tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84715026427529820722012-02-16T20:27:01.815-06:00The Print Chef was created to share cooking, printing and marketing tips. Each post will provide useful information that educates on print, marketing and other related topics in a fun way by the use of cooking examples, demonstrations and comparisons.Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.comBlogger571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-50849651851724005132011-06-19T20:36:00.000-05:002011-06-19T20:36:14.753-05:00

If a recipe calls for a measuring of salt, very rarely is it ever a good idea to add all of it in the beginning.  Cooking is a delicate process that requires continual attention and tasting along the way.  Adding too much salt to a recipe is an easy way to overpower a dish and unfortunately, you can't take that salt away. When you cook, you should salt as you go.  If you finish cooking and your

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-16413315795938331262011-05-10T18:37:00.000-05:002011-05-10T18:37:08.421-05:00

Paint a Picture - If you had to paint a picture of your existing customers, what would they look like?  What environment would you draw around them in your picture?  Mail to that picture. Are your customers young, in hip clothing and hanging out in coffee shops or would they perhaps be sitting by a lake in plain clothing, feeding the ducks?  Understanding who your customers are demographically

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-65944461002939799652011-02-28T11:07:00.000-06:002011-02-28T11:07:19.278-06:00

"The temptation to quit will be the greatest just before you are about to succeed."  - Chinese Proverb The temptation to quit was never more real than for Bob Parsons, the head and founder of The Go Daddy Group, Inc, just a decade ago. In a recent interview with Paul Anderson, writer of 50 Entrepreneurs, Bob Parsons revealed that he almost gave up on Go Daddy back in 1999. While today Go Daddy

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-74373024631228447802011-02-17T10:01:00.000-06:002011-02-17T10:01:53.216-06:00

In a recent interview with Success Magazine (click here to read the article), John Schnatter, founder and CEO of the pizza giant Papa John’s, was quoted as saying “Everything we do, we try to do it just a little bit better, and that costs money. We’re willing to pay up. I bet, on average, our competitors can make a pizza for 2 bucks. That same pizza will cost us $3-plus. But that extra dollar is

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-52956303187070118452011-02-08T10:30:00.000-06:002011-02-08T10:30:56.088-06:00

With internet users receiving an average of over 100 emails a day, it is no wonder that so many people are adverse to email advertisements. Advertisements occupy a majority of the emails we receive on a daily basis and even the messages we opt in for and ask to be sent, start to seem like spam after awhile. Groupon, a deal of the day website, has amazingly been able to flood subscriber inboxes

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-70125694470186179262011-02-03T18:41:00.000-06:002011-02-03T18:41:28.997-06:00

Photo From Flickr by Lee Coursey Recently I was listening to a music producer give a speech on the current economic climate of the music industry and they said something that really got me thinking about customer service in restaurants. They said that in Nashville, if you work in the music business, you should always leave good tips for your waiters. The reasoning? Behind every one of them,

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-6828765678682835462011-02-01T18:31:00.001-06:002011-02-01T20:22:56.198-06:00

Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson Rework is a business book that every manager and entrepreneur should read.  It written merely as a collection of thoughts on a variety of topics such as productivity to branding and the result is a book that shows you how to build, run and grow a business. The wealth of knowledge this book contains should cost a fortune to learn.  I have never

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-17409068543497051042011-01-25T19:27:00.000-06:002011-01-25T19:27:50.499-06:00

Arrested Development was a television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz that aired on FOX between 2003 and 2006. In 2006, the FOX Broadcasting Company cancelled the show much the chagrin of their fan base. Despite the show's raving reviews (listed in 2007 as one of Time magazines "100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME") and multiple awards (six Emmy's & one Golden Globe), "the story about a wealthy

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-34631541684348672342011-01-21T11:22:00.001-06:002011-01-21T11:24:28.489-06:00

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding: How to Build a Product or Service into a World-Class Brand by Al Ries and Laura Ries I recently stumbled upon this book written almost ten years ago and after finishing it, I was amazed at how well these "22 laws" still hold true for modern day business. The common sense approach that this book takes to branding speaks more to the overall strategy and mission

