In Search of Marron Glacé

After mentioning Marron Glacé in a previous column, a sister, in turn referred by a friend, gave us the store where we can get this precious French specialty which turned out to be non-exclusive to the French. There is the Japanese version, which the same sibling found in a recent visit to Tokyo. At the store, Terry Selection, The Gourmet Shop located in Building B of the Karrivin Plaza off Pasong Tamo Extension, the gracious lady owner Marie suggested that we take the Cuevas brand from Spain, since we had already tried the French variety during a trip to Paris. We are grateful to her for the most delicious, melt-in-the-mouth chestnuts, perfectly glazed with sugar, corn syrup and vanilla, each wrapped in gold. They are produced by a company that has been in the business for more than 60 years. Price ranges from P525 a bottle to P1,160. Another variant are chestnuts in brandy.

Our search for Marron Glacé yielded other discoveries in this haven of foods from France, Spain and Italy. For those wanting an easy way to make the otherwise complicated paella, there are starter packs (marisco or valenciana) with or without the paellera (P395 and P495). Should you want to make paella from scratch, you can find saffron (fibers) here at P175 a pack, which you can divide into four, using one portion when cooking for at least 8 or 10 people. They have a wide variety of pasta, including those with salmon, truffle or saffron, in the usual beige color or multi-hued and in various shapes.

Cheese lovers will delight in the selection at the deli, where Manchego, Brie, Camembert, Emmental, Raclette, Gruyere and many more are available. The master of the store, JC Terry, will only be too happy to match cheese with the proper wines. Allow us to share with you a secret Terry gave us about keeping cheese, extending its shelf life. All you need to do is put the cheese in a jar with olive oil (a preservative really) out of the refrigerator, and it will last more than two years. Those who cook Spanish food often will be happy to note the Leyenda products, including canned whole peppers and tomatoes, lentejas, garbanzos and fabada beans, even lima beans. From P126 up.

On its second floor is a dining area that serves gourmet sandwiches. You can choose your bread–focaccia, ciabatta or loaf (wheat or multi-grain) from P115 (White Cow which is beef pastrami with melted Bel Paese, tomato and lettuce with special dressing) to P175 (Down the River, smoked salmon on a layer of caper spread). If you want to splurge, try the Joselito Special, named after the premium acorn—fed Iberico pig raised in the Dehesa region in Spain, laid out on extra virgin olive oil and freshly marinated tomatoes at P425.

One needs a few hours to spend in this store to fully appreciate its very extensive selection. This shop reminds us of the Industrial Kitchen we visited in Sydney, with an endless collection of everything a homemaker dreams of.

Movie-goers at Greenbelt 3 can avail of delivery service (inside the movie house) from Bruschetta (pronounce Broos-keta). Upon ordering, the staff will volunteer to deliver (to your seat) and surely that is a competitive advantage. You won’t be inconvenienced holding your bag and your snacks while trying to look for your seat in the theatre. Their thin-crust pizza is good.

Zong, the Chinese restaurant in Mayon, has branched out to The Fort. Like its first outlet, the design is un-Chinese-y: the interior is very pleasant, a subtle combination of muted blue and vibrant shades of orange. Needless to say, the food is free of enhancers. They have new offerings like pork with peach sauce and spicy beef tenderloin with broccoli florettes. And the price is always right. You get value for money.

Over at Shopwise in Libis, there is a little store called "Only N D Philippines" selling special delicacies from various parts of the country, such as pili sweets from Sorsogon, lady fingers from Pangasinan, a selection of kakanin from Laguna, two of which are the innovative kuchinta with buko topping and sapin-sapin with calamay on top. Super! You can buy by bilao (P350 and P500) or by the piece at P20 per.

Lydia D. Castillo’s e-mail address: inmybasket@skyinet.net