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Q&A with Nong Weitzel
Q: What does “Nong” mean?
Nong: It’s “little sister.” In Thailand, someone younger than you is always called “Nong.” I was the youngest, so I’ve always been “Nong.”
Q: Where did you learn to cook?
Nong: I learned to cook at my school in Thailand. Back then, teenagers, especially women, had to go to school to learn how to be the lady of the house. I liked cooking, but I didn’t want to do it for just anyone, only people I love.
Q: When did you move here, and what brought you?
Nong: I moved to America on June 9th, 1972. We first moved to Ohio for Rick’s work. He was a colonel in the Air Force at the time. I became a U.S. citizen in 1976.
We met several months, almost a year, before he left Thailand. We weren’t dating, but he asked me to guide him whenever he came to Bangkok. He even asked me to help him pick furniture to send home for the house he would be moving into. After he left, he sent me my first Christmas card – I didn’t know what it was about back then and had no idea what it was.
Whenever anyone asked how we met, Rick would joke around and tell everyone that he just landed his helicopter in the jungle and picked me up. Really, he took time off his work in the Pentagon and came back to Thailand to ask me to marry him. I was afraid to say yes, because it was against family tradition to marry outside, but he said not to worry about that. We married on June 2nd and left Thailand on June 9th. I don’t regret leaving Thailand – I have too much independence for traditional Thai relationships. I’ve been back twice, and both times I knew I made the right decision. I love it here and know I belong here, and I found someone who loved me more than I could say.
Q: Tell us about your work with the community.
Nong: I first came to Dripping Springs in 1973, and the community here took me in, really embraced me. They all wanted to adopt me – I had so many mothers back then. They taught me so many things, how to garden and pickle what I grew, and how to be a good person in the community. I still have a taste of that first pickled okra.
How else am I supposed to pay back all of my American mothers than to give to this community? I help with fundraising for the senior center, for the nursing home, and I’ve done a lot of work for my Church. I still help with fundraising for the Friends Foundation, and I love being part of the Empty Bowls Project, but last year might have been my last.
When I’m helping with fundraising for the elderly, the goal is for them to be at home with the environment they know, where they’re comfortable. We help them with food, with meals cooked at the nursing home, and with electricity if they need it. We want them to be at home as long as they are able to be there. All of that is from volunteers and donations.
Q: When did you start cooking for your neighbors?
Nong: I started in 2007. I felt that I needed to do something that made me happy, to remember where I came from. Back then, there weren’t many people who wanted to eat Thai food. But younger people were interested. I started with ten orders, and a few weeks later I was making deliveries at the flagpole at the high school, and that’s when it really started growing. My son, Travis, became a lawyer around then, and his first official job was helping me get all the permits I needed. He said, “No underground work, mom,” and I had to ask him what that meant.
Q: How long have you been at the market?
Nong: I used to deliver meals at the Home Depot parking lot, then at The Barber Shop. I don’t remember what year, but Marianne, Sherri, and Gouri finally convinced me to join them at the Farmers Market. At first it was only two times a month before I realized I needed to be all the way in. Rick told me I didn’t need to work, but to me, work is not work and I need to contribute, and he came around to supporting me.
Q: Has it been hard cooking your native recipes with Texas ingredients?
Nong: Somewhat, but I like the fact that I can get fresh food that hasn’t been washed with chemicals. In Thailand, we always had to wash our vegetables about ten times and treat the water we cooked them in because of the chemicals. I love the variety of fresh vegetables we can always get here, and the meats I get at market have always been perfect. For things I couldn’t find, I was able to grow it myself, like certain limes, cilantro, mint, Thai basil… those are the ones I grow in my own garden, and I know what goes into them. When I make people food, I want it to be safe.
Q: What’s your favorite American food?
Nong: Rib eye steak… medium rare. In Asia, you feed the whole family with one piece of meat. In Ohio, Rick asked if I wanted to try a steak and I had no idea what he meant. He ordered rib eyes, medium rare. When I first cut the meat, I jumped back because blood came out, and all the officers at the table had a good laugh. My kids just did a filet mignon for Mother’s Day – my two grandkids even helped – so that might be my favorite now.
Q: What do you plan on doing now that you’re retiring from cooking?
Nong: My plan is to see how much I can build and stay here at home for as long as I can. I love the peace out here, and I want it to stay pretty for myself.
Q: What will you miss the most about being part of the market?
Nong: I will miss people.
Q: I guess I can ask since you’re leaving: who’s your favorite vendor?
Nong: Oh, I can’t say just one. Fran, Sherri, the Tolly’s, Jessica who sells coffee, Erika with Solaro, who helped us cook for Empty Bowls last year, Ray… Don’t ask me that question! They’re all so good. I just love everyone.
Q: Any chance of you coming back from time to time?
Nong: When I walk away from something, I walk away from it. I know it’s the right thing to do. I’m going to miss it, but my time to leave has come.
Charlie: On behalf of Dripping Springs Farmers Market, thank you, Nong. You will be missed.
This article is reprinted, in shortened form, with permission. It first appeared in the Dripping Spring Farmers Market Weekly Newsletter, and was written by Charlie Reed, market manager.
