in this issue
- Introduction
- Latest News
- Tip of the Month: Image is Everything? The Problem with Paper.
- Recipe of the Month: Eggplant Puttanesca with Green Onion Polenta
In sidebar:
- Recent Blog Entries
- About TZK
- Sites I'm Loving
May 2006
I don't know about you, but I am so glad to see the rain stop! Finally, I have a chance to move my summer container garden outside into the courtyard. Soon, I'll have cucumbers, radishes, carrots and beets (nothing beats a good beet) to munch on during the summer.
May has brought a bunch of new things to the zen kitchen - new clients, including the Human Rights Campaign, new recipes to share, and a brand new website! Check it out at daninordin.net and let me know what you think.
TZK News
June 2006—Nordin to co-present at Precision ROI Marketing Seminar
Dani Nordin of the zen kitchen and Michelle Girasole of Precision ROI will be co-presenting a seminar in eco-friendly and web-based marketing techniques in Rhode Island during the month of June. Nordin will discuss environmentally-friendly marketing methods, and Girasole will introduce attendees to Constant Contact, a powerful e-mail marketing tool. Stay tuned for details.
May 2006—tzk working with the Human Rights Campaign
the zen kitchen is honored to be working with the Human Rights Campaign to create the identity and print materials for its Annual Gala Dinner. The widely-attended dinner, which is the oldest gala dinner in HRC's history, is celebrating its 25th year and honoring the work of Larry Kessler, noted AIDS activist.
May 2006—the new site is up!
It's finally here—the new version of the zen kitchen's website, with detailed case studies, a section for fun stuff and articles, and more information on why we do things the way we do them. Hope you enjoy it!
Tip of the Month
Image is everything? The problem of paper
Most people who have been in business for a while (or even those who are just starting out) know that a good logo and effective marketing materials are an important part of building a business. As a result, many business owners and directors of non-profit organizations work with professional designers to help communicate their organization’s mission and values to their target audience. With concerns about global warming and protecting the environment mounting, more organizations than ever are trying to send the message of their commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. But how do you start sending a green message to your audience? What can you do as a business owner or non-profit director to encourage eco-friendly practices?
One place you can start is by choosing paper wisely. Although those glossy sell-sheets and brochures you get from your online printer might look snazzy, most glossy stocks only contain about 10-15% post-consumer waste, which means that most of the fiber from these sheets come from new trees, which leads to increased deforestation. In fact, most traditional papers labeled “recycled” are only required to contain 30% post-consumer waste (for those who are unfamiliar with the term, “post-consumer” refers to paper which has been used by consumers and recycled instead of thrown in landfills). In addition, the paper industry’s dependence on the use of chlorine-based bleaching agents in the creation of paper “places this industry as the worst water polluters in the world.”[1]
However, a growing number of paper companies have started to heed the call of environmental stewardship, and there are now a significant number of eco-friendly sheets available for everything from the most high-end brochure to the simplest copy job. Some of my favorites include: the Environment line from Neenah paper (I print my business cards on PC100 Natural); Fox River’s Confetti Line (a nice selection of speckled sheets in great colors); and Mohawk Options (Mohawk Color Copy paper, by the way, comes in a 100% PCW version and is manufactured using 100% wind energy.) No matter what you’re using it for, no matter what your budget, you can find an eco-friendly paper that will suit that purpose.
When specifying paper for a print job, look for high levels (50-100%) of post-consumer content, and that it’s manufactured using a PCF or TCF process (PCF means that no new chlorine has been introduced in the recycling process, although chlorine may have been used in the original paper; TCF means totally chlorine free, and often applies to sheets which use virgin fiber). Unsure where to look? Ask your printer or designer – most designers (such as myself) prefer to deal with printers themselves, and letting them know you prefer eco-friendly papers will help them make the most responsible choice for your materials. If you do decide to deal with the printer yourself, make sure to tell them the type of papers you’re looking for – color, coated or uncoated, finish, and level of post-consumer content. Printers generally have great relationships with various paper mills and distributors, so they can be a terrific resource for finding a quality sheet.
For more information on smart paper choices,
visit the following links:
Conservatree: Environmentally sound paper overview – consumers are key
http://www.conservatree.org/learn/Essential%20Issues/EIBuyers.shtml
Celery Design San Francisco’s Ecological Guide to Paper
http://www.celerydesign.com/paper/matrix.html
Wikipedia article on paper recycling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_recycling
[1] Source: Treecycle.com: about recycling and recycled paper, http://www.treecycle.com/recycling.html
Recipe of the Month
Eggplant Puttanesca
1 tbsp olive oil
3 gloves garlic, chopped roughly
1 red onion, chopped roughly
1 tsp capers
1/2 head of celery (or 1 celery heart), chopped
12 stuffed queen olives (green, with pimientos), chopped roughly
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4" wedges
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans (liquid included)
1/2 bottle (about 2 cups) merlot or burgundy wine
1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce (or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, although Sriracha is nicer)
1 tsp dry thyme
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
sauté red onion, celery, capers, olives and garlic in olive oil for about five minutes. Add eggplant and zucchini and sauté for about five more minutes. Add wine and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes until alcohol is cooked out. Add tomatoes, kidney beans, thyme and Sriracha and continue cooking for about 20 more minutes until some of the liquid evaporates. Finish with salt and pepper to taste and fresh basil. Serve over pasta or green onion polenta (recipe below).
Green Onion Polenta
3 cups water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup grated romano cheese
1 cup coarse-ground cornmeal (also called "grits")
Heat water and salt to boil in a medium saucepan and add cornmeal slowly, whisking as you go. Continue to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add cheese and onions at the end of cooking. When mixture is very thick (it should only take about 5-10 minutes or so), pour into a long tupperware container or glass pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Refrigerate until cool, about 1-2 hours. After mixture has cooled and set (it should be firm), cut into patties and fry in olive or peanut oil until both sides are brown.