeon that specializes in TMJ disorders or sometimes an ENT that knows the area well enough to realize the need for a proper referral.

Although most dental schools recommend several medications, I don’t. Relieving pain with a drug is like giving a pain killer to a patient for a painful foot without first removing the thorn. An extensive exam and history should first be performed including dietary and lifestyle habits and stress management. Certain habits, like excessive consumption of inflammatory foods, excessive gum chewing, fingernail biting, opening the mouth too widely or moving the jaw side to side, poor sleep hygiene, chin leaning, excessive stress such as from a long commute in heavy traffic, and many other factors can play major roles. Untreated OSA, obstructive sleep apnea, can cause severe TMJ problems because one can clench so much harder when asleep.

With a proper diagnosis the TMJ specialist can construct a treatment plan that best approaches the special needs of all the contributing factors. The plan may include using other clinicians to administer physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, oral surgery including changing the fluid within the joint, Botox injections of specific muscles, seeing an ENT, and many more options. In my practice my own personally-designed lower orthotic (splint) is standardly placed, occasionally with immediate relief. The least invasive and least costly approach that results in a happy patient is always my goal.

If you experience any joint sounds when moving your jaw, don’t wait until it hurts. Those sounds mean a malfunction of the disc between the jaw and the skull and can signal that bone loss or arthritis may be happening. It is much more affordable to treat it early and prevent permanent damage rather than allowing it to become serious with a less desirable result. A large percentage of migraines are myofascial pain which can be relieved without drugs. For more information, please visit www.aodtc.com.

If you are suffering from a pinched nerve or herniated disc, you know how debilitating it is and how the pain slowly leaks the vitality from your life. Since 1999, when Align Healing Center opened its doors, we have been specialists in treating pain naturally; whether it’s back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain or any other pain, we have been there to awaken the healing potential in the body and relieve the pain. That said, we are always in search of miraculous new ways to relieve pain without the use of drugs, invasive procedures, and certainly without inducing more pain! If you or someone you care about suffers from a pinched nerve or disc-related pain, it is worthwhile to explore the exceptional, non-invasive, natural therapies that are available today.

Can I heal my pain without drugs or surgery? Yes, here’s how:

1. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy
Non-surgical spinal decompression is a state-of-the-art treatment that has helped thousands of patients with chronic neck or low back pain, sciatica, and herniated, bulging or degenerated discs. This is an entirely different treatment from traditional chiropractic adjustments. Many of the patients who are candidates for this procedure have already tried chiropractic, physical therapy, injections, and/or were told they would need surgery.

This breakthrough treatment works by gently separating the vertebra which decompresses the disc, thus causing the bulging material to be drawn back into the disc. It does this by reversing the internal disc pressure, thus creating a vacuum effect. According to the Journal of Neurosurgery (vol. 81, 1994), decompression was found to substantially reduce the pressure inside the disc, therefore allowing water and nutrients to be absorbed and initiate the healing process within the disc itself. Non-surgical spinal decompression is very effective, has a high success rate, and can be utilized for both neck and low-back disc injuries.

2. Class IV Laser Therapy
Laser treatments at Align Healing Center are done with the K-laser Cube Class IV Laser. Class IV Laser therapy gets to the root of the injury and treats it at the cellular level, providing energy to the cells so they can heal. This laser does not cut or burn but is gently absorbed by the tissue. During each painless treatment, laser energy increases circulation, drawing water, oxygen and nutrients to the damaged area. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness and pain. As the injured area returns to normal, function is restored and pain is relieved.

There is hope!

We have found that a combination of Class IV laser therapy and spinal decompression offers outstanding results in healing stubborn pain due to a pinched nerve, bulging disc or spinal degeneration. Generally, most patients experience significant changes in symptoms within one to three sessions. Occasionally, a more advanced degenerative condition or multiple level herniated discs may take 8-10 sessions before realizing a major decline in symptoms. Relief response varies according to age, body morphology and the degree of severity.

This unique combination of non-invasive therapy offers a chance for realizing a permanent cure for back or neck pain. This eliminates the long-term care commitment forced upon patients by other symptomatic back pain treatments, such as drugs, injections or surgery. With proper care and rehabilitation of your spine you can be back to your healthy self quickly!

For more information about Dr. Niele Maimone, DC or to set up a complimentary consult call 925.362.8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com

This Veteran’s Day, Sentinels of Freedom honors all veterans from every generation. We are forever grateful for the sacrifices they have made. I hope you will join us to salute the veterans who chose to serve our country with honor, courage, and commitment.

All veterans deserve a chance to succeed after their military careers. This is one of the main reasons that we started the Sentinels of Freedom program over ten years ago. It started with one Sentinel, one severely wounded veteran in need of assistance. Today, we have over 400 Sentinels in the program. We continue to assist severely wounded veterans as they complete their higher education and transition back into civilian life. This past fall we saw the number of applicants double! We welcomed over 30 new Sentinels into the program. The need is greater than ever.

