The day is finally here! Many of us have been eagerly awaiting Dean & DeLuca opening on our shores. The New York gourmet and fine food purveyor will welcome its first customers 8pm tonight (22 June 2012) at its first Singapore store (#04-23/24 Orchard Central). The first 50 guests will get a S$25 goodie bag, and you can start queueing from 7pm onwards (yes, folks, it's Singapore - so queue up!).
The 3,200 square feet store is an emporium of epicurean treats. Most of the goods here are items you will not be able to find in other stores. The store features artisanal products sourced from around the world, a bakery and signature cafe.
Right upfront they have placed their cheese and charcuterie counters - these are star products that will they expect local customers will be most attracted to.
Oh I spy one of my favourites - the Brillat Savarin among the soft cheeses! There's also White Stilton with apricots, St Maure, Robiola in leaves and Triple Cream. The semi-soft cheeses include Wensleydale with Cranberries, Smoked Northumberland, Morbier, St Nectaire, and Double Gloucester.
Hard cheese lovers can pick from Comte, Mimolette, Bella Lodi, Reyoenaer XO Reserve 30 months, Quickes Goat Cheddar and Stripey Jack to name a few. I'm looking at the blue cheeses too - St Argur, Fourme d'Ambert and Gorgonzola (Dolce and Picante). Fresh cheeses like burrata and mozzarella are also available, as well as washed rind cheese like Epoisses, Langres and Red Square.
If you are looking for recommendations, a maître fromager will be on hand to guide you with recommendations.
The charcuterie is small but will still set hearts racing with items like Jamon Serrano Reserva, 5J Iberico, Coppa Sweet, Artisan Spanish Chorizo Bilbao, Saucisson Pur Porc, Big Sopressata Sweet, and Mortadella with pistachios.
Dean & DeLuca will also have a bakery where you can pick your breads and pastries to go with your cheeses, meats and preserves.
Here's Mr Kenneth Low, Director of Kitchen Language, showing us the wines. Most of these are specialty labels from California for now, but they will expand the selection to include artisanal wines rarely found in Singapore.
Lots of breakfast goodies here. Jams, jellies and preserves, including Oprah's favourite - Sarabeths! There's a nice maple syrup here too, along with honeys, American Spoons pumpkin butter, Rosebud Farms Mint Jelly and Oregon Shippers Vanilla Pear Butter.
You'll also find all kinds of herbs, spices, dry rubs and premium salts. Looking for sumac, ancho powder, nigella, or za'atar? Wild porcini sea salt, Murray River salt, Sal de Ibiza, Japanese Ancient Sea Salt? Gold and silver flakes for garnishing? It's all here.
There are various private label gourmet coffee blends. They also have Papa Palheta here!
Here's the "Palais De The" featuring a collection of 12 teas from around the world - great as a sampler, and so very pretty too.
So exotic and beguiling - a tea named "Fleur de Geisha" - I want the cherry blossom container! Next to it is a gift set of various Kusmi Teas.
You can take a break while shopping - the 50-seater cafe has lots of baked goods, cakes and pastries. Enjoy these with gourmet coffee, tea and juices, or some of their more unusual drinks like the aptly named Dirty Chai Tea Latte, Green Tea Chendol or Mango Sticky Rice Shake.
You can have a full meal here too. Pick the mains and sides you like and compose your own set meal. Or pick from sandwiches like BBQ Chicken Panini, Italian meatball and cheese, Honey Roast Ham and Gouda.
The cafe also serves all day breakfast! Choose from American Country Breakfast, The Belgian Stack, The New Yorker, Eggs Ibericho, or Sauteed brioche French toast wtih caramelised bananas and fresh berries. Brunch and high teas are available weekends.
Back to the goods - there are some quaint items like coloured coarse sugar. The rainbow one looks like crystal sprinkles.
Here's the Chateau dEstoublon oil and vinegar table duet - they look like perfume bottles.
And the oldest one of the aged balsamic vinegars - the Giuseppe Giusti - yours for just S$220 a bottle.
Dean & DeLuca has lots of tinned goodies too - sweets, nuts and dried fruit. These would make great little gifts.
Speaking of gifts - they can customise packages for individuals and corporate customers alike. They do baskets, boxes, hampers, bags. Ask for their catalogue. Dean & DeLuca also supplies to hotel minibars.
I like their kitchen accessories and equipment too.
Absolutely love the test tube spice rack. And they have a cookbook too (it's all black and white though, no photos, but still interesting).
So that's a quick preview of the store. I hope you enjoy going even if just to see what kind of unusual gourmet goods are available and how to use them. But bewarned: It's hard to go there without picking something up!
DEAN & DELUCA SINGAPORE
181 Orchard Road
#04-23/24 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 6509-7709
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeanDelucaSG
Open daily: 11am to 10pm
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