There is now discussion as to whether we need to rethink the rules (since chocolate truffles don’t fit under the “guac” category) which currently state that the base ingredient should be avocados. Our Interactive Designer Zak Orner says changing the rules would stifle creativity, and after all, we are a creative firm!

Watch video of the fun below:

Chocolate Avocado Truffles with Chives, Pink Peppercorns and a Cinnamon Crisp

Chocolate Truffle
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 large very ripe avocados, peeled and pit removed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups Hershey’s baking cocoa (unsweetened)
3 cups powdered sugar

Decorations
Hershey’s Special Dark baking cocoa (unsweetened)
Hershey’s Milk chocolate icing (melted)
Fresh chives
Pink peppercorns
Cinnamon Crisp (Store bought crescent rolls, rolled flat and covered in butter and cinnamon sugar. Follow baking directions on the package, cool and cut into small triangles)
Small paper cups (optional)

Directions

• In a medium sized bowl, mix together vanilla extract, baking cocoa and powdered sugar.
• In a medium sized sauce pan, melt butter over low heat.
• In a food processor, mix melted butter and avocado together until smooth and there are no chunks of avocado left.
• Return butter and avocado mixture to sauce pan and slowly incorporate vanilla, cocoa and sugar mixture.
• Place truffle batter in the freezer for 2 – 4 hours or until set enough to roll into balls.
• Using a melon baller, small ice cream scoop or your hands, roll out balls approximately 3/4” in size. Immediately roll truffle in Hershey’s Special Dark baking cocoa. Place into individual paper cups. (This keeps storage container from getting chocolate all over it!) Return to freezer or refrigerator if the truffle batter gets too soft to form balls.
• To decorate, use melted chocolate icing as “glue” to hold 2 small chive pieces and 1 peppercorn in place. Place one cinnamon crisp per truffle in the paper cups.
• Refrigerate until ready to enjoy!

At Sandstorm Design, we know our way around an avocado, but we’re also pretty good with the web too! Find out how we can help you with our unique blend of strategy, marketing, web design and usability services.

SD: What are your thoughts on the advancement of typography on the web?

PM: I definitely think it’s exciting because it brings a lot of basic options and beauty to the web. Typography can really enhance or kill a design and so its nice that we have a growing range of options to implement cool type and even better control over how it looks in general…The more control designers have, the better off the end result is.

SD: On the same topic of control, what do you think of the social media APIs and widgets that designers might not have as much design control over?

PM: Yeah, like the standard Facebook box that just looks like total poo…You can add a Facebook “Like” button in any way you want. It can look any way you want. But if you want to put that flow of what people are saying, then you’re a little stuck because it’s just ugly. I think sometimes it’s about tradeoffs. And sometimes it’s about how far you go to program something to make it just look awesome.

SD: What is an issue the web design industry has yet to solve, that you would like to see web designers tackle?

PM: The biggest shift, even as a result of the whole responsive design movement, is just fully accepting that the web is not print. For how many years have we worked our butts off to make a web site render the exact same across all browsers? And responsive design blows this up because all of the sudden you’ve got tablets, you’re thinking about netbooks different, and you’ve got smartphones, and you’re even thinking about people seeing it on their TV. All of the sudden, by the basic definition of it, you’re required to not think that it’s going to look the same everywhere.

In that sense, it’s not print. You print a brochure or a business card—you can print 10,000 copies—it doesn’t matter what you do, where you go, its going to look the same. I think that’s probably the biggest thing I see people moving past in this time in the web, really forcing that issue.

So I’ll be glad if everybody else gets on board and just accepts that things look different in different interfaces or devices. We just have to embrace each of them for the opportunity that they create.

SD: Would you say that’s the web design industry’s biggest success recently?

PM: I think that combined with some of the advancements in typography. They have really been potent. Because when you think about displaying the same site in multiple ways and then you combine that with better techniques for controlling typography and less need for images, or even for sIFR where you’re replacing it with Flash. The more that happens in the browser it just means that you can cater those things to individual devices better…I think we’re seeing pretty powerful results.

———–

We really enjoyed talking with Patrick McNeil, and are looking forward to the release of the Designer’s Web Handbook. At Sandstorm Design, we work as a team to create powerful brand experiences supported by user research and a strategic marketing approach. We’ll help you stay ahead of the curve with custom web solutions that are one step ahead of your competition.

