Father's Day, Peanut Clusters, and Wordle.
Just a few invisible strings that hold us together.
I have been thinking a lot lately about connection and friendship. I mean, I started this newsletter for connection. For myself, for others, for people to feel connected to food.
The other day, I texted my friend and told her, “Sometimes I think about the invisible strings that tie us all together. I love that mine to your mom is her keto peanut clusters.” Every 4-6 months, her mom texts me and tells me that she is, again, in need of peanut clusters. I had a bake sale a few years ago and she asked if I could make some peanut clusters. I happily obliged, and now it is a little fact about me - a few times a year, I make a few dozen peanut clusters for Robin. It has got me thinking about all of the ways we’re connected to each other, maybe in ways we don’t even notice?
A friend sends me her Wordle score, every day. Another friend of mine lost her dad at a young age, and I acutely remember her sigh of relief when I said, “Do you want to talk about your dad, or do you not want to talk about your dad?”, and she said, “Can I just talk about how I think I failed my math test?”. Now, every Father’s Day, I text her and let her know I am thinking of her. We don’t talk as much as we used to, but I still think of her every Father’s Day while I am buying my dad a gift card to the car wash.
I think we are all in such need of connection right now. To be remembered. If you made the cookies from Dorie Greenspan, I hope you were able to share them with people you love. I got to share mine with Livia, Mercy, and soon to be shared with my coworkers and a family nearby that I love.
(I made Dorie Greenspan’s Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies. They’re amazing, and delicious, and the recipe makes like 60 cookies. They’re so easy and amazing.)
For our next recipe, I want to make Sarah Crawford’s Easy Chocolate Mousse. Y’all it is so hot for the forseeable future and I cannot be bothered to turn on my oven. This recipe is easy, quick, uses the BLENDER, and looks perfect. Plus it’s gluten free so Juliana, eat your heart out. ;) Throw some red and blue berries on the whipped cream and you’ve got yourself a 4th of July dessert. If you’re a person who uses TikTok, you’ll find Sarah’s videos under @bromabakery. She’s so informative and shows the messy side of baking.
See you in two more weeks, friend. I hope you find some more invisible strings that make you feel at home. (It should be noted that I have never actually read the book ‘The Invisible String’, but, in the words of Erin Moon, “like, I get it”.)
Shelby, this is so lovely! Full disclosure, I've never heard of that book, so I was just thinking of the Taylor Swift song, but I love thinking about all the ways we're connected to each other. I missed making the cookies, but I might still make them this week because they looked so good.
Okay I don't know how I missed this one, but A) those peanut clusters sound bomb and B) I will 100% be making and eating that chocolate mousse this week! 😍