Sorry, guys. It’s been almost half a year since I’ve posted on here, and that last post wasn’t even written by me (I know, shh!) But after reading several posts by some of my blogger pals recounting a potluck shindig I threw on my rooftop last Friday, I’m feeling motivated to dust off the good ole WordPress account. While I’m at it, I thought I’d better jot down the recipe for the rice crispy treats I made for the potluck. I mean really, how did Spring already turn into Summer?
Before we get to the treats, let’s spend a moment to talk about girls. No, I’m not talking about the HBO series, which I admit I do watch. (To read the best commentary about that show, you really should be reading Eddie Huang’s recaps.) Rather, I want to spend a moment to recognize some awesome gals I know.
Last Friday I threw the aforementioned party on my rooftop in Long Island City, inviting some of the bloggers visiting from out of town whom I’ve gotten to know through Gojee. What started off as informal plans to grab drinks evolved into a bigger potluck gathering with both visiting and local bloggers at my apartment.
It was so nice to catch up with friends and meet new ones whom I’ve only been in touch with online and was meeting for the first time in person. Without too much planning, everything came together pretty seamlessly, with the exception of the ominous overcast. Food was served, libations were shared and heartfelt conversations were had. Though some of us had only met that day, by the end of the night it felt like we were all old friends.
One of the more openly honest and poignant topics of conversation that evening touched on the struggles of grappling with the increasingly aspirational culture of blogging and the fact that sometimes reality isn’t particularly aspirational. Kasey more eloquently sums up the conversation here. I suppose it also helped that I was liquoring everyone up with shots of beet sugar vodka throughout the night.
Party people: Kimberley, Kathryne, Laura, Barb, Diana, Kristin, Kasey, Yossy, Elizabeth, Sarah. Not pictured, since we took this photo later in the evening: Nicole, Cathy, Sarah, and Chitra.
Ignoring the wind and drizzle, we persevered and made our way through the impressive spread. Unfortunately, I was only able to squeeze a few Instagrams on my phone in between playing hostess for the evening, so the following is by no means a complete representation of the offerings on the potluck table. Check it out -
Cathy’s Roasted Hakurei Turnips with Israeli Couscous
Sarah’s Chocolate Dipped Farmer’s Market Strawberries
Elizabeth’s Roasted Beet Salad
Yossy’s Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies
Acme Smoked Salmon with Creme Fraiche and Buckwheat Crepes made by yours truly (crepes adapted from Kate’s recipe; I used all buckwheat flour instead of a buckwheat + spelt flour combo)
A special thanks to Bruce Cost’s Fresh Ginger Ale and Industry City Distillery for providing drinks to keep us refreshingly hydrated and liquored up.
While I’m still on the topic of girls, I wanted to give two more shout outs to a couple more awesome girls that I know -
First, to my NYU homegirls Talisa Chang and Juliet Linderman, who along with Aldona Watts and Diana Diroy started Her Girl Friday and recently hosted a panel of veteran editors from the New York Times and New York Magazine titled How to Pitch Like a Girl. The premise of the panel was to provide encouragement and insights from established journalism veterans on how to effectively pitch stories in order to level the gender playing field in journalism and storytelling. And oh hey, they also just made it onto the cover page of the New York Observer!
Last but not least, a shout out goes to my co-organizers of the recently revived Girls in Tech NYC Chapter - Kara Rota of Cookstr, Jamie Eun Lee of Tipping Point Partners and Amanda Moritz of Brainscape. After we hacked the mailing list for Girls in Tech to throw a mixer a couple months back, we were caught red-handed by the organizers of the official Girls in Tech organization. Don’t worry, we officially now have their blessings to proceed. Kara, Jamie, Amanda and I are aiming to achieve something similar to that of Her Girl Friday but in the equally male-dominated world of tech, starting with our Start-up Equity 101 Primer on June 13th. The primer is designed to educate more women about equity in start-up companies in order to negotiate for equity more effectively. Wish us luck!
Alright, now that I’ve laced this post with enough hyperlinks to explode WordPress, onwards to the treats. Have a great weekend, everyone -
Coconut, PB and Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats
Adapted from Spoon Fork Bacon
Makes a 10 inch circumference pan-full of Rice Crispy Treats
Ingredients:
3 cups rice puffs (I used rice puffs from the Indian store, but regular Rice Krispies cereal works too)
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
6 ounces dark chocolate chips, melted
Generous handful of shredded coconut and black sesame seeds
Directions:
1. Stir together the peanut butter and melted chocolate in a double boiler (I used a metal mixing bowl over a pot of boiling water) until smooth.
3. Fold in the peanut butter and chocolate mixture with the crispies in a mixing bowl.
4. Pour the mixture into a parchment lined baking sheet and top with shredded coconut and sesame seeds.
5. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 to 2 hours to allow the treats to set quicker. (I put it in the fridge overnight)
6. Once everything has set, carefully peel the treat from the sheet of parchment, cut and serve.