SD: You’ve been following design trends for a long time. Which ones do you believe have the strongest staying power?

PM: [The trends with the strongest staying power] are definitely ones that aren’t trends any more, they’re just normal ways of doing anything. I guess at some point in the history of the web putting the logo in the top left was a trend, and then it just sort of became the norm. One that you noticed popped out a couple years ago—I always called it the pitch—on a homepage you have this nice, clear, bold text that basically sums up what a site does. At some point people started doing that and now it’s just what you do so that people know what the heck they’re looking at… This new trend became a norm and now it’s a fundamental part of every site.

SD: Are there any trends that you don’t like, that bother you?

PM: [Laughs] Yeah, every trend kind of goes through that for me. For example in the whole web 2.0 craze everybody was putting badges on their sites—those little starry badges—and it was kind of like, God that’s annoying. At the time it’s just part of what you’re doing but as you look back you’re just like, I’m so glad that’s over.

The irony is now you can still use them; people just use them when it actually makes sense. Most annoying trends eventually fade away and then just resolve to what they should have been in the first place—which is very functional.

SD: Which sites have web designers been able to look to consistently for industry standards?

PM: I actually think there is an overwhelming amount of design work that’s not necessarily mainstream or the big name stuff, it’s just normal designers doing their job everyday. And in a lot of ways that’s what fills my books. I don’t focus on the facebooks or the amazon.com type of stuff because we all see that. I much prefer to focus on small studios or lesser-known resources…That’s been most definitely the source for me over and over—the unknowns.

SD: If you could give web designers one ultimate challenge for the future, what would it be?

PM: Learn to code a little bit. [Laughs] A lot of people disagree with that. I don’t expect designers to be full-on developers and coders but I think that the people who are getting the most fanfare as awesome designers can also code. They just understand both sides of the coin and how to work with the medium the best, essentially.

——–

We love Patrick’s books, and can’t wait for the Designer’s Web Handbook to be released. At Chicago-based Sandstorm Design, our entire team works closely to create powerful brand experiences supported by user research and a strategic marketing approach. Let us help you stay ahead of the curve with custom web solutions that are one step ahead of your competition.

Our Chicago web design firm is looking for an expert PHP and MySQL web developer with Drupal experience to join our team.

You’ll take the lead on Drupal development projects and oversee back-end development for multiple Drupal websites, as well as develop and maintain internal Drupal processes and best practices. Working closely with our Front-end Developer, you will build and deploy high quality Drupal sites, while maintaining knowledge of Drupal-contributed modules and developing custom modules when needed. You’ll also assist in monitoring and troubleshooting deployed websites, and help with other web development projects not built in Drupal.

Required skills include 5+ years programming experience, as well as experience building, deploying and maintaining Drupal websites and building custom Drupal modules. You should have expert understanding of XHTML/PHP/MySQL, and familiarity with Javascript and jQuery. The right candidate will have excellent organization, time management and communication skills, and the ability to write programming specifications and documentation. Must be a collaborative team player, but also self-directed when required. You should have an understanding of web services/APIs, familiarity with version control systems (SVN, GIT, etc), and working knowledge of Apache / LAMP stacks. Education requirement is a BS in Computer Science or relevant experience. Understanding of OOP and MVC, and Action Script 3.0 / Flash skills are a plus.

Sandstorm Design creates powerful brand experiences with our unique blend of strategic marketing, web design and usability services. Located on Chicago’s north side, we help companies identify, craft, and clearly communicate their marketing messages in a creative, intuitive and strategic way. We’re a creative bunch with a witty sense of humor. Why it’s awesome to work here: paid day off and free lunch for your birthday, you don’t have to dress up, you get all the traditional perks of a big company (401K, healthcare benefits, etc.) without the politics, free snacks (and COFFEE) all day! Lots of growth potential.

If you think you’d be a great addition to our team, please send your cover letter, resume and salary requirements to jobs@sandstormdesign.com. Please include “Chicago PHP/MySQL Developer” in the subject line.

Local candidates only. No phone calls please. No recruiters.

Sandstorm Design is thrilled to kick off the new year by launching a new web site and brand for Gregg Communications! What started with a web site has grown into a full on partnership to reinvent Gregg’s brand. And it has been so wonderful to have a client as enthusiastic about the process as we are! With a new web site and identity, the Gregg brand is now aligned with the quality service and expertise of their staff. We are so proud to announce this launch and look forward to more growth with Gregg!

