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Dessert First

a san francisco food and travel blog | all things sweet

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Pink Ombre Cake for Baby’s 1st Birthday

Feb 6 by Anita 13 Comments

A couple weeks ago Isabelle turned one year old. One! How did my inaugural year as a mom pass so quickly! I meant to post another update in between her six month milestone and now, but I guess a mega-ish update will have to do. Hopefully these periodic updates are still enjoyable!...

Filed Under: Cakes, Personal, Recipes Tagged With: birthday, cake, life, penelope, pink ombre, pottery barn, valentine's day

A Dispatch Before August Ends

Aug 23 by Anita 1 Comment

Driving down the Pacifica coast on a summer weekend Hello again. It’s been a while – oops! Every time I finish a post now I feel this huge sense of relief and accomplishment, and I think that now I can focus some time on some other tasks on my list before I need to work […]...

Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: life

{Cookbook Review} Souvenirs and the Making of Memories

Mar 18 by Anita 9 Comments

Pineapple carpaccio with lemon sorbet, cilantro granité, pineapple chips, and crystallized cilantro from Souvenirs. Isabelle is two months old! I can’t believe how much she has changed in eight short weeks. It’s like the saying, “The days are long, but the years are short.” I’ve always been a nostalgic person. Even though I know there […]...

Filed Under: Cookbooks, Recipes, Reviews, Tarts Tagged With: citrus, cookbook, hubert keller, lavender, life, review, souvenirs, tart

Introducing Isabelle

Jan 28 by Anita 47 Comments

Hello. We’re so happy to announce the arrival of Isabelle. She was born on January 15, at 12:57 in the morning, weighing 6 lb 1 oz. My OB was out of town over the weekend and told me, “I want to deliver your baby. Try to hold on until I get back on the 13th.” […]...

Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: baby, life

1 + 1 =

Sep 10 by Anita 34 Comments

Things have slowed down here a bit here lately on the site. The reasons are myriad: summer vacation distractions, working on sated magazine issue #2, but really there’s one main reason I haven’t been able to show up as often as I like. I’ll let Snickers help me make the announcement:...

Filed Under: Cookies, Personal, Recipes Tagged With: baby, blitz puff, life, palmiers, pastry, raspberry

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best of dessert first


The Making of Macarons (Sucre Cuit Style)

Hong Kong Eggettes (Daan Jai)


Tis the Season (Chocolate Mint Macarons)

A Better Brioche


Consider the Humble Chocolate Chip Cookie

A Feast of Figs


Pure Dessert, Pure Inspiration (Chocolate Citrus Tart)

My Own Remembrance of Things Past: Daan Tats


The Slow Drip of Coffee on a Languorous Summer's Day

Still Life of Strawberry Tart

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about pastrygirl

Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, daughter, and dog Max. More about pastrygirl

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Please e-mail anita {at} dessertfirstgirl {dot} com with all collaboration inquiries, pastry questions, or just to say hi! I look forward to hearing from you!
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