🗻 working the election & my first food market

Hey Honeybunches,

If I was after a tone-shift a few weeks back, I think it's finally here. Brought about by sheer exhaustion and milestones no less lol. I survived my redicky-busy weekend baking food for the Open Mess event, counting votes throughout the day & into the night for the election and then heading into the city for the event on Sunday. While I soon became too exhausted to really have any big feelings about the election outcome, the work I was doing or much of what I was experiencing - in hindsight it was such a hoot of a confidence-boosting, new-experiences-filled weekend!

Seeing the BTS of our local seat go to an independent (previously Liberal held seat) for the first time ever was v exciting, as was booting out the previous government. Although it does feel like a return to the bare minimum of having respectable leaders who care about things like climate, first nations people, women and minority rights. Onwards & upwards from here though!

Making food for the market in an (albeit modest) production line, just felt so natural! It was so exciting seeing people oO & aH about my makes & spend their precious dosh on them.

I don't think I've been quite so exhausted as I was Sunday afternoon. My bod was done. I felt so sick but still so buzzy - it took a few days to "come down" from the go-go state. I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed doing essentially customer-service. But in doing so I realised half a day of intense interaction with people is the sweet spot for me. Aka the concept of doing morning farmers market seems v manageable.

I'm so glad it worked out that week was for loose-end Big Mouth jobs. I was re-shooting a few recipes for it (the Maple Mustard Potatoes - pictured right - are just stupidly good!) and did a few crafty pieces for it while watching clips of crabby medical dramas on YouTube (this happens every winter with me :/ anyone else's attention shrink to the size of episode highlight clips? ugh - I'll ride it out).

The cover below is a draft - but will hopefully include the background pic & felt lettering if I can make them marry together. The photography in Big Mouth is much more intimate, touchy-feely and ingredient-led which I'm very excited for you to see. Pre-orders for a limited print-run will be open (probably) next week. It will be available as a digital copy as well, I just don't want to print any more than I need to - as I'm well and truly over the estimation-game, which plays with your confidence & feelings (lol), un-necessarily.

THIS WEEK'S RECIPE.

One of my favourite dips of all time, Herb & Garlic Sunflower Seed Spread! This recipe doesn't try too hard to be a vegan cheese, but does have an incredible umami-savouriness that makes for a lovely stand in on any cheese-board or sandwhich. It also keeps like a dream for peak snacking throughout the week.

Thank you for supporting me! See ya' next week,

Phoebe & Merlin x