Green Gift Guide: Part 2

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Step away from the fruitcake and Chia pets. Instead, give a gift that shows you care about your giftee and Mother Earth, too. Here are some more eco-friendly gift giving options with a local twist.

Check out the Downtown Holiday Market for an assortment of handmade gifts from local craftspeople such as functional wall art made from recycled materials and vintage images.

On December 13th, warm up with a soup tasting from Souper Girl at Greater Goods and stock up on eco-friendly goods and wrapping paper.

Give the gift of food with Oceanaire’s “Sustainable Feast of the Seven Fishes.” Chef Klink’s holiday feast showcases sustainable, seasonal and local ingredients including U.S.-farmed Australis Barramundi and Sherry Crab Bisque.

Zoom zoom. Or should we say “zip, zip”? With a Zipcar gift certificate you can give the gift of a BMW, Volvo or a Mini Cooper (well, sorta) while cutting down on pollution and car consumption at the same time.

Happy Holidays!

–GG DC

Organic Tea Time

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

The cold beverage choices available today are astounding. You’ve got your old standbys (bottled water, fizzy water, seltzer, soda, and mass-marketed iced-teas like Snapple and Lipton) as well as a bevvy of “natural” options including juices, smoothies, and Kombucha. But rarely do you find a company in our very own backyard that makes 100% organic drinks. Enter Tizane, a DC-based company founded by Charlie and Nona Pucciariello a little less than a year ago.

After traveling to more than 90 countries, the Pucciariellos returned to the U.S. and were amazed to discover that they weren’t able to find botanical-infused beverages that were similar to what they had enjoyed during their travels. And so, a company was born.

The focus of the Tizane line is on purity, flavor, and balance. Each blend–Jasmine, Hibiscus, and Lemongrass–is slowly steeped in small batches to bring out the full flavor of high quality botanicals. In addition, the beverages are sweetened with blue agave nectar, which has a lower glycemic rating than sugar and doesn’t elevate insulin levels.

I tried the Hibiscus flavor and found it light and refreshing, as well as pleasantly, but not overly, sweet. At just 80 calories for 12 ounces, it’s also significantly better for the waistline than many other drinks in the non-diet bottled iced tea category.

You can stock up on Tizane at Cowgirl Creamery, Java Green, Sticky Fingers Bakery, and many other local cafes and food establishments in and around DC.

Cathal Armstrong’s Green Cuisine

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Check out this article by Jane Black in the Washington Post’s Food section, which profiles the green efforts of Chef Cathal Armstrong, who, along with his wife Meshelle, run the acclaimed Restaurant Eve, the Majestic, Eamonn’s fish and chips shop, and PX.

Here’s are the highlights of the Armstrong’s eco-practices:

  • a wormery produces enough organic fertilizer for Restaurant Eve’s garden.
  • bottled water has been banned from the restaurants; instead, a water filtration system supplies fresh, filtered water for free to patrons.
  • tinted skylights cut the restaurant’s energy costs by 88%.
  • the seasonal menu showcases vegetables from the restaurant’s own garden.
  • a composter processes food refuse and other organic waste.
  • a company called Smarter Fuel picks up the kitchen grease and turns it into biofuel.
  • all cleansers used at the restaurant are non-toxic and biodegradable.

Looking for other dining destinations that make green a priority?  Check out this list of eco-friendly restaurants around DC.

Ellwood Thompson’s is Coming to Columbia Heights

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Columbia Heights has gone through many dramatic changes over the last few years, not the least of which is the development of the DC USA complex at 14th and U. And while Target is all fine and good, I am far more excited by the recent news that Ellwood Thompson’s, Virginia’s largest independent natural grocery, will soon be my neighbor. Well, soon is a slight exaggeration. They are scheduled to open in fall/winter 2009.

Ellwood Thompson sets itself apart from other large grocery stores by not allowing products with trans-fats, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, or GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). Plus, during peak growing season, more than 1/3 of their produce is locally grown. ET Is also committed to stocking free-range and organic meat, fish, and poultry from nearby farms like Polyface, and its hotbar features fare from local ethnic restaurants.

There’s no guarantee that Ellwood Thompson’s will be any easier on the ‘ol wallet than Whole Paycheck, but one can hope.

Organic Donuts. No, Really.

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Mmmm….organic donuts. Perhaps an oxymoron, but I’m a fan. You can get your hands on these little bundles of fried doughy goodness at the Carpe Donut mobile in Charlottesville, VA. Owners Matt Rohdie and Jen Downey dreamed up the divine fried dough creations as a way to combine their restaurant and entrepreneurial experience into the perfect food-on-wheels business. And to this, I say “Bravo”!

The donuts are made from organic apple cider, eggs, flour, and non-hydrogenated soybean oil. Simple. Organic. And addictive. From personal experience at a recent Smashing Pumpkins concert, I can attest to their crispy-on-the-outside, tender and cakey on the inside deliciousness.

You’ll find the Carpe Donut mobile (aka Gypsy) doling out apple cider donuts, organic coffee, fresh mulled hot cider and cioccolata at Charlottesville’s downtown mall on Friday mornings, at the mall’s pavilion during concerts and events, and at regional festivals.

Funnel cake, watch your back.