Some people insist that diners are pre-fabricated structures with a long counter and stools that swivel and are bolted to the floor. Ditto the long tempting line of cakes and cream pies that beckon from under their plastic covers. Then there are others who expect lots of stainless steel inside and out. My favorite definition of a diner is: "If it doesn't serve breakfast at any hour of the day, it's not a diner." (Nod supportively with me here). Perhaps the common thread in all diners is in their serving food that is quick, affordable, and most of all, comfortingly delicious. Think pancakes, meat loaf and potatoes smothered in gravy, fried chicken, bracelet-sized onion rings; in other words, food that’s high in fat (yay!) and flavor and people who couldn’t give a hoot about the calorie count. (More power to their tribe, I say). Pretentiousness has no place here so things like steak au poivre, crème brulee, and profiteroles are absent.Thank goodness for that. While we have lots of food places in Manila that fit the definition of serving food that’s quick and affordable, we don’t have many diners. I can think of the now defunct Arnold’s ...

There must be something that binds law as a profession with baking. One lady lawyer I know makes panna cotta every Friday night to celebrate the end of another harried week. In the cool quiet of her private space, she relishes the repetitiveness of stirring the hot cream and sprinkling powdered gelatin over it, watching the granules plump and then sink into the lush liquid. The heedfulness to a seemingly simple task, that of transforming pedestrian ingredients into slippery-smooth custard makes her feel whole again. “You can’t imagine how attached I can get to the problems of my clients, Lor,” she’s wailed to me. Not too long ago I meet another lawyer, Yumi Castrillo, who also takes refuge in the kitchen. Last year’s stress drove her to the kitchen where she baked almost everyday, sending the excess to her husband’s officemates who were more than willing recipients. Like the sweet drug that sugar is, those people got hooked and soon Yumi was receiving orders for her treats. cupcake box Unlike other bakers, Yumi specializes in only one product: cupcakes. In fact, her business is called Piece ...

I don’t want to admit that I’m in mourning but frankly, I am. My Canon Powershot G2 is dead. Its second trip to the Canon repair shop in a span of three months this year confirmed that getting it fixed would cost as much as buying a brand new camera. Crestfallen, I pull my beloved out of the shop and decide to retire it for good. For several days it sits forlornly on the coffee table in my bedroom, still in the atrocious pink bubble wrap that the technician at Canon had dutifully covered it in. I must’ve sounded so dejected over the phone when told the bad news because I wasn’t even charged the standard P250 consultation fee. My Canon Powershot G2 is the camera that I used to start Dessert Comes First. From the atrocity that I call my first photo ever (see above), a well-meaning flourless chocolate cake, I continued to shoot everything that I put into my mouth. Once, in an attempt to understand the camera’s Mode dial consisting of P, TV, AV, M, etc., I sat in a Sugarhouse and shot countless pictures of the ...

6. Coffee & liqueur desserts from Minnie Mousse Minnie Mousse is the charming, whimsical name of Minnie Puno’s baking business. Actually, the name came first and then the dessert came afterwards. As they say, a great name is all you need to get started. Minnie’s signature dessert is what else, but a (Minnie) Mousse (P90 each) elevated with one’s liqueur of choice: Kahlua, Cointreau, or Creme de Menthe. They come in little cups with a minimum of 12 pieces per flavor. I’m not a fan of mousse in any shape or texture either alone or incorporated into something. I also don’t drink (or rarely), so the lure of a liqueur is lost on me. But taking this dessert for what it is, I can appreciate the quality of chocolate used as well as the graham cracker crust that provides a modicum of structure and textural contrast. The liqueur is very faint, it’s but a suggestion in this foam. However, if you like a good chocolate mousse, especially one that’s been spiked, then this Minnie Mousse has got your name on it....

The first time someone greeted me a “Happy Mother’s Day!” was five years ago when I was pregnant with Boo. It startled me because I didn’t think I was a mother just yet – I still had five months to go after all -- but if your stomach was pooching as far out as mine was back then, then I guess that made me a mother. According to the US National Restaurant Association, Mother’s Day is the most popular holiday or occasion for eating out, followed closely by Valentine’s Day. I’m sure the stats apply to the Philippine situation, and I don’t know about others, but I’m always with my family on those two holidays (and it just wouldn't be the same without my Mom). My mom and I now exchange Happy Mother’s Day greetings every second Sunday in May along with my sister who’s got two rambunctious sons. It’s a fine day for eating and whether we go out to a restaurant or cook up a gourmet meal at home, it’s always special. Here, my choices for the mom or special woman in your life. (Of course there’s always breakfast in bed but I can’t ...

Saint-Tropez is a seaside resort town in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France. It’s a haven for Hollywood stars and the jet-set since the 1950’s, owing to the yachts berthed along the quay and the strip of terrace cafés. Tourists stroll about people-watching and ogling the slow-cruising Ferraris and Porsches. Here in Manila, a restaurant attempts to evoke that same spirit and joie de vivre. Aptly named Tropezz (tro-PEZZ), its owners describe it as a “friendlier Saint-Tropez, a place for parties, good food and music, a place beyond our imagination.” Located on the spot of the former Tavern on the Square, it’s a large place surrounded by glass. The dining area and bar is at the front while the larger space at the back is where bands jam nightly. A restaurant and bar, owners Obet and Isa Pascual, Jiji Fernandez, and Alma Mallonga have put great care in crafting a menu that captures the pulsating island beat of Saint-Tropez. Pastry chef Kat Pascual describes it as “… international islands cuisine. But some people don’t get it, they say there’s no such thing,” she says, “but because we’ve been inspired by Saint-Tropez, it’s a fusion of French and ...

It isn’t intentional, but I realize as I write this post that I also made cupcakes for my website’s first birthday. Now on its second year, Dessert Comes First (DCF) celebrates with yet another cupcake, this time an ice cream cone cupcake. Very different from cupcake batter baked in real ice cream cones, these ice cream cone cupcakes are baked in a special pan with waffle-cone shapes and detail. The buttercream icing is then piped on with a large star tip to mimic soft serve ice cream. Each “ice cream cone” is 3-inches high and depending on how stacked the frosting is, this is one mighty cupcake good enough to share – although in my opinion, a cupcake is not meant to be shared because it’s a cake for you and you alone. (wink) On that note, THANK YOU. Thank you for the emails telling me how you make it a point to visit Dessert Comes First everyday and how you fit my restaurant and dessert recommendations into your busy schedules. I’m most honored. Thank you also to those of you who let me know about the special eating places and ...