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-71417067273850916832011-01-18T10:08:00.000-06:002011-01-18T10:08:15.930-06:00

Photo from Flickr by _rockinfree If you are a frequenter of fast food establishments, you've probably noticed an increased presence and growing popularity for the franchise Chick-fil-A.  Chick-fil-A, a chicken focused chain, has not only become a popular chicken restaurant, they have become the best drive through in America. QSR Magazine's annual Drive-Thru Performance Study has consistently,

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-86851362239295676892011-01-17T14:05:00.000-06:002011-01-17T14:05:04.052-06:00

Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life Written By: Winifred Gallagher Rapt is an exploration of how attention plays such a crucial role in the quality of your life. The idea that what you choose to pay attention to shapes your life is the theme of the book as it explores the impact attention has on productivity, decisions, creativity, relationships, happiness and health. Rapt supports its claims

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-24490230976306474252011-01-10T17:24:00.000-06:002011-01-10T17:24:38.996-06:00

Starbucks recently launched a change in their logo to celebrate their 40th anniversary (see the new logo here). Whether you are a fan of the giant coffee chain or not, it seems that Starbucks has lost site of the power of their name. By removing their name from the logo, they are removing the most important part of their business, their brand. For Starbucks, their brand is completely represented

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-72655406412394866532011-01-05T09:47:00.000-06:002011-01-05T09:47:44.145-06:00

An artisan is an old Italian word used to describe a manual laborer of a specific craft or trade who produces items by hand through the use of skill and creativity. The creation of these goods through a non-standardized process and by the hands of the worker, makes each product unique. This labor intensive and imperfect process is what gives artisanal products their charm, unlike mass produced

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-23666908014883285952010-12-30T08:52:00.000-06:002010-12-30T08:52:54.523-06:00

 Photo from Flickr by Neeta Lind  Every year, right around the winter holidays, people all over the world set New Year's Day resolutions for themselves. The combination of an individual's deepest desires, hopes and dreams, forge into an idea, or a resolution and commitment to a particular goal. "This is the year that I'll finally..." The beginning days of January

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-44833333373581141872010-12-15T11:20:00.000-06:002010-12-15T11:20:58.983-06:00

Selecting a meal at a fine dining establishment is often an arduous task that requires a great deal of food knowledge. The menu never contains pictures and you have to interpret the meal through the written language of food. This is no easy task either as these restaurants are less likely to use descriptors such as tender or juicy, instead opting for a basic collection of ingredients to identify

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-26822057883990518852010-12-08T17:58:00.000-06:002010-12-08T17:58:28.555-06:00

The holidays are the perfect time to express your love for family and friends. Many people do this through the simple act of a greeting card. Whether you send a card in the mail or digitally through an e-card, greeting cards are an excellent and affordable way to solidify and strengthen bonds. For those iPad and iPhone users, I have assembled this list of the top greeting card apps. I included

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-75497479711673665662010-12-01T11:26:00.000-06:002010-12-01T11:26:14.137-06:00

On the steps of the Duomo in Florence, Italy In late September, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit Italy for the first time and see Rome, Florence and Venice. For foodies like us, this was the trip of a lifetime. I can still vividly recount almost every hour of the week long journey and I'm currently working on a Blurb photo book to help capture the memory. Between all three cities,

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-69421800164634549662010-11-23T13:07:00.000-06:002010-11-23T13:07:15.006-06:00

Is what you want to hear different than what you need to hear? One of the biggest problems in business communications, is that too many people are out there screaming yes. We call them yes men. Yes offers immediate gratification and seems harmless at the time but often results in future peril. No requires discipline and the ability to think clearly. Yes is easy. No is hard. People sabotage

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-68691938901437320942010-11-19T08:51:00.000-06:002010-11-19T08:51:27.298-06:00

