Or some other form of introduction. It doesn't actually have to be 'howdy.' But if you're really interested in being cool, you should introduce yourself via haiku. American haiku, so all you have to do is the 5-7-5 syllable thing and do a nature metaphor. For example:

Rough foam on river
A petal spins in its grasp -
Will it reach the shore?

If that doesn't work for you, feel free to drop a recipe. Those are value-adds, too.