Frequently Asked Questions about Dello Mano

Frequently Asked Questions about Dello Mano

1. How long do Dello Mano brownies keep and what is the best way to store brownies once they reach me?

Our brownies are made from the freshest of ingredients and in line with our baking philosophy we don’t want to hamper great brownie integrity by including preservatives. Their wholesome taste and flavor however does come from perishable ingredients like free range eggs direct from the farm and fresh butter. When they reach you, please immediately store your delicious brownies in the refrigerator where they will last for 12 weeks (although we are yet to hear of any of our brownies that have needed to be kept for that long!). 

2. How were Dello Mano brownies developed?

All our innovative and scrumptious brownie recipes were created by myself Deborah Peralta, a mother of two children. I have previously been a food scientist and marketer for several major multinational food companies. With little time on my hands, yet driven by my husband (Bien) and my shared dream to create  beautiful, delicious food in a friendly and welcoming environment, I developed the Dello Mano brownie recipes late at night replacing the expensive market research I commissioned at my “day” job by testing our brownies at our children’s school events. Feedback from many morning teas and luncheons was constantly incorporated into our ongoing Brownie recipe development until finally one day at a morning tea a woman stood up and said aloud ‘Who baked these? They are the best brownies I’ve ever tasted’.  At that point, the light bulb switched on and I thought we were ready to go commercial. Seven years later, both Bien and I are even more committed to our mission and  I still develop all new Dello Mano  brownie recipes and all of our other delicious produce.

3. Who or what is the secret behind the delicious taste of Dello Mano brownies?

The secret behind our delicious Dello Mano brownies is that they are genuinely made with love and passion. We are committed to uncompromising quality and very much view our Brownies and all of our chocolate produce and chocolate gifts as a reflection of our family values. Our team of “Mano-nians” are equally committed and everyday naturally work to create Brownies and other chocolate that is very special. We are all driven to provide real care in the entire client experience of Dello Mano.

We often have three generations working in different capacities from Grand Parents applying stickers or making packaging through to our children tasting and commenting on different recipes. The Dello Mano environment and our brownies are very much a representation of our family commitment.

Our ingredients are exceptional. Dello Mano Brownies are hand- made in small batches and despite financial pressures over the years, we continue to use Belgian Chocolate, Free Range Eggs delivered direct from the farm to our kitchen, Australian butter and other premium ingredients.  Further we support and use ingredients wherever we can from our neighbours at the Farmers Markets. We believe strongly that their passion for their own produce is cumulative with ours in the creation of our special Dello Mano Brownies.

Our Brownie recipes have all been developed by us. They are developed to supreme taste and flavor and not finances. As a result we deliver a Brownie of exceptional quality and flavour.

Bien and our team members provide an amazing level of care, personal rapport and relationships with many of our clients. They are committed to the Dello Mano Service philosophy and has been known to go to amazing lengths to ensure client brownie happiness.

The whole family (our team) is committed to our Dello Mano Mission and Philosophy. Our combined passion makes for all of us striving to make the very best Brownies and when you visit us you’ll see that we treat all of our clients as if they are visiting our home.

4. Where are the Dello Mano brownies prepared?

We have a commercial kitchen in Brisbane and all our brownies are prepared there by our chefs and bakers. Our dedicated team hand bake in small batches each of our brownies to ensure superlative taste and quality. Our kitchen team is a group of people who deeply care about the Dello Mano brand, its quality and reputation. 

5. Does Dello Mano have any Gluten free & Vegan brownies or other products?

Yes, we have not one but three scrumptious items that fall into the gluten free chocolate category. We make a Gluten Free Belgian Chocolate Luxury Brownie using the finest Belgian Chocolate, Almond Meal and Gluten-free Flour. We also make Gluten free Belgian Chocolate Truffles as well as a Roast Hazelnut and Belgian Chocolate Spread. The chocolate spread is divine especially when combined with Gluten Free bread or crackers. We offer all three in a delectable chocolate gift basket which is perfect for the Gluten Free diet but of course offer each of these individually as required. You can order them online or stop by our Chocolate Cellar Door for a personal purchase.

In the last few years we've developed a mini and large cake range and offer a number of cakes and birthday cakes which are gluten free.

We offer a Gluten Free and Dairy Free Orange Almond Tart

Dello Mano offers Vegan Brownies, a vegan cookie, vegan hamper and a vegan tart.

6. Where do you deliver your Brownies in Australia and how long does it take?

We deliver our brownies all over Australia using the very best couriers so that they reach their destination in perfect condition. To keep your Brownies fresh and delicious, we pack them in thermal packaging complete with cold packs so that when they arrive at your door, they are as fresh as just out of the oven. If you live in a capital city, your brownies will reach you overnight. Darwin and other non-capital towns and cities will take a maximum of 2 days.

7. Do you do international Brownie delivery - ie. deliver Brownies outside of Australia?

Yes we have on many occasions shipped our brownies to overseas countries. To maintain the freshness of the product, the shipping rate includes airfreight so that the Brownies reach their destination without any quality compromise. Since each country has varying rules relating to food importation, customs, duty and other regulations, it is best to give us a call on (Aus) 1300 661 682. or email us contactus@dellomano.com.au  to allow us to understand any food restrictions that might apply with regard to the destination you want to ship to.

8. What kind of chocolate do you use for your brownies?

In our effort to produce brownies of the highest quality, we found that Belgian Chocolate turns out the most delicious and intoxicating brownies. Belgium has long been associated with superior quality of chocolate and it is the Belgian devotion to the finest ingredients and Old World manufacturing techniques that has retained this reputation. We only use dark Belgian chocolate in our brownie recipes, as we believe that this offers the most complex and exquisite flavor.

9. Can your brownies travel with me overseas?

We are happy to say that our brownies have crossed borders the world over and brought a smile to many a family welcoming their children home from college, spouses home from business trips or family members on holiday. They have reached the streets of New York City, the runways of Paris and the second base camp of Mount Everest. They have also been taken to different countries like South Africa and Japan as wedding favors. We are eager to bring your plans to life so let us know in advance and we will provide you with the cold packs you need to protect the brownies on their travels. Brownies can be taken hand carriage or packed in suitcases for their travels. Our only suggestion is to check with the regulations of the destination country before proceeding to avoid any disappointment.

10.  Does Dello Mano have any corporate gift facility?

Interestingly we began as a corporate gift service recognizing the potential in providing a quality, beautifully presented chocolate gift and real gourmet food. We understood early on that recipients would greatly appreciate a compact yet delectable gift box that could be enjoyed by the entire family. When you choose to present Dello Mano Brownies to your employees, customers or colleagues, you send a strong message about your commitment to quality, integrity and taste. We can tailor our offering to suit your needs relating to style, size, color and themes. We do gorgeous premium gift baskets and Christmas hampers. Just give us a call 1300661 682 or email contactus@dellomano.com.au . For large corporate gift orders it is as easy as sending us a list of people you’d like to receive your chocolate gift and we’ll take care of the rest.

11.  Are your brownies available for Wedding Cakes, Wedding Favours and other special functions?

Dello Mano brownies have been making wedding days special for couples and families all over Australia for many years. We craft our Dello Mano wedding cakes and wedding favors tailored to your needs. Take a look at some of our work on our website or our FaceBook page. Since we are after all a brownie purveyor, our wedding cakes are only made