I took these photos almost a year ago - but kept waiting to go back to take better pictures. I've been back a few more times, but none of the pictures have been quite right. Anyway....
Nick and Natalie own Pasticceria Natalina, a small bakery they opened up in the Andersenville neighborhood in late 2006 when they were 24 or 25. Natalie is self-taught...she learned everything from her Sicilian aunties and grandmother.
As I write this, she's coming home from an eating trip to Sicily. I really wanted to tag along with her...it would have been incredible.
They make their own cannolis...and fill them with a sheeps milk ricotta from Sicily. When they can't get it, they don't offer cannoli.
For the first year, Nick and Natalie worked non-stop with very little help. Natalie takes a moment to drink an espresso to try and stay awake:
Nick quit his job to join Natalie full time in the kitchen. After opening the shop, they moved out of their condo and into a small studio apartment - since they were spending most of their time at the shop, there was no need to keep a large place.
Nick finishes up some loaf cakes:
The pastries are seasonal. Nick and Natalie try to reflect seasonal availability of fruit and produce in their offerings. Here's some of what they had in their case last spring:
The lemon tiralli are my favorite cookies in Chicago.
That is great! Look at it my side: http://desszert.com/en
Posted by: Gábor | February 26, 2008 at 09:36 AM