ZAP COOKING NEWSLETTER | NOV 2024 | ISSUE 3

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LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER 📝

Hello and welcome back to the cozy autumn days with Zap Cooking! I’m thrilled to bring you another issue of our monthly newsletter, a space where we share our favorite moments and celebrate our vibrant community. Sarah, who does an amazing job curating these updates, has crafted this edition to capture the essence of both real-life gatherings and our shared online experiences on Nostr.

In this issue, we’re excited to revisit highlights from Nostr Valley, where Zap Cooking was proud to sponsor and connect with friends in a truly special celebration. It was an incredible honor to see so many of you make the journey to join us for the first annual event—a milestone in Nostr’s history and a testament to the strength of our community.

As always, thank you for being a part of this journey. Your continued support, contributions, and readership mean everything to us. Here’s to more shared moments, connections, and, of course, great cooking!

Gratefully,

Seth

Founder, Zap Cooking

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FOOD ART 🎨

Zap.Cooking’s favorite food art of the month is the Banana Bread Costume from Bread and Toast! 😀 https://i.nostr.build/MgihZ6m2bQCv6krD.png Visit Breadandtoast.Com For More! New Single Every Sunday!

LIFE EXPERIENCE ✈️

Nostr Valley Adventures

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The adventures of Nostr Valley began when I was invited to speak on a food panel alongside Seth, the founder of Zap.Cooking, at Happy Valley Brewing in State College Park, Pennsylvania.

Over the course of a month before the event, a fellow fun enthusiast known as The Beave organized a weekend filled with activities and accommodations, including a visit to a gun range and a stay at a charming three-bedroom countryside rental nestled among Pennsylvania’s most scenic farm hills.

The Nostr Valley weekend had finally arrived, and I was set to drive six and a half hours to a small airport primarily used by skydivers and flying enthusiasts who park their personal planes in rented hangars. I was to meet a pilot who went by the name “Choke This.” Despite the somewhat ominous name, my faith in the Nostr web of trust circles provided a sense of safety as I prepared to fly to Pennsylvania. Still, the thought of traveling alone to a remote area did cross my mind a few times. While it may not have been the wisest decision, I had faith in Nostr.

I began my journey at 1 am, getting ready and preparing my car before hitting the highway around 4 am. Driving on the empty roads was a pleasant experience, and I felt even better when I arrived at the well-kept airport on a beautiful sunny morning at 10:30 am, with not a single cloud in the sky. I knew it was a perfect day for skydiving, which alleviated one of the many flying-related nerves swirling in my head. Great weather? Check!

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After a brief introduction to the non-threatening pilot, we loaded our gear into the rear of the plane and settled in for takeoff, complete with those cool headphones. As we patiently waited for all the skydivers to land from their jumps, I received a crash course on plane safety in case of an emergency landing.

We made our way to the small runway, and with a gentle breeze, we were soaring into the blue skies. The view was absolutely breathtaking. Every time I fly, the scenery reminds me of the model city in the Beetlejuice movie.

For the next three hours, the pilot and I got to know each other. We shared our Nostr stories, backgrounds, and family lives. The pilot also gave an impressive presentation on the features of his aircraft, including a lesson on how to read knots—the unit of speed.

We landed in Maryland to pick up another panel speaker, Mr. Scott Churchill, who would be joining the art panel with Dan, the creator of the Nostr-only comic “Bread and Toast.” Scott is a loving father with remarkable artistic skills that included drawing and music.

The three of us entered the airport restaurant and took a window seat overlooking the runway to grab a quick bite. This is where I was introduced to Maryland’s love for Old Bay seasoning. The pilot was eager to order crab cakes, and I was initially going to join him, but as soon as I spotted “CRAB SOUP” on the menu board, my food plans changed. Once we ordered, the food arrived fairly quickly. The kind server placed a bowl of soup in front of me, complete with extra crackers and an Old Bay salt shaker. My face lit up as I exclaimed, “What is this!?” Scott explained that Old Bay is a staple in these parts. I poured the seasoning into my soup and took a taste. “I’m going to do this at home,” I declared before even swallowing the first spoonful. I devoured the rest of the soup, sprinkling Old Bay each time I removed a layer of the flavorful creamy broth. I was hooked.

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Once lunch was finished, we boarded the plane. I offered the front seat to Scott since it was his first time flying. He was a mix of emotions about the flight, but he did amazing and even got to fly the plane!

When we landed in State College Park, Pennsylvania, it felt as though we had become a family. There’s nothing quite like trusting strangers with your life for several hours in a flying machine to foster a sense of camaraderie.

We were off to meet our fourth companion—the organizer, the maestro, the one and only, THE BEAVE! He awaited us at the house, and upon our arrival, we felt an immediate sense of comfort.

The house was beautiful, the people were friendly, and it was time to invite other speakers and guests over for a magical steak dinner. Beave started the bonfire while the pilot fired up the grill. Guests began to arrive.

