Release party for "The Portland Bottom Line", a community benefit project

On Tuesday, November 10, 2010, a party, to celebrate the book release of  “The Portland Bottom Line: Practices for Your Small Business from America’s Hotbed of Sustainability”, was held at the Mercy Corps building, in downtown Portland, The collaboration, edited by Peter Korchnak and Megan Strand,  is a compilation of short value based personal stories by 51 Portland small business entrepreneurs. They discuss why and how they came to integrate a variety of highly creative sustainable business practices into their work. 

Some story contributors donated delectable party refreshments for the event. And Mercy Corps Northwest employed some of their client businesses to prepare additional treats. Included were vegan mushroom bruschetta, spinach pepper jack frittata, maple frosted waffles with bacon, cherry chocolate chip cookies, browned butter sage pumpkin bread, and a variety of wine and other beverages. 

Story contributors collectively chose, by vote, to donate all profits from sale of the book to a local community organization. And Mercy Corps Northwest was elected as the recipient. Mercy Corps Northwest promotes economic development in Oregon and Washington by providing counseling, small loans and grants to low-income entrepreneurs. Therefore, it seems a perfect organization to benefit from the book sales.

This motivational compilation provides insight into creative ideas for “doing well by doing good” and could be an inspirational (and inexpensive) gift this holiday season. Books are being sold through Lulu.com. To purchase books for one or all of your friends (remember, profits go to Mercy Corps Northwest), please click on the link.

The party attendees raved about this original recipe for Jezebel and chevre tartlets. With the holidays ahead, this easy to prepare appetizer will make an equally positive impression on your family and friends.

Jezebel Chevre Tartlets

Jezebel Sauce ingredients:

12 ounces juice packed crushed pineapple, drained

9-10 ounces organic all fruit apricot jam or spread

4 ounces extra hot prepared white horseradish

3 tablespoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon coarsely fresh ground black pepper

Jezebel Sauce directions:

Combine drained crushed pineapple, apricot jam, horseradish, dry mustard and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well. Store in refrigerator in clean glass canning jar with lid. Allow Jezebel sauce to age, in refrigerator at least 24 hours before using. Sauce keeps well, refrigerated, for at least 2 weeks and may be served in Jezebel chevre tartlets,  with poultry, ham, on sandwiches or poured over softened cream cheese as a spread for crackers.

 Cream Cheese Pastry ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon fine raw sugar

1 cup cold cream cheese

1 cup cold unsalted butter

 Cream Cheese Pastry directions:

Pour flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of a large food processor, cut cream cheese and butter into 6 chunks each and add to processor bowl. Pulse several times; when ingredients appear mixed, process until dough holds together. Remove dough from bowl; form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.* When ready to bake tartlets, remove pastry from refrigerator and form into 48 1-inch balls of dough. Press the dough balls into tartlet pans, pressing up sides to form a hollow for filling after baking. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven on middle rack, 20-25 minutes. Check tartlet shells after 20 minutes. Remove if edges and bottoms are lightly golden (it’s easy to remove a shell to peak at bottoms. If shells aren’t done, return them to oven for five minutes or until golden on edges and bottoms. Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove from pans and turn upside down on cooling racks until thoroughly cooled. 

*If refrigerating dough more than 15 minutes before baking, allow it to soften at room temperature about 15 minutes before baking. Bake within 24 hours.

Chevre Filling ingredients :

8 ounces Chevre goat cheese

4 ounces cream cheese

Chevre Filling directions:

Bring cheese to room temperature (softened). Mash cheeses together and whisk or beat with a large spoon until smooth and well blended. Fill hollows of tartlet shells with cheese mixture, filling hollows completely but level on top. Top the cheese with about ½ to ¾ teaspoon Jezebel sauce. Garnish tray with fresh, washed and towel dried herbs.