Breakfast at Deluca's

We are waiting outside Deluca's Italian Deli on a bright morning for 11 o'clock to strike. The guy with a freckled face greets us, the first customers of the day, inviting our attention to the chocolate croissants he had finished dusting with powdered sugar. Without thinking twice we order it with dry cappuccino. We frequent Deluca's for their cozy European ambiance, gourmet food and hospitable service (and once in a while to hear some Italian words) but today we come with a purpose. We brought some chocolate samples hoping they would be interested to add local artisan chocolates to their selection. Deluca's sells a variety of chocolate products from bars to confections, presented in eye catching packages lined up next to the cashier's counter, so we brought samples of our dark chocolate disks in three flavors to suggest that they offer in their Deli section to pair with the assortment of cheeses, preserves and charcuterie. The manager in charge is not at the store today, so we leave our chocolates with Julia, the person in charge this morning, whose warm and welcoming grin is encouraging. To suggest variety, we also brought a few samples of our salt and caramel mendiant disks and dark chocolate dipped oranges which we explain were candied in Italy! She will pass them to the manager, Julia promises.

Our cappuccinos with thick, enticing foam overflowing the cup's rim are served with Italian almond biscotti and our order of warm chocolate croissants freshly baked this morning. This perfect picture is captured with our iPhone before the foam clings to our upper lips like an old gentleman's mustache. However under the rich foam we discover dark, overheated coffee. Disappointed, we hesitate to voice our expert opinion. The girl at the counter scrupulously made the perfect foam overlooking the coffee. If she had focused on the coffee instead of the foam, our picture wouldn't have come out so pretty. Why can't we have perfection in life will never stop to puzzle us, but we want to start the day on the right foot and focus on the the perfect croissants instead which more than make up for the bad coffee. We stay positive and keep our fingers crossed that perhaps there might be a chance to see our chocolates one day on Deluca's counters.