socialization.

And so the socializing begins again. As it should. Today we are having a "BBQ" on the roof with all of our building's tenants. Maybe we should call it something else. After just having been to a couple of actual American barbecues last month, I think that we're setting ourselves up for disappointment in referring to this rooftop meal by the same name.

Cooking gear: we have a single Weber (I think it's even smaller than a Weber Smokey Joe), roughly the size of a dinner plate, putting our total simultaneous grilling capacity at something like 1/2 of an American steak.

Therefore, I'm making an Indonesianish green bean salad so as to not rob anyone of their chance at grill superstardom.

UPDATE: All of the food was remarkably good, we must again consider ourselves fortunate. The Spaniard made a tortilla with potatoes; the Indonesians made grilled fresh sardines; and the Dutch offered grilled merguez sausages and a broccoli salad. Miss Mara made her unstoppable saté lilit cakes again. All to the sounds of Monique's collection of punk 45s played on their ancient Phillips turntable. And I know some of you will say gee Mara looks strange in that one picture, and that's because it's not her, it's our newest tenant, who bears a superficial resemblance to The Real Ape. And that bottom picture of Mara? She's not sad, honest, it's a trick of the light. I took that picture over my shoulder.

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green bean salad with peanuts, coconut, and bacon.

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a mess of green beans
1 tbsp sambal trassi
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp ketjap manis
1 tbsp sesame oil
100gr spek/bacon, diced
3 tbsp grated coconut
1/2 cup peanuts, crushed
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp coconut vinegar

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