Curious about whether I still do markets post-Covid lockdowns?
The short answer is, yes I do.
But before I get into what markets you can find me at, and what I now sell, here’s a bit of an update since I last published about my in-person (IRL) activities back in early 2020 (check it out here >> https://jackiem.com.au/2020/03/10/concord-hospital-markets-coronavirus-notice/)
So yes, Covid-19 meant that Concord Hospital Market, which I used to attend weekly, had to shut down in March 2020.
It didn’t resume for two and a half years, during which I’d gotten rid of most of my gear (including my van – which I traded in for a dinky little car).
When I got the call from Concord Hospital late in 2022 to advise they were looking to reboot the market, I wasn’t immediately sure I could or would go back.
I had no van, no tent, no tables, no gas bottles, no staff since Micko had since started a new job etc. – heck, even my giant fridge would have been gone, but for the fact that nobody wanted to buy it.
On top of that, the market would only start back up as a once-a-month event, on the last Thursday of each month.
So, really, the idea of reinvesting in a bunch of new stuff for a monthly lunchtime gig didn’t really make economical sense, but I was curious to see if people still remembered my food. So I decided to shell out some cash to replace everything except the van (which I rented for the day).
Turns out, yes, the customers loved having us back, so I’ve been turning up every month since. Truthfully it’s a pain having to book, pick up and return a rented vehicle every month and risk missing the hire place’s closing time and being docked an extra’s day rent, but that’s another post for another time.
Anyway, cutting down my markets from once a week to once a month, makes this more like a hobby than a full-fledged business.
But for what it’s worth, right now, here’s where you can find me:
- Concord Hospital Market (The Green, entry via Gate 2 on Hospital Road, Concord)
- Last Thursday of each month
- 11am-2.00pm
(I know the actual market hours extend beyond what I’ve mentioned, but it takes me a long time to set up and pull down so I’d rather you weren’t disappointed by showing up before I’m ready especially if you’re in a rush, or when I’ve already sold out. Plus, I honestly can’t spare a minute leaving late because I have to clean up, load up, rush back, unload the van, refill the tank and return it all before they close, and with peak hour traffic it already takes an hour for me to get home.)
On the menu, are – Char Kway Teow, Hand-rolled Spiral Curry Puffs, and (sometimes) Pulut Panggang (grilled sticky rice rolls filled with a spicy minced dried shrimp and coconut sambal).
I understand posts like these have an expiration date, so be sure to check my social media accounts or get in touch directly if you want to make sure you can still catch me at the markets.
Finally, I plan on running cooking workshops related to Malaysian food using a Thermomix, so if you haven’t already signed up to my email list for this specific topic, make sure you do so, at >> jackiem.com.au/tm6