Business & Tech

'Keep Gulfport Weird' Cookies at Fresh Market

You can find edible art every Tuesday at Southern Belle's Cottage Bakery at the Gulfport Fresh Market.

One of the Gulfport Tuesday Fresh Market's newest vendors is shocking guests with edible art you almost don't want to eat!

Stop by Southern Belle's Cottage Bakery's space and you'll find beach scenes, fish, flip flops and "Keep Gulfport Weird" cookies wrapped and ready to eat.

Audrey Rinker and her husband Jim, of New Port Richey, launched this small business just two months ago.

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"This has been a secret dream of mine", Audrey said.

Although Audrey has been baking for 40 years, she didn't decide to sell her one-of-a-kind cookies until she retired. "We were in the printing business before," she said.

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Now, baking not only allows her to channel her inner Picasso, it also sooths her mind. Audrey has a neurological disorder that requires regular visit and Botox injections. It affects her speech, but not her spirit. She says baking has become therapeutic to her.

Once the Rinker's decided to turn this dream into reality they said they visited several markets and did a lot of research. They say Gulfport's weekly market was just the fit. "It was meant to be," Audrey said.

You can find Southern Belle's Cottage Bakery's cookies every Tuesday at the Gulfport Tuesday Market from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Audrey's sugar and oatmeal cookies sell for $1,2,3 and $6 for a box.

For more information about special orders contact Southern Belle's at (727) 845-1939.

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