a re-introduction
saying heyyyyy, it's jess 🥢
[hi! the following is copied over from my Substack ‘Notes’ (duh, as @scone) – once I realized how much I could not resist sharing/writing/sharing, as usual. I recognize that most folks do not read those, and this is pertinent, personal info, so, why not. <3]
The short:
Hi folks - I’m jess and I’m obsessed with local produce markets, no matter where I’m living…even when it was the very middle of Alaska and it snowed at least ten months of the year.
The longer:
Once upon a time from New York, I’m a writer & private vegan chef based out of SE Asia since December 2024, where my table displays of fruits, veg & herbs have certainly gotten a bit more ‘tropical’ flair than my prior year in the mountains of Wyoming and (another) life before in Portland, OR : )
Long personal story briefed - as you’ll quickly learn I’m rather open & verbose about this all from the “culinary memoirs” on my sub’scrap - I packed up a giant suitcase and flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand after my marriage ended last fall.
Read more about uh, that, on my earlier posts from what seems a dang lifetime ago.
I eat / I read / I coped. Past tense.
I continue to write, cook, hustle and figure out what to do with my life !
I’m writing today from Da Nang, Vietnam, where I currently rent a small studio apartment with not one ! but two !! stovetop burners ! ! !
On this Substack, the Scone Archives & my daily Notes (pssst, anyone can read them), you’ll see photos & casual tales of my market hauls, what I’m cooking for dinner, where I’m going out for noodles, and scenes of coffee & life from this ocean-side city.
Consider it akin to “stories” and “toks”, just, with more words. And food. And heart?
And a smidge more “about jess” since we’re getting all personal….
In my free time, I enjoy playing pickleball, reading fiction, what I fondly refer to as my 1-2x week karaoke “therapy”, catching up with friends & family both near & far, riding a bicycle, soaking beans, thinking about noodles, trying out neighborhood chay (vegetarian) restaurants, and go figure - perpetually seeing what catches my eye at local produce markets.
Your turn.
{this re-intro encouraged by the trend over at the monthly Mastermind for Food Writers, thanks to Rebecca Blackwell, Betty Williams, etc!}
References + Relevant Links:
first! wanna treat jess to a cup of coffee? It’s easy peasy, low cost & sooo kind! <3
curry stain chronicles, the scone archives January 30, 2025
goooood, goooood eats Da Nang, scone-land July 14, 2025
knock, knock khop khun ka, sconey, December 25, 2024
ready, set, un-winter, ditto, November 22, 2024 aka where it all began, again
→ → → I’m now pointedly living with two instas:
→ @scone.archives +
→ → new! project! @travelforthefood (thanks, sis)
SHOP for: LIVE with Jess in Da Nang, Vietnam! this Friday, July 25th CDT! Sharing Kitchens Live! & Roux & Choux Entertaining w/ Jenn Sharp July 5, 2025 more info
P.S. I post from Indochina time zone which is far ahead of most of y’all, SO, if I seem behind/erratic on my replies, bear with me, darlings.
Aw Jess. This was so great to read. I know you ...but I didn't know all of the above.
Having gone through a divorce myself, I know it's a rough time to navigate. As always, I love how you are so deliberately living your life and are course-correcting in a delicious and adventous way.
(Ironically, I just posted something kinda personal) Hugs xx
Love it!!