Our unique, personalized program provides the Sentinels with living and housing assistance, mentoring, resume building, financial planning and counseling, networking, and so much more. We are in contact with our Sentinels throughout their educational journey. We get to know each and every one of our Sentinels on a personal level and continue to keep contact even after they graduate. They stay a part of the Sentinel family forever.

Please consider making a donation to the Sentinels of Freedom program today. These veterans need your help. www.sentinelsoffreedom.org/donate

Being a parent is not easy—the role involves an array of stages, adjustments and emotions. Most parents would agree that being a new parent isn’t always something for which you are prepared. You think you are all set but that assumption is far from the truth. The intensity diminishes with more children, but it is a unique experience with each new child, nonetheless. Each new life is unique, with a new set of quirks and temperaments. The game of life changes accordingly.

One’s responsibility as a parent is high regardless a child’s ability that is born healthy, but it is even higher with a child with medical challenges. I am the parent of a son who has no medical issues and a daughter with special needs not obvious to the naked eye because she is on the high functioning end of the developmental scale. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she has overcome many obstacles. She doesn’t fit the stereotype of being in a wheelchair or having some obvious physical ailment. She is nine years old and aware of the differences between herself and her special day class.

Never setting limits or labels, her father and I always support and focus on treating her with love, without boundaries on her capabilities or participation in everyday childhood experiences. I cringe at the thought of her not being accepted or ostracized, or worse, of being bullied. Lord knows that can happen to any child, whether mainstream or not.

I recall the heart-wrenching time I had to gently inform my daughter why she is in the special day class at school. I matter-of-factly told her that she has special needs. That means she needs some extra help doing things that her classmates do, whereas they may just need different types of help, depending on the type of “boo-boo” that happened to their brains or bodies. I could see her eyes taking in our conversation as she asked, “So I am special needs?” in a surprised tone. Since she wasn’t in a wheelchair and didn’t needed help to eat, etc., I told her she may not need as much help and that’s why she is like the big sister to her classmates. The help she needs is because of the stroke she had in my tummy, and that’s okay.

I could sense her coming to terms with it as the surprise and confusion turned in circles in her head. My heart ached and my mind battled with my choice that day—the double-edged sword of preparing her mindset for this reality instead of hearing it via deeply hurtful remarks from children was difficult. Her being within the age group where the coping skills are learned and engraved in us, I wanted to be the one to teach her the foundation of self-acceptance and prepare her for the ostracizing that many children experience—that the possibility of unkind words people may say to her doesn’t mean that they are true words. I realized how much I need to trust my parental instinct.

We must help our kids to accept, love and trust themselves despite the limitations or labels others will try to place on them. As I continue this mission of teaching her self-love, I too must trust the reflection looking back at me. I am a parent that worries at each stage of my children’s lives, only to look back and see that God brought them through it just fine. The sacrifices that come with the blessings are oh-so-apparent as I tread this thing called life. I hope that the mountains both my children may face are climbed with tightened-up boot straps and a strength that comes from knowing that their existence is not a mistake. May they know that they have value no matter what pebbles or boulders come rolling towards them. My job isn’t to prevent the mountains from forming but to plant that seed of them growing into productive adults who know who they are at the core of their being. If their lives reflect this goal, then I have done my job and I can put down the sword—or better yet, pass it on to them.

Stefanie Boggs-Johnson is published author of I See You, Little Naomi and soon to be released I See You, Little Andrew. Her educational children’s books promote special needs awareness and compassion. She is also a licensed cosmetologist and the owner of For Every Season, a mobile beauty service for the special needs community. For more information, you may visit her business website ForEverySeasonServices.com or her Facebook page @ItTakesASpecialVillage.

Hello! I’m taking over for Ben Fernandez, one of the greatest trivia players I’ve ever had the pleasure to compete with and against. I will do my best to follow in his quite large shoes. I’ve written 10,000 questions over the past 30 years, so let’s start with a variety of some of my all-time faves!

1. Incredibly, what future Hall of Famer scored the winning run in both the 1971 AND 1979 World Series?

2.Longevity in music is tough. Who had a Billboard Top 40 hit every year from 1970 to 1985? Hint—Male solo singer.

3. The Oscar-nominated 1975 film “Give ‘em Hell, Harry!” had a cast of one, James Whitmore. A few years later, what Best Picture Oscar winner had the most extras appear in one scene– over 300,000 people?

4. Calvin Coolidge was born on the 4th of July. Which three U.S. Presidents died on the 4th of July?

5. Alex Trebek has hosted ‘Jeopardy!’ since 1984. Who hosted an April Fools’ edition of ‘Jeopardy!’ in 1997?

6. Here are some lyrics: “Smile, though your heart is aching; Smile, even though it’s breaking…”. Who wrote the music for that famous song in 1936?