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In recent years, Manila has become increasingly cosmopolitan, and that has had its effect on the food industry. More delica-cies,primarily imported, have appeared on the shelves of supermarkets, and many locally prepared items as well. Specialty restaurants and delicatessens have sprung up like mushrooms, at five-star hotels and at areas preferred by expat shoppers like Makati and Greenhills. Filipino gourmets, too have discovered the delicacies of other worlds as well, and especially those of old Europe.

Europe has always been the paragon of exquisite culinary creativity in the preparation of food of any kind, and the taste and quality of Eu-ropean gastronomy is legendary around the globe. For centuries it was chiefly Spanish masterpieces which made their way into Filipino cuisine. Today the gourmet in Manila has a choice among delicatessens from almost any place in the world at rather reasonable prices. This may come as quite a surprise especially to American gourmets, who are used to paying exorbitantly for their refined tastes.

Whether Spanish Chorizos, Italian Cabanossis, Hungarian Debreziner or German Bratwurst, Camembert, Brie, Gorgonzola, Mozarella, Edam, or queso de bola, French croissants, German rye bread or Austrian bagels, smoked salmon or Russian Beluga Molossol, spicy Turkish coffee, Jamaica blend or Italian roast, it is all there for the tasting 100% pure, and affordable to anyone.

The Confiserie
Jupiter cor Saturn St, Bel Air, Makati
SM City Annex, Quezon City
Soon at Robinson's Galeria
The Confiserie, a Filipino-European joint venture is undoubtedly the unchallenged Mekka for chocolate lovers in the Philip-pines. The variety of the sweet temptations displayed is dazzling: 60 different kinds of irresistible nougats, petit-fours, marzipans, caramels, and pralines, filled with exquisite delicacies including fine nuts, fruits, creams and even seductive liqueurs. Around special holidays, the shops sell chocolates shaped in traditional motifs and figures. Patrons are also invited to bring their own designs to have them done in chocolate. Delivery within two days is guaranteed.

The chocolates are entirely hand-made ac-cording to traditional European processes and under close supervision, and each is as finely crafted as a piece of jewelry. Conse-quently, the quality is at least equivalent to that of their imported counterparts. Moreover, it does not suffer through long storage and transportation. The Confiserie's kitchen is one of the most modern in The Country . Ovens, freezers and other equip-ment are all imported, and it is continu-ously dehumidified and air-conditioned. Even the delivery vans are acclimatized to ensure the stability of the chocolates during trans-port.

Schwarzwaelder
The Parkway, Greenbelt Park, Makati Ave
87-52-20, 86-51-79
The Schwarzwaelder delicatessen and restau-rant has probably the largest assortment of German specialties, including a wide variety of select wines and spirits, delicious sausages such as Hausmacher, veal Bratwurst, garlic sausage, Bure Schueblig, white Bavarian and Nrnberger, and whole grain, whole wheat, rye and other bread. The world renowned Jensen's pat‚s are also available. As the German art of distilling clear spirits from fruits or berries is unequalled in the world. Probably the most famous represen-tative of this ancient art is Schinkenhaeger, a rare drink made from juniper berries. It goes along perfectly with a plate of German specialties, or just ice cold with a beer chaser. It and other choice brands like Schladerer Kirschwasser, Himbeergeist and William's Birne (distilled from cherries, raspberries and William's pear, respectively), Berentzen Pirshaw peach Vodka and apple liqueur are sold at Schwarzw„lder, as well as select Badensian wines, Frstenberg Pilsener, one of the best beers in the world, and last not least that great brandy from one of the most enchanting parts of the Rhine valley, Asbach Uralt, each bottle distilled from five liters of the finest wines, matured in Limousin oak barrels and blended in the ancient Asbach family tradi-tion. Of course, Germany's best cham-pagnes, Henkell Trocken and Fuerst von Metternich are present as well in Schwarzwaelder's cellars.

Treffpunkt Jedermann Corp.
140 Jupiter St, Bel Air II, Makati
Tel 85-92-50
Mon-Sat 7:00-2:00
18 Liberty St cor EDSA, Cubao
Quezon City, Tel 722-28-10
Daily 8:00-22:00
All major credit cards accepted Established 1983, the Austrian delicatessen store Treffpunkt Jedermann is supplied by its sister company Fil-Austrian Corp., which manufactures all its products under rigid quality control and according to time-hon-ored Austrian/German traditions. They sell Austrian sausages, ham, cold cuts, salami, bacon, corned beef, and prime cuts of pork and beef. There also is genuine, healthy Austrian whole wheat bread, mustard and even im-ported Austrian and German wines such as the white Grner Veltliner, or the red Blaufr„nkisher and St.Laurent. On the grill terrace at the Jupiter St branch one can enjoy a wide variety of grill specialties like grilled sausage, meat, chicken, seafood, etc. The terrace is protected from the weather by a canopy.

Saentis Deli
7431 Yakal St, Makati
Tel 86-26-47, 815-13-59
Saentis offers a variety of first-class deli items such as German and Swiss sausages, hams, bacons, cooked cold cuts, smoked fish and imported cheeses as well as special cuts of fresh meat, fresh imported fruits, fresh herbs and spices, fresh vegetables, and baked goods, jars of olives, pickled capers and onions, jams, marmalades, and jellies. The author regularly buys imported European cheeses at Saentis as they havethe widest selection and very reasonable prices.

