Based in Manila, Philippines, Dessert Comes First is a chronicle of the food-obsessed food writer, Lori Baltazar. This website is all about desserts, restaurants, coffee, and the pleasures of homebaking. Read more about me Tea time at Delifrance
Wed, December7th of 2005
7:45 pm
I often talk about my good friend, Kaie, in this blog. She’s a fellow food writer as well as one of the editors of a popular glossy. We occasionally tag along with one another to the events of our respective magazines, and this time Kaie did the inviting. “Let’s have high tea at Delifrance,” her message read.
Delifrance is on a major re-launch with the renovation of their 30+ stores. Gone are the dark interiors to make way for a brighter, more modern French look. Today, Kaie and I were at the Delifrance branch at the Insular Life Building located at the corner of Paseo de Roxas and Ayala Avenue. It’s a stand-alone store that’s also their biggest, seating 82 at maximum capacity.
Kaie had gotten there ahead of me and managed to snag a cozy little nook which looked out onto the street. It was a prime spot for people-watching. We were with Lorraine, an editor of another major glossy; settled on comfy sofa-chairs, we were set. Together we oohed and ahhed over the pastries and giggled and gossiped as all girls are wont to do.
I must say that Delifrance was never high on my list of places to eat. I remember that I didn’t particularly care for their food before – and it was the usual litany of complaints: too-small portions and lack of value for money. All that changed this afternoon, however. I’ll let my photos do the talking for me. And yes, everything pictured here tastes as good as it looks. I love it when that happens.
Chocolate and orange in fruitcake – who knew? This is a light textured cake with almost geometrically perfect lines of dates, chocolate bars, candied mango slices, and walnuts.
Choco Orange Fruitcake
P565 / 1.2 lbs
Also available in smaller sizes
Danishes are one of my all-time, anytime favorite things to nosh on. Delifrance is known for theirs, and did you know that the flour they use for their bread line is imported from France? Astounding!
This is the first time I’ve ever been served food for the gods (date bar) in wedge form. A drier version of the usual bar of this sort, its texture allows the taste of the nuts, prunes, dates, and dried mango to shine through.
Food for the Gods
P565 / 1 lb.
Also available in smaller sizes
Lorraine won this during the raffle at the event. It’s a Christmas fruit tart shimmering in its colorful bounty. Set on a puff pastry base, it’s so blindingly beautiful that all I could see was green for a while — so envious was I of Lorraine for winning it. Teehee.
Christmas Fruit Tart
P650
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Wow! Like you I had been giving Delifrance a pass for a while…looks like it’s high time to head on back there! What pictures Lori! Did you run them by the food porn censors first?
[Reply]
Comment by joey — December 8, 2005 @ 2:31 am
hmm the orange chocolate cake looks good. reminds me of the orange cake they serve in bellini’s (marikina shoe expo). basically a pound cake macerated in gran marnier or some orange liqueur and literally overloaded with sweet/bitter candied orange rind chunks on top. rich, buttery, but not too cloyingly sweet. great balance of flavors. they also serve it with this dessert wine but am not too fond of that. considering you do the rounds, lori, you probably may have tried it already, but i must say its worth coming back for
[Reply]
Comment by anonymous paul — December 8, 2005 @ 11:34 am
Your site is absolutely amazing! This page is now my home page…so i get a glimpse of amazing desserts each morning when i go to work. Best part are the pictures…good enough to eat:)
Esp the orange chocolate cake! Please do more with dark chocolate. If running out of recipes, just post some pictures of decadent dark Godivas in various sultry poses!
Keep up the good work.
[Reply]
Comment by Zenobia — December 8, 2005 @ 12:32 pm
I tried out the orange chocolate fruitcake two weeks ago, liked it enough to get another slice, but can only eat one slice. Good combination, and the dates go well with both flavors. Maybe they should just do a date and orange bar enveloped in chocolate. Hmmmmm
[Reply]
Comment by Mila Tan — December 8, 2005 @ 1:07 pm
omg! all that shimmering, glistening indulgence! please let us in on how they accomplish this, lori. is it a fruit glaze? jelly? jam? whatever. been meaning to do the same to my goodies but so far have been unsuccessful. anyone, plsss??? big thanks! =)
[Reply]
Comment by Anonymous — December 8, 2005 @ 6:43 pm
Anonymous-
Use preserved jam found at supermarkets for brushing on fruit — red currant jelly for dark fruits and apple jelly or apricot preserves for light fruits. It’s best to use jam/jelly that’s been strained (no pulp or bits).
Simmer the preserves with a little light corn syrup, stirring constantly. Simmering thickens the fruit by evaporating some of theliquid, and the corn syrup keeps it fluid enough to brush on the fruit. If still too thick to spread, heat with some water until desired consistency.
I hope this helps!
[Reply]
Comment by Lori — December 9, 2005 @ 12:04 pm
LOR!
i LURVVVE the fruitcake! it’s almost gone.
it was good to see you at the Salcedo Market. let’s do lunch again soon!
mari
[Reply]
Comment by mok — December 13, 2005 @ 5:09 pm