The steaks were so thick and stacked that I dubbed it “Steak Jenga.” The guests gathered around the impressive pile of perfectly cooked meat, each grabbing a steak as large as their faces.

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After dinner, I had the opportunity to taste one of the best-flavored vodkas I had ever encountered: Blake’s Limited Edition x Gypsy Spirits’ Apple Pie Vodka, a vodka infused with Apple Cider & Cinnamon.

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I called it an early night due to all the traveling and being awake since 1 am, especially since I would be speaking on my first panel the next day. I wanted to be fresh and alert for the event. As soon as my head touched the pillow, I fell into a deep sleep. When I woke early the next morning, I felt rested and ready to conquer the day.

Beave and I were the only ones awake, so we headed to the nearest country store to see what breakfast supplies they offered. Upon entering the store, we found a convenience section on the left and a sit-down breakfast and lunch area on the right. We made our way to the cold section, where we discovered local dairy farm milk in half-gallon glass containers for only $3! I had to grab a jug. There were also small bottles of flavored milk, including strawberry milk, for less than $1.50.

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Beave and I picked up some eggs and butter, but the real treasure was the donuts. The lady behind the register was an excellent saleswoman, encouraging us to take home a container of these fluffy looking treats. I noticed Beave had already bought some right before I made my way to the register, so I thought, “Why not?” I grabbed a container of smaller individual donuts that would be perfect for sharing with the house.

Once we got to the car, we each took a bite of a donut and immediately began scarfing it down in ecstasy. It was moist, and the bakers hadn’t skimped on the glaze. There was no oily aftertaste—just rich, sweet goodness that I would absolutely recommend.

After returning to the house, we served breakfast and started getting dressed for Nostr Valley.

At this point, I was a bundle of nerves. As we arrived at Happy Valley Brewing, it was heartening to see so many familiar faces from Nostr. Avi Burra, author and host of Plebchain Radio, began hosting the event, introducing all the speakers and panels. Derek Ross, one of the organizers of Nostr Valley, opened the show with a “Nostr 101” speech. Then, the art panel, moderated by Seth—my “boss” from Zap.Cooking—featured Dan and Scott. Avi then demonstrated his Nostr medical application. The food crew, consisting of Seth and me, followed next, moderated by Boston Wine. Next Block made their rounds with Mandana and Ian. The Other Nostr Apps panel featured Derek, Vic, Boston Wine, and Avi. The infamous Open Mike spoke about music with Derek, and the event concluded with closing remarks from the two organizers.

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This was my first time speaking on a panel, and to say I was nervous would be an understatement. I practically clung to Seth the entire time and felt as though I blacked out while speaking. Nevertheless, I was proud to have made it through.

Afterward, a large group of us headed to the American Ale House, where we had a private section of the restaurant reserved. Avi and Derek’s shared dish was particularly notable—a nearly $90 certified angus beef tomahawk steak weighing in at 44 ounces.

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For the afterparty, we invited everyone to a bonfire and podcast session at our VRBO for mini podcast recordings. However, I ended up successfully talking for 45 minutes with the first attendee, and by then, everyone else grew tired of waiting. I was ready for bed after such a long day.

On Sunday morning, the sun streamed through my window as I woke up, and I realized it was shooting range day! Beave and I headed over to the country store for more donuts, but unfortunately, it was closed on Sundays. We took a drive to fill up the car with gas and grabbed a breakfast sandwich or two at the gas station. We gathered the rest of the group and made our way to PGC Scotia Shooting Range, where we spent six hours shooting a variety of guns outdoors.

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When we returned, we were starving and enjoyed a pleasant pheasant dinner filled with lively conversation.

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On Monday, we checked out of the VRBO. The day was cloudy, and the first part of the flight home was bumpy, but the sky cleared after we dropped off the other speaker. Once we landed back at the skydiving airport, I spent the rest of the evening driving home, finally walking in the door at 2 am.

My favorite part of the weekend wasn’t the speaking on stage or all the activities; it was the friendships I gained over those three days. I am truly grateful.

FEATURED RECIPE 🥪

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KIDS CORNER 🐤

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MICROFICTION 📖

TRICK OR TREAT? | Rustypuppy

“Remember, look into her orange eye, ask for a trick, and say ‘please.’” Janice fluffed the mane of my son’s lion costume and gave him a little push toward the dilapidated barn, decked out in creepy Halloween glory, complete with skeleton graveyard, tree ghosts, and a giant roof spider with glowing eyes.

Henry took two steps forward, then glanced back at me. I smiled and nodded. His brow furrowed, then he got in line with the other kids waiting for their turn at Granny Baba’s front door.

“You’re not traumatizing my five year old for life, are you?” I asked our babysitter.

The teen laughed. “He’s a brave little guy. I didn’t face her until I was seven. Relax, pops. Granny Baba is a rite of passage in this town. He’ll fit in better once he can say he got his trick. Besides, sometimes you gotta go through the scary to get to the good.”