Marketing and advertising has been increasingly over produced for many years. The mass production of media means that consumers give less time and attention to advertisements. The supply of marketing is greater than the demand given to it and the bubble is bursting on ineffective forms of communication. Total customization or the ability to create a unique experience for each and every consumer

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-51909057791950206822010-10-29T10:34:00.001-05:002010-10-29T13:34:26.848-05:00

In life we wear masks. These masks are of all shapes and sizes and they hide our true, authentic self. Think about it, everyday... ...a salesman is making a promise they know they can't deliver on. ...a company is re-branding just to re-brand (GAP). ...an employee is working to build and promote a product they don't believe in. ...a printer is lying to themselves about the effects of e-readers

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-53668446474961391842010-10-21T08:56:00.001-05:002010-10-21T08:56:52.430-05:00

Have you ever cooked in such a way that requires you to arrange your food on a baking sheet in different directions just to achieve the best fit? Think about a time where you were trying to fit strips of chicken on a pan or pieces of dough like the touloubakia pictured above. When you try to fit as many in that pan as you can, sometimes you might turn a couple at the top or side in a different

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-33877347012549986322010-09-15T09:20:00.002-05:002010-09-15T09:27:53.710-05:00

When you think of digital printing, typically what comes to mind is low quantity, customizable, short turn around and on demand printing. With fixed material and digital per click rates, that idea is that if you want to print highly variable and versioned pieces then you better keep the quantity small or resort to printing offset and creating the variable message through a lasering or inkjet

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-16544395567614762022010-09-09T12:55:00.003-05:002011-01-10T14:00:18.811-06:00

A sommelier is a trained expert on everything to do with wine. They are extremely knowledgeable individuals that understand all aspects of taste and how these tastes will pair with an entire menu of food. Among other things, a sommelier might build a wine list for a restaurant, create suggestions for wines that complement particular foods and assign wine ratings. Any person who has a great

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-28768142403428362572010-09-03T10:51:00.005-05:002010-09-04T09:10:37.638-05:00

Entrance to Printer's Alley On the popular Travel Channel show No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain explores the globe in seek of food that defines the culinary habits and culture of people living in foreign countries throughout the world. As a viewer, this show offers a fresh look at the real way that others eat and live their lives. Within the spirit of No Reservations and in the mind of a

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-34689951777626944302010-08-23T13:44:00.000-05:002010-08-23T13:44:14.392-05:00

It is said that Americans are exposed to over 5000 advertisements per day. This number rises every year and it is really astonishing if you stop to think about it. Assuming we are awake only a span of 16 hours that equates to roughly five advertisements per minutes. When I started sales I was told I needed to develop a 30-second commercial. However, at five advertisements per minute, it seems

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-11761871289141603292010-08-10T10:42:00.001-05:002010-08-27T09:13:57.356-05:00

How sticky and absorbent is paper?  If you are producing a print project that the end-user will need to write on, then you need to make sure you select a paper that soaks up ink.  This scenario and consideration is a common occurrence in printing.  One thing I do to help people remember how to choose their paper is to site the frying pan/skillet example. Non-stick pans have a coating on the

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-53220181681907353882010-08-04T13:23:00.000-05:002010-08-04T13:23:17.725-05:00

Avoid large solids on the fold marks to reduce the noticeability of cracking. Heavy ink coverage along the spine/fold is important for thicker stocks, especially in instances with toner-based digital printing. Toner sits on top of a sheet and doesn’t absorb into the paper. When the paper folds, the fibers pull apart at the fold (crack) and while all printing can show the presence of cracking,

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-30449623142333931322010-07-28T11:53:00.001-05:002010-07-28T11:55:13.864-05:00

Choose the printer, then design. Chances are, each printer can provide you a list (and samples) of digital paper stocks they commonly run that work well for their particular presses. These may be different from printer to printer so it is important to know what stock works well for your printer.  What type of color reproduction can you expect? Can your printer provide you with a digital chart

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-82422683748460196042010-07-21T13:02:00.003-05:002010-07-22T08:58:00.865-05:00

