#Chapter 100: Mushroom Hunting

Abby The weight of failure feels almost physical, like there’s something sharp and heavy literally lodged in my chest. I stare at the computer screen displaying “Truffles Unavailable” in blunt, red letters. I’ve sent countless emails to suppliers, spent hours scouring online marketplaces, and I’ve even visited local storefronts to browse their selection, all to no avail. A part of me wants to give up on the recipe altogether, to throw in the towel and declare the universe the winner in this sadistic game it’s been playing with me. I could hope that this recipe won’t be chosen, or at the very least, that I can read enough about it online to get a good idea as to how to make it. But another part—perhaps the stubborn or perhaps the hopeful part—won’t let me settle for that. What if this recipe is chosen for the competition? What if the online recipes just don’t do it justice? I need to be prepared, and this could be my last shot at turning things around. I close