After twelve minutes and eleven seconds, my son ran toward us, his face shining with joy. “I got the trick!” He showed off his jack o’ lantern candy bucket, which had contained the usual assortment of wrapped sugar and artificial ingredients, and now also held a clear plastic bag filled with lumpy darkness.

I side-eyed Janice as she took out the bag, opened it, and ate a handful. Henry did the same before I could stop him.

“This is …. good,” he said, frowning and chewing at the same time. “What’s the trick?”

“It’s healthy,” Janice replied. “All natural, sprouted granola.”

*RECIPE REFERENCE | Sprouted Bliss Granola - Essencial | Vegan | Essencial (npub1c6d…zmx3)

Follow Rustypuppy | https://rustypuppy.npub.pro/

FOOD NOTE QUOTES 🗒️

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SOUNDS 🔊

MUSIC

HONEY | MARTIN GROOMS

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PODCASTS

TFTC

Courtney Swan breaks down how these harmful ingredients are fueling hyperactivity in children. | https://video.nostr.build/49e4c0db7da37748ac04071cab1fdc668b55aa346e08bf8501d6071bd59ab6e6.mp4 These 10 Companies Control The World To POISON YOU! | Marty sat down with Courtney Swan to expose how 10 Companies Control The entire Worlds food supply, and how they’re producing food that’s poisoning you and your family. | To watch the full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSEiJ6C4MHk

BENPOD

BenPod.com featuring Twitter Co-Founder, Rabble | NOSTR Breaks Every Social Media Paradigm (BWP58) https://video.nostr.build/caaa77bb42bbfa2ddc04017ae45f68a95c162822edaa3084ffefeff4776ce0e0.mp4 | To watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/U-eNYRwyADI

PLEBCHAIN RADIO

Fermenting a Revolution with Ben Justman | Plebchain Radio | QW & Avi discuss the road to plebhood, building Peony Lane Vineyards, running a Bitcoin business, Creed, Nostr and more with Ben Justman. | Peony Lane Vineyard : https://www.peonylanewine.com/ | https://fountain.fm/episode/YMpNVBI3WjDv1Uttl1vd

UPCOMING EVENTS 🥳

Submit your Nostr event with @ZapCooking on Nostr

NOVEMBER 1

SoupBox Debut Listening Party| 7pm EST | ONLINE | zap.stream

NOVEMBER 6

The No-Conference Nostr Party at Bitcoin Park | Nashville, Tennessee | https://www.meetup.com/bitcoinpark/events/303283108

NOVEMBER 8-9

Brazil’s Largest 100% Bitcoin Event | São Paulo | https://www.satsconf.com.br/

DECEMBER 15-19

Sats By SW | A V4V Weekend | Austin, Texas | https://media.primal.net/uploads/2/e0/e1/2e0e1258d63c4b758eeeb48cc0892eaf35a99f083d0a1cf7be03d1382fc6b8bd.jpg

JANUARY 30-31

Plan B Forum | El Salvador | https://image.nostr.build/86c3212b3677a0176f1a838ea006bfdf9cc43e778f5c406c641b553436917395.jpg

ECONOMICS 🍞

SAUSAGES | Peter McCormack

”…Mistakes, even trivial ones, are amplified in seconds. Look at the recent Labour Party conference, where Keir Starmer’s speech was meant to lay out his grand vision for fixing the country. Instead, a simple slip of the tongue—calling for the release of “sausages,” instead of “hostages”—became the story. Within hours, memes flooded the internet, and his entire message was lost in the noise…”

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COMMUNITY PHOTO ALBUM 📷

Community Photo Album by The Beave, Derek Ross, Seth, Scott, T$, JD, Vic, Adam Toad, The Bitcoin Babe, Open Mike, Silberengel, inyahé, Bread and Toast, Nostr Valley, Atlantic Bitcoin Conference, TABconf, CornyChat, NostrNests | Share your Nostr community photos or videos with @ZapCooking

Nostr Valley

Atlanta Bitcoin Conference

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TABConf

The critical innovations at @TABConf for a Saturday night. | Oatmeal-raisin, chocolate-chip, and vegan peanut butter cookies have been baked. Leaving for #meetup in Frankfurt with @Purple Konnektiv ❤️ | Silberengel https://image.nostr.build/f4a4d25220ec2b6797d09c68049639dedefc9d3414ad5587a48a6016ede46d81.jpg The Peanut Butter Cookie recipe is available on Zap.Cooking! SilberWitch (npub1l5s…gx9z)

NEW RECIPES 🍲

Robin Holstein | Soups | RobinHolstein (npub1rz7…uhg4)

Essencial | Vegan | Essencial (npub1c6d…zmx3)

Lucas M | Pork Meatballs | Mr. Optimism (npub1whg…wqu9)

Kat | Empanadas | BLKKAT (npub10us…xew6)

Chriso🇺🇸🇦🇺🦘⚡️ | Mexican Grilled Chicken | chriso (npub147w…jwdr)

MichZ | Orzo with Asparagus and Prosciutto | MichelleZ 🧘🏻‍♀️ (npub1jdy…fwsu)

FIN 🤠

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