Hi everyone and welcome to my blog!
I am Nattaya, a foodie at heart who loves to cook at home as well as eat out, and capture my obsession with food through photography.
My blog:
My blog reflects my lifestyle philosophy on food and includes restaurant reviews.
I would like to take you into different pantries around the world. My focus is on flavors and ingredients that represent different cuisines and presenting the beauty of their food. I like to tell a story behind each ingredient and show you how to make easy, weekday recipes. I am a girl who likes to indulge from time to time, so I also try to provide healthy options for those days when you are trying to achieve a more healthy balance.
Bake - I have a serious sweet tooth. My pastry recipes focus on authentic ingredients and presentation. I try to share my sweets with friends so I always want them to look stylish and cute.
Beverage - Whether it's a nutrient-filled smoothie or a specialty cocktail for entertaining, I put love and attention into my drink recipes so they can be a meal replacement or the perfect compliment to one of my dishes.
The restaurant reviews: I love Chicago because it is a big city with many different cultures and I will review a variety of cuisines. But, I'm a Thai girl living in Chicago, so I’ll also show you where I eat Thai food so you can better understand Thai culture.
I am Nattaya, a foodie at heart who loves to cook at home as well as eat out, and capture my obsession with food through photography.
My blog:
My blog reflects my lifestyle philosophy on food and includes restaurant reviews.
I would like to take you into different pantries around the world. My focus is on flavors and ingredients that represent different cuisines and presenting the beauty of their food. I like to tell a story behind each ingredient and show you how to make easy, weekday recipes. I am a girl who likes to indulge from time to time, so I also try to provide healthy options for those days when you are trying to achieve a more healthy balance.
Bake - I have a serious sweet tooth. My pastry recipes focus on authentic ingredients and presentation. I try to share my sweets with friends so I always want them to look stylish and cute.
Beverage - Whether it's a nutrient-filled smoothie or a specialty cocktail for entertaining, I put love and attention into my drink recipes so they can be a meal replacement or the perfect compliment to one of my dishes.
The restaurant reviews: I love Chicago because it is a big city with many different cultures and I will review a variety of cuisines. But, I'm a Thai girl living in Chicago, so I’ll also show you where I eat Thai food so you can better understand Thai culture.
About Me |
I was born and raised in Thailand. I came across the world to Chicago nine years ago. Most of my friends are from different countries which gives me an opportunity to get to know their culture and food better. Each country’s pantry has a different style and roots, and you’ll see influences from my friends on the blog in addition to mine.
I grew up in a pharmacy run by my parents. My childhood was packed with experiences: Preparing food, helping around the shop, and cooking meals was the main routine. Growing up as the oldest sister, I remember helping my mom in the kitchen and setting up ingredients for almost every meal. Every day after lunch I had a pile of vegetables to wash, trim, and cut. At the time I would have rather played outside but now I realize it helped me become a good cook like my mom. Thanks mama! My mom is my biggest influence and inspiration. Without her, I would not have come this far. She owned a Thai-Chinese restaurant along the river. Shrimp was caught by locals and sent to the restaurant, "YIM YIM", every morning. House dishes included simple grilled shrimp over charcoal, Pla-Goong (พล่ากุ้ง) -- shrimp salad infused with lemongrass, mint, lime, Thai chili and scallion), Steamed Water White Fish (ปลาม้า และ ปลาตะโกก) with soy sauce and ginger, and Shrimp with Bean Thread Noodles in a clay pot (กุ้งอบวุ้นเส้น). My mom is talented outside the kitchen as well, she’s creative and social, loves art, and has a great marketing mind. My passion comes from her. She creates every single meal with LOVE, so every dish tastes spectacular. My dad is also an important part of my life, his background was in the cafeteria, "Khao-Lad-Gang", run by my grandparents. The cafeteria was famous in my hometown and everyone called it "Khoa-Lad-Gang Jay-noo (ข้าวราดแกงเจ๊หนู)". Open for over 20 years, recipes from the cafeteria were passed down from my late grandma (R-Mah: อาม่า) and grandpa (R-Gong: อาโกง).
My dad is the oldest brother in his family, he has 9 siblings. The cafeteria needed to be able to feed 10 children and the locals. Some recipes on my blog are from my mom and dad, passed down from previous generations. |
My hometown |
I grew up in the small town called NakhonSawan Province: (นครสวรรค์ ) meaning: The heaven city. A 3 hour drive from Bangkok, it’s a small town with local businesses and fantastic street food. In the middle of my town is an area called Pak Nam Pho (ปากน้ำโพ) meaning 4 different main rivers meet in the middle of the city, home to a centuries-old Chinese community. All the street food vendors line up by the river at night, we call it “Tha-Lad-Lim-Nam" or market by the river. Everything from appetizers to desserts are served from Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese stands.
I am sure everyone has favorite restaurants or meals from their hometown. The familiar tastes, smells, and ingredients that you grew up with are comforting and bring back great memories. |
I hope you get to know me a little better from this bio and my journey through food. Thank you for all your support. I am looking forward to finding more recipes and reviews to inspire and entertain you in the future.
Cheers,
Natty
Cheers,
Natty
Nattyspantry's Team
Nani S. Romero : Copy / Grammar Editor
Over the years Nani has given me a lot of motivation and inspiration through her food and positive thought. She is a mother of two littles, one boy and one girl, and lives happily with her partner who is also a great chef in his own right. Nani moves like Beyonce in any kitchen as she is one Queen Bee. On the baking side she bakes up killer goodies and some of those that everyone dies for are her Banana Nut Bread, Eclairs, Beignets, Lavender Shortcakes, and Chocolate Liqueur Truffles. And yet amazingly so her cooking is as fantastic as well! Some of her go-to-dishes are Soup du Jour, fresh veggie pasta, homemade buttermilk cheddar herb biscuits & mushroom gravy, and Tortilla de Espanola.. She has spent many years working and honing her skills in various kitchens all across the country, building her own brand “Currently In My Mouth”, and running a successful nutrition advocate business with Yevo 43 Essential Nutrients. |