Actually, many of the cheeses imported from Switzerland, Germany and France are not more expensive at Saentis than in Europe. The reason for this strange circumstance is to be found in European agricultural policies. As many European countries have an overprodection of milk and milk prodects, they all give export incentives. Not only is the production of milk and milk products for export practically free of taxation in European countries; they often even subsidize such exports. As Saentis passes on those discounts, their cheeses are virtually the same price as in The Country of origin, in spite of air freight cost. Their products are perfectly fresh, with air containers arriving weekly.

La Tienda
Spanish Food & Wine store
5033 P. Burgos St, Makati
Tel 88-16-51
In the old Spanish tradition, La Tienda in-vites to flavor one's paella with saffron and chorizos and the salad with Spanish sardines and olives, or to try Spanish peaches and cream for dessert. And not to forget a bot-tle of rich, castilian wine to round the ac-cent of a Spanish table.

Dulcinea Spanish Delicacies
Pasteleria y Salon de Te
Greenbelt Mall, Makati
Tel 817-70-74, 85-54-95
daily 7:00-21:30
Dulcinea is chiefly a pastry shop but also offers traditional Spanish meats such as Jam¢n Serrano, Chorizo Salamanca, Vela de lomo, Manchego and blue cheese. For those with a sweet tooth, there is imported Swiss liqueur-filled chocolate and candied, glazed fruits like figs, peach, pineapple, kiwi, and orange. A specialty is their Hojaldre assortment, thin pastry layers with assorted fillings, sweet and also savory for hors d'oeuvres. Tarts or pastels with meat, tuna, chorizo and chicken fillings, freshly baked french bread, rolls and croissants are also available.

Acke's Delicatessen
1332 Perez St, Paco
59-55-79, 59-56-04, 50-69-89, 59-75-20
* The Landmark, Makati
* South Supermarket, Magellanes Commercial Center, Makati
* 2-5 President cor Don Rufino St, Para¤aque; Tel 342-55-58
* South Supermarket, Ayala Commercial Center, Ayala Alabang
* SM Supermarket, North EDSA, Quezon City
Acke's offers a choice of European-style fresh prime cuts beef, pork and chicken, cold cuts and sausages, without any artifi-cial sup-plements whatsoever. The assort-ment includes native tocino, chorizo and longaniza. A ready-to-serve holiday spe-cialty of Acke's is their delicious cured, smoked, boiled and baked Farmer's ham, not salty as some Chi-nese hams are, and with glazed pineapple and cherry topping.

Peninsula
Ayala cor Makati Ave, Makati
The Cake Shop & Delicatessen
Tel 819-34-56 loc 3970
Daily 7:00-21:00
A delectable world of oven-fresh breads, pastries, chocolates and deli specialties; a gourmet paradise where one can find home smoked ham, salami, terrine and pate; country bread, croissants and old-fashioned pan de sal; tarts, fruit-topped cream cakes and French pastries; vintage wines and spirits and the world-famous Peninsula chocolates.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Makati Ave, Makati
The delicatessen's principal feature is pat‚, homemade duck or chicken liver with brandy, rum, etc. in refillable, decoratively painted, duck-shaped crockery pots. There is also a small selection of sliced cold cuts, cheese and, occasionally, sausages. Also available are assorted pistachios, local and ex-otic nuts, liqueurs, creams, and assorted teas.

Midtown Hotel
Maxim's Adriatico cor Pedro Gil St, Ermita
Daily 8:00-22:00
Maxim's has delicious fresh French, whole wheat and rye bread as well as croissants. The doughnuts, twice the size of the chain variety, are a sellout at only P4.75. A cake of the month and the best Danish and pastries for only P5.25 a piece make Maxim's a real treat at bargain prices.

Century Park Sheraton
Deli-Snack, Vito Cruz st, Malate
Tel 50-12-01, 50-60-41;daily 8:00-20:00
The Century Park Sheraton deli seduces the patrons with an irresistible variety of palatable delicacies. Their specialties are in-house made cookies using Swiss chocolate, pralines, covered nuts and truffles, kiwi, apricot and strawberry preserves and jams. The bread section offers wonderful Danish, cinnamon twist, whole wheat, croissants, ba-nana cake, and fruit cake. For the salad friend there are ham, Italian and potato salads. Cheese wedges, sausages, sliced cold cuts, sandwiches, a black forest platter with as-sorted hams, and ice cream cre-ations invite to an appetizing snack. A va-riety of teas are available as well.

Holiday Inn
3001 Roxas Blvd, Mr Deli and bakeshop
Tel 59-79-61 to 80; Mon-Sat 9:00-21:00
Roxas Boulevard cor Vito Cruz, Malate
Mr. Deli has excellent GruyŠre and Cheddar cheese, German bratwurst, homemade pick-led Lapu-Lapu and features a "Bread of the Week". The crois-sants, Danish, brioche, rye bread, sour dough and whole wheat bread available are always freshly baked.

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So the point is, despite this being a purely academic conference, it is also a forum in which important and sometimes sensitive ideas are expressed.