Hi, I’m Natalie! I’m here to share my favorite foods and recipes. Parsley represents fresh, colorful, flavorful food. As for Icing? Nothing makes me happier than making, eating, and sharing pretty and indulgent cookies, cakes, and other homemade desserts!
WHERE’D MY INTEREST IN FOOD COME FROM?
I grew up in rural Northern New York state. I have awesome memories from childhood, but can’t say I was exposed to many different flavors or foods (my mom is a good cook but sometimes refers to herself as a “microwave chef”). Interestingly, I think the lack of exposure to other foods and cultures made me hungry to find out what was “out there!”
During a semester abroad in Paris, I was amazed by pain au chocolat and could not figure out how the French made even a simple cheese sandwich taste like nothing I’d ever tasted.
After my semester in Paris, I decided to become an English teacher and went to teach in Tunisia and Morocco. Living in North Africa and seeing people going to markets and buying bags full of fresh vegetables to use to making lunch from scratch (and sometimes baking their own bread) on a daily basis totally inspired me! This way of cooking and eating seemed alive to me and from then on, I couldn’t get enough of it! Since then, when visiting other countries, I love noticing similarities and differences in the ways that people cook and eat.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME
A little over a year ago, I moved from Boston (where I was teaching elementary ESL) to Ottawa where I live with my husband, Joe! Luckily, being Lebanese, Joe loves food as much as I do. He has introduced me to so many interesting new foods and lots of excellent cooks who are kind enough to let me follow them around their kitchens as I learn more about Lebanese food!
WHY CREATE A FOOD BLOG?
With a phone full of food pictures and the urge to share them, recipe ideas constantly running through my head, and the fear of clogging up my friends’ social media feeds with food pictures, I created an Instagram account in February 2019 as a place to share my food pictures. I quickly realized I wanted to go a step further and share my original recipes as well, so I decided to create a blog to give myself more space to share! It’s been exciting realizing how many recipes I have to share and I love the process of coming up with and testing out new recipes!
GETTING INSPIRED
I’ve learned so much about food and different cultures from traveling and cooking with others and have always found it fun to share what I’ve learned with friends and family who may not have tried the same foods. In addition to sharing my great-grandmother’s best recipes and cooking up or putting a spin on some classic dishes and treats here on Parsley and Icing, I hope to introduce you to some amazing flavors and cuisines that you didn’t know were out there!
Whether you love and are obsessed with food or are simply looking for some yummy and different things to make, you’re in the right place! My hope is that Parsley and Icing becomes your go-to source for interesting, delicious, and healthyish recipes!