Over the past few years, there has been a growing popularity in organic food. This has stemmed from the increased knowledge the public has on how our food is made and where it comes from.  One of the primary reasons for the push to organic options is the food industry's production of genetically engineered foods. Genetic engineering takes the genetics of one organism and puts it into something

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-3738057732656504862010-07-07T15:21:00.006-05:002010-07-07T15:27:40.024-05:00

Sell By ... Just about every food and beverage product you buy has an expiration date. The sell by date is the point of no return, where the perceived quality and safety of the product can not be guaranteed.  Often times when this date has passed, the physical and sensory properties of the food change.  An odor is present, mold is detected or the food/beverage changes color.  As food and

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-28534825188497812382010-06-24T17:19:00.001-05:002010-06-24T17:21:36.784-05:00

If you are familiar with this blog, then you know that I often try to compare cooking and printing techniques.  I compare the two because most people understand cooking and food basics but not so much with printing. On the surface, cooking and printing have nothing to do with each other.  However, despite these differences, there are many instances that utilize food directly in print and vice

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-39536434457199705912010-06-17T16:47:00.002-05:002010-06-29T14:36:36.505-05:00

Trust in Advertising - Printing and Marketing Trends It is no secret that people trust advertisers less and less every year.  We’d rather hear the opinion of a friend or go online to see what other people are saying about a product.  This has caused an increase in grass root marketing efforts as well as the need to communicate through social media.  Traditional advertising, including print, is

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-56823155805693461532010-06-10T14:36:00.000-05:002010-06-10T14:36:32.941-05:00

Why use direct mail?  Isn’t this form of advertising going extinct?  With the world becoming more digitized every day, one might think so.  However, every month you receive direct mail from the same companies over and over again.  Banks and insurance companies constantly flood your mailbox.  Do you think these companies would keep repeatedly sending the same offer in the mail if they weren’t

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-71528122878160182092010-06-03T17:09:00.018-05:002010-06-04T16:12:55.825-05:00

Recently I had the opportunity to attend the Emerge conference with a customer I work with. Emerge is a 2-day event covering the latest in print innovation and technology. Held in San Antonio, Emerge 2010 attracted over 750 print suppliers, customers and Consolidated Graphics (NYSE:CGX) leaders who collaborated to propel the industry forward. As an employee of Consolidated Graphics,

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-71279542416733918412010-05-27T17:46:00.012-05:002010-06-04T16:14:02.233-05:00

Adding seasoning or a marinade to meat, fish or a vegetable is a great way to tenderize it and add a little flavor. These coatings, add a characteristic to your food that you just can't achieve by cooking without them. Even a chef will add at the least a little salt and pepper to a filet! It's fair to say that coatings add complexity and enhance the overall taste, smell and visual

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-6536495728724109922010-05-14T17:13:00.001-05:002010-05-14T17:16:09.304-05:00

Art, in its many forms, has a number of definitions and meanings. Often the result of a human's ability to produce work that evokes emotion and heightens our senses, art in all its beauty, is still in the eye of the beholder. Art is completely subjective which makes us appreciate it when it actually moves us.One of the most famous cookbooks of all time is Mastering the Art of French Cooking (

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-23893983609144745752010-05-05T14:29:00.013-05:002010-05-10T12:36:47.418-05:00

When using knives in the kitchen, you are more likely to hurt yourself with a dull blade. This is because you're applying more pressure which causes you to be less stable with the knife. In addition to the safety benefit, a sharp blade will save you time by cutting the food faster. Also, it allows you to make equal and consistent cuts that ensures your food cooks evenly and looks more

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-23357727984226892542010-04-29T17:47:00.001-05:002010-05-03T14:38:47.047-05:00

Some of the most memorable experiences you will have in your lifetime will take place over a meal in a restaurant. For some, this would include a wedding rehearsal dinner or a first date. For others, these experiences might be the excitement of dining out on a vacation or when your friends and family get together for a holiday feast. Rarely though, will the great meals and moments of your life

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-42358866930742607122010-04-13T18:25:00.011-05:002010-04-14T18:56:21.365-05:00