One of the most intriguing findings was from a study by Tractinskya, Cokhavia, Kirschenbauma, and Sharfib (2006) where participants made a split second decision (500 milliseconds) about the attractiveness of a web site. Turns out the average attractiveness ratings stayed about the same when the exposure time was extended to 10 seconds. This means users’ impressions about a web site’s aesthetics are made in less than a second. They don’t really change their mind after more time on the site. We all know how important first impressions are. Which is why aesthetics are extremely critical if you want a user to stay on your web site for, well, more than a second. If you ever need a little help with your web site design, you know who to call.

We are proud to announce the launch of the new F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen web site! We love working with this construction company, some say we’re almost as “Paschen”-ate as they are. Great people, great work, and a great history. We couldn’t wait for this site launch!

In addition to a new branded look and feel, the web site is filled with interactive video and functionality. We built a searchable project database that includes over 100 of their top projects. We also created an interactive experience on the homepage, new custom videos, an interactive map and a dynamically building ‘Contact Us’ form. To top it all off, custom photography highlights one of the company’s strongest points of pride – their people. We couldn’t be more passionate about launching this web site for F.H. Paschen, a company we are proud to call our client and partner.

Candidates must have 4+ years .NET experience, preferably with a Microsoft certification, 1+ years hands-on experience using Sitecore CMS and 2+ years experience with MsSQL. We would like someone with experience developing high volume web applications, and the ability to design database tables, stored procedures and SQL Queries. You will need to know HTML and CSS. We also need you to be able to meet project timelines and budgets, collaborate with peers on a project to meet client needs, and have strong written and verbal communication skills. We’re looking for a highly motivated, detail-oriented individual with excellent problem solving skills and a passion for delivering high quality products and creating highly usable web sites that optimize the user experience. A few pluses that will give you an edge: experience with AJAX/Jquery, developing e-commerce sites, and/or familiarity with Shopsite shopping site software.

Think you might be the one we are seeking? Submit your resume and work samples and/or links to jobs@sandstormdesign.com. Please NO phone calls.

It’s easy to love your job when you work for Sandstorm Design, and it’s even easier when the projects that come your way are for organizations that are working to make the world a better place – like The Cradle, an open adoption agency in Chicago. Along with giving them a fresh, new look, we also made their site easy to update by completing development in Drupal so that they can change their content regularly with current news, new waiting families, and new stories of success.  

We loved working with The Cradle and being a part of helping birthparents, adoptive families, and adopted children come together to create their own unique family stories. We are so proud to launch this web site!

Sandstorm Design is excited to announce the launch of SRES.org! We’re so happy to provide this excellent resource to anyone age 50+ with real estate needs, helping them connect with SRES^® designees all over the country. The SRES^® designation, offered by the National Association of REALTORS^®, indicates specialization in the real estate needs of those age 50+. Baby boomers can visit this web site to easily search for an SRES^® designee near them, and prepare themselves for what types of considerations they’ll face with their real estate decisions.  We love working with the National Association of REALTORS^® and marketing to seniors, and couldn’t be more excited to launch this web site!

Sandstorm Design is so excited to announce the launch of a new web site for a new firm, Partridge IP Law. Having the opportunity to work with this unique law firm from inception has been such a privilege. We created their new identity and brand, starting with the logo and print work before moving to the web. And while the firm might be new, the attorneys are experienced. Their new web site showcases this expertise with detailed bios and a very active blog. We absolutely loved working with Partridge IP Law, and couldn’t be happier to announce this launch!

How do you improve upon something you already feel is absolutely, fantastically wonderful? With Sandstorm Design’s annual Guac-Off approaching this Sunday at 4:00pm, this question keeps nudging its way into my head.

Let me make this clear: I love guacamole. I am a frequent visitor of the many awesome Mexican restaurants all over Chicago, and I have yet to try a guacamole I didn’t like. The flavors and textures span such a wide range with so few ingredients – smooth avocado, sweet onion, bold cilantro and tangy lime paired with salty corn tortilla chips. How could I possibly enhance such a winning equation in order to win our marketing firm’s Guac-Off?

And as the newest member of the team at Sandstorm Design, I must say, I am certain my competition is steep. Creativity is, after all, how we use marketing and web design to improve upon already excellent brands. Even as a newcomer it is quite apparent to me that taking something great and making it better is what our marketing firm does everyday. So I can only imagine what this team can do with a couple avocados!

