Back in the sixties, if someone was considered “green”, it could imply they were woefully naive; not necessarily a complement, especially in those iconoclastic times. In the spendthrift nineties, “green” was often used as a descriptive word meaning jealous, as: “Eddy was green with envy coveting his neighbor’s Hummer”.
Today, if someone is considered to be “green”, especially in Ann Arbor, it’s a huge compliment and usually means they support the environment in thought, word and action.
Using this definition, my friends Donna and Jack are two of the “greenest” people I know. In fact, they’re so “green”, I’m surprised the perennial leaves in front of their LEED-certified sustainable home have lost their color in the late December snow.
Donna has been a close friend since 1977. She’s a no-pretense kind of a person: What you see is what you get. And what you get is all good, especially if you’re lucky enough to be invited to dinner at her house.
For them, sustainable living is not a trend but a lifestyle, which includes supporting local businesses whenever possible.
Donna’s dinner menu was the perfect example and included Arctic Char, purchased from Plum Market, freshly baked bread from local bread artisan, Jeff Renner, and eggplant slices liberally brushed with locally-produced Kenzoil before baking. Donna purchased the bread and Kenzoil from Arbor Farms.
Donna recommends serving the fish with your favorite tartar sauce. She made hers from scratch adding fresh dill, chopped onion, mustard and capers to a homemade mayonnaise. Salmon or ruby trout fillets may be substituted for arctic char.
(Coming tomorrow & not to be missed: Donna’s Eggnog Custard)