In the April 2010 issue of Deliver Magazine, an article on the future of marketing to different generational groups, discusses the 100 million Americans who are classified as Generation Y – aka the “Millennials” – which have replaced the 78 million baby boomers as the largest consumer group. Generation (Gen) Y, born from 1985 to 2004, are Internet savvy, environmentally conscientious and adverse

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-36618961402263074442010-04-05T14:18:00.005-05:002010-04-05T14:27:43.572-05:00

On the popular TV cooking show Iron Chef America, different chefs from around the world are chosen to compete head-to-head against an Iron Chef in a cooking battle. The participating chefs must choose their competitor, one of the Iron Chefs who are the best of the best – featuring chefs such as Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto or Cat Cora. The show features dramatics that make it

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-25464998215288071732010-03-15T21:28:00.007-05:002010-03-16T13:50:42.021-05:00

I was reading Deliver Magazine recently and noticed a feature on marketing through product sampling where one company has taken the concept to a new level. We have all been drawn to free samples in a grocery store and often are enticed into buying that sampled product. This promotion however has always been limited to an in-the-store experience. Well a new technology called Peel ‘n Taste® was

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-49669164642859192612010-03-10T23:01:00.007-06:002010-03-12T10:46:56.842-06:00

Buying a maillist doesn't have to be a complicated process. Anyone can do it. Answer the questions below and you'll be well on your way to starting a direct mail campaign. Then, check out the video for a quick overview on how to go about purchasing a maillist. Who are my customers?Are they businesses?- Are they large or small businesses?- What industry are they in?- How many years have

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-80678564377887559852010-03-01T12:18:00.001-06:002010-03-01T12:21:21.048-06:00

When you make bread, one of the first steps is proofing the yeast. You do this to ensure the yeast is active (or living) and thus will enable the bread to rise. If the yeast is dead, your bread will not rise and the finished product will resemble a rock. To proof yeast you dissolve in warm water (not too hot as yeast dies at 140 degrees), mix with a pinch of sugar and wait a few minutes for

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-22308800622507695062010-02-12T12:07:00.014-06:002010-02-16T13:32:46.984-06:00

We have all heard about the dangers of cross contamination and why it is important to wash your hands so frequently when cooking. That isn't the only thing we have to wash though - think about all those fruits and vegetables we cook and eat? With fruits and vegetables, we rinse them with water so we can get any pesticides and herbicides off our food. With meat and poultry, we frequently

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-30262432036429861952010-02-04T09:41:00.008-06:002010-02-04T09:55:14.791-06:00

Would you eat blueberries while wearing an expensive white shirt or dress? Sure they may taste great, but they are exceedingly messy and stain everything they come in contact with. This is a characteristic similar to the rubbing results found in the printing of pantone color Reflex Blue. Reflex Blue is very common, as it is used to build a number of different PMS colors. However, the chemical

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-71350220839011973482010-01-04T13:54:00.010-06:002010-01-20T11:17:47.317-06:00

For those of you who follow The Print Chef I would like to inform you that Courier Printing has just finished up our 2010 desk calendar. The unique thing about this year's calendar is that every photo used was submitted by a Courier Printing Employee. From Pressmen, to the Estimators (and even the me the Print Chef) all submitted photos to truly make this a company calendar.If you would like a

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-48478780468151401952009-12-16T11:47:00.005-06:002009-12-16T18:24:13.237-06:00

Cool title, eh? Does this prepare you for something completely original? Well I should say mostly original as I've covered Post Consumer Waste paper in a past issue. Wait, since I'm just including web links of other people's ideas, it should be even less original than that. Okay, so before I dive into this, let's rename this post to The 10% Original Blog Post. Sorry for my diatribe, but it

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-52894431031064435642009-11-24T12:34:00.006-06:002009-12-16T11:44:04.240-06:00

I was making bread yesterday from scratch and things didn’t turn out so well. I had just purchased a new food processor and was excited to test it out. After puting the mixed liquid (water, sugar and yeast) into the processor I was ready to add my flour mixture. Little did I know that my food processor would automatically drain the liquid from the mixing bowl if the levels rose to high. With