Lucky for me, I love guacamole just a smidgen more than I love winning. So even if my dish doesn’t win, my tummy most definitely will.

Sandstorm Design is so thrilled to announce the launch of Sinai Health System’s online annual report! This year, their annual report has taken a different shape—as a unique online experience. Presented in a linear style, viewers can flip through the mobile-friendly report page by page, like an online book. We had a fantastic time working with Sinai Health System on this inventive and creative venture. We are so excited to announce this launch!

We are so honored to be mentioned in B2B magazine today! I just wanted to share as it really demonstrates our company’s passion for user centered design and usable web sites. Here’s a little excerpt for those that don’t have time to read the full article:

Another trend: Making the most of a user’s time on the site, rather than focusing on increasing the amount of time spent on the site, said Sandy Marsico, principal of Sandstorm Design, a web design and usability firm. “You want to help them find what they want quickly and get on with their day. Businesspeople don’t have any time to waste anymore.”

“You want clear areas of content,” Marsico said. “There should be more conversation and less selling.”

Now for those of you who just want to see the highlights, here are two web sites that we love that were featured:
http://edit.btobonline.com/article/20100913/FREE/100919974/10-great-websites-freightcenter-com

http://edit.btobonline.com/article/20100913/FREE/100919973/10-great-websites-ixda-org

This morning we received a pre-recorded phone call from Com Ed letting us know that due to a severe problem and an emergency on their end, that we would be losing power from 12:30 pm – 2pm. Ug… In the middle of the work day without power. In a matter of a few hours, we were going to lose our voicemail, server, and computers. All business as we know it would have to stop for the hour and a half. What a perfect opportunity for a team event!

On the bright side: At least they let us know in advance and we were able to shut down our machines and our data so there wasn’t any danger in corrupt files or fried machines. And this will force us to take a leisurely lunch break and relax as many of us tend to work straight through the day.

So off we went, after shutting down the office, we piled into a few cars and had a GREAT lunch at Riverview Tavern on Damen. Complete with a toast to Com Ed for reminding us that when you can turn a curve ball into a home run. What could have been a stressful, annoying and frustrating afternoon became a memory of fun, laughter and much needed play time. I’m so sorry for those that missed it because they were out of the office today. Thanks Com Ed! Cheers. :)

Third River Capital Management wanted a web site that would represent them for who they are: a professional, contemporary, collaborative group. We at Sandstorm Design were so excited take this vision and build it, and are even more excited to announce the web site launch!

The imagery of running waters on the site gives it a clean look, and reflects Third River Capital Management’s approach to the business – consistent and long term. They are such a joy to work with, and their collaborative approach is especially inspiring. We couldn’t be happier to announce this web site launch!

Sandstorm Design is proud to announce that the Pilsen Junior Tennis Camp web site has been served! We had such a great time working with this nonprofit, and even donated a large portion of our time in order to provide them with the kind of web site they deserve. We are an inspired group, and love working with others who inspire us, like Pilsen Junior Tennis Camp. This nonprofit teaches tennis to economically challenged children, and focuses on building personal achievement, confidence and self-esteem. The new web site includes a blog so they can keep the community up to date, as well as a sponsor/partner area to help promote local businesses. We’re so proud to have been a part of this project, and couldn’t be more excited to launch this web site!

Welcome Michael. We are so looking forward to working with you.

We are proud to announce the launch of the Seniors Real Estate Specialists^® web site! SRES^® is a designation offered by the National Association of REALTORS^®, an association we’ve absolutely loved working with for over seven years. SRES^® designees are specialized in the real estate needs of those age 50+, and this web site gives them a place to connect with each other and with anyone looking for an SRES^® designee. After logging in, members can update their profile, download marketing materials, or receive help with live chat. We’re so excited to launch this web site for the National Association of REALTORS®!

What I am most thrilled about is that so many companies are hiring this year – big and small agencies, corporations, associations, etc. This is good for the marketing and advertising industry, and even better for the Chicago people, for my friends, and my family. When companies hire, we all win – and putting together a job offer is my most favorite thing to do. In the interactive space, there is so much going on right now that when we call Creative Circle for some help, the position we are looking to fill is always in “high demand.” So what are we looking for? Great interactive account managers, web developers, UX designers, and we’re still on the lookout for that right marketing copywriter. Write us an interesting email and send us your best work (via URL please, no attachments), and we’d love to hear from you.