Were you a weird kid? Did you love things almost too much? Ask too many questions? Feel like a fish out of water at school? Were you lonely or awkward or felt out of place in your own skin?

Well my guest today is an example of what happens when you let all of that pour out, follow your curiosities and compulsions. When you give yourself permission to be fully who you were meant to be. I have a real treat for you today.

This episode of Tonts is a wide reaching lovely conversation with the force of nature that is Alice Zaslavsky or Alice in Frames as she is known around the traps. Alice is a former teacher who is also a cook, writer, broadcaster and speaker who is also deeply passionate about vegetables. She is a polymath (someone who collects knowledge like a bower bird), a vegelante and just an all round creative wonder who loves nothing more than to inspire others to learn about food and where it comes from. I have loved Alice’s writing and her recipes for years and have always wanted to sit down with her and ask her about all the things she makes and why she does what she does. Alice is also a mum to a little human called Hazel and the story of her Jewish family’s immigration from Georgia to Australia is one of heartbreak and triumph and grit. It was a delight to sit down on a sunny afternoon in lockdown and discover a kindred spirit. The weird, nerdy kid that lives inside my head and my heart was full to the brim with joy for this vegetable loving woman. Her message is clear be you and don’t let anyone tell you differently and maybe some magic things will happen. Give yourself permission. Lean into what you love. And for goodness sake eat your vegetables.

For more from Alice head to www.aliceinframes.com or follow her on instagram @aliceinframes

Head here to purchase her vegtastic tome In Praise of Veg

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You can find me on instagram @clairetonti or at www.clairetonti.com

You can email me with suggestions for episode topics and guests to [email protected]. Feel free to leave me a voice memo to be included in the show.

A big thank you to this wonderful team:

Editing – RAWCollings

Theme Music – Avocado Junkie

Graphic Design – Emma Hackett

Photography – Anna Robinson

Styling – Hilary Holmes