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-1591325264006493212009-11-16T14:13:00.008-06:002009-12-16T11:45:48.599-06:00

This past Thanksgiving, many of you gathered together with your friends and family to enjoy your favorite holiday recipes. Now with those recipes fresh in your mind, why not use this opportunity to create something truly unique: a cookbook that contains all of your family's favorite recipes. With tools such as Blurb, Lulu and Taste Book, you can design from scratch a customized cookbook. After

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-47841580655275518702009-10-15T09:49:00.006-05:002009-10-20T12:43:40.191-05:00

It doesn't matter if you are warehousing a catalog or putting your leftovers in a safe container to freeze, the decision to store food and printed materials is usually based on convenience, money and emergencies. You want the option of having your print project available to ship at a moment's notice in the same way last night's dinner can conveniently become today's lunch. You want to get print

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-88797625593576088672009-09-17T22:34:00.011-05:002009-09-21T13:56:07.871-05:00

Have you ever noticed how certain recipes always ask you to pat your poultry or fish down dry after rinsing it with water? We do this exercise but why? The reason for this is because oil and water just don't mix. If you wash a piece of chicken by running it through water and do not dry the chicken before adding oil, the water will repel the oil. If you pat the chicken dry it will be more

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-13117009045507102942009-09-14T13:10:00.003-05:002009-09-17T23:07:25.743-05:00

In the world of web printing, the web roll is pulled through an oven to dry the ink to the paper. This is done to take advantage of in-line finishing that a web press is capable of. As the form leaves the oven, it is completely dry and ready to be folded. While this creates efficiencies and cost savings, it can also result in an unattractive phenomenon called web growth. Have you ever seen a

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-54346045549887566042009-09-14T13:00:00.003-05:002009-09-14T13:06:10.452-05:00

While dishes can be used in a microwave, avoid placing dishes that have silver or gold trim (metal) in the microwave.Before starting any meal where the oven is in use, the first step should always be pre-heating. Convection ovens cook much faster and more evenly. Because of this, it is usually necessary to cook at a lower temperature or for less time than the recipe asks for (Most restaurants

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-39619578328884466922009-06-11T12:16:00.003-05:002009-09-14T13:06:35.580-05:00

Score (verb) - a crease in a sheet of heavyweight paper to facilitate folding. Why is this important? If you are printing on thick stock, scoring will help prevent cracking. Cracking occurs along the fold as small white paper fibers appear and look as if the inked image is tearing apart at the spine. Think in 4's. While a printer can do a number of varying folds, in most cases only page

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-18190575372394032222009-06-11T12:12:00.003-05:002009-09-14T13:05:42.161-05:00

Beaten egg whites are folded into batter to create a light and fluffy texture. When you beat egg whites until their color turns white, you create air bubbles. The purpose of folding is to retain those air bubbles in the batter mixture. Because the beaten eggs can settle rather quickly and the bubbles can go away, make sure all other ingredients are already mixed in and that this is your last

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-39564790119895998022009-05-12T09:58:00.005-05:002009-09-14T13:07:15.214-05:00

The preparation that you put into a meal is just as important as cooking the meal. Good prep makes cooking easy.When de-frosting meat, poultry or fish I have found that it is more effective to place the frozen food in a leak proof plastic bag and put this in a sink filled with hot water. It de-thaws much more evenly than a microwave will. For most recipes, chopping your vegetables should be one

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8471502642752982072.post-55771134329482229862009-05-12T09:53:00.004-05:002009-09-14T13:07:34.833-05:00

Prep work consists of various steps in a printer's prepress department. There are thousands of different topics on prepress so in the interest of your valuable time I will focus on merely one: alteration charges. Many of you have been hit with excessive alteration charges at some juncture in your printing lives. Often times you don't know about it until you receive the invoice. That is why it

Hef Matthewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663954259059411402noreply@blogger.com0