Brisket in Roses

about me

I don't really like answering about me sections, but here goes nothing.....I live in Chicago, IL. Went to culinary school and graduated 3 years ago. Work in a french restaurant in Downtown Chicago as a pastry chef. I went to school for cuisine, not pastry, and actually I am much better at cuisine, however I've always wanted to study more pastry. I am not bad at it, I'm actually very good (tooting my own horn), but everyone says I have a natural talent for cuisine. Either way, I love cooking because it is my meditative time. However, when I cook at home, no one dares to walk into the kitchen because I am very bossy and they would rather not deal with me....heehee!
I also love to bead...I make beaded jewelry that I never get to wear...imagine what would happen if a customer bit down on a pink swarovski while trying to enjoy their chocolate mousse? I'm always making things for my friends and my sister though, so at least someone gets to show off my creations.
I also write a lot. Been working on short stories lately, but I've always been more of a poem freak. I love to read....I have a massive collection of books....every type of book. They are mostly cook books and poetry collections, but I also love history, religion, drama, suspense, romance (not the cheesy kind, my favorite book of all time is "love in the time of cholera" by gabriel garcia marquez, I have yet to see the movie), mystery, murder mystery (second favorite book is "and then there were none" by agatha christie).
And my rambling continues....I come from a small family, I suppose, 1 brother 1 sister and my parents. My brother is married with 3 kiddies, my sister is married to a big kid, so they have no kiddies yet. I am still single...wink,wink . Actually, I am devoted to someone whom I love very much, but no ring yet. I will post some pictures on here as soon as I have some time. Enough rambling....thanks for reading, if you actually stayed awake through the whole thing.

Favorite Foods:

don't have a favorite dish to cook....i love to experiment and try new things....my family is more than willing to be my "guinea pigs" so to speak. My favorite restaurant is Mundial Cocina Mestiza in the Pilsen area in Chicago. It is very low key, very limited menu, but the dishes they do have are just out of this world. Plus!!!!....they have homemade sangria....yum, yum! Other than that, they are BYOB. If you live in Chicago or ever come visit, I suggest you go. (And no, I don't work there. Every time I talk about that restaurant people think I work there because I rave about it, but I just love it there)

http://www.myspace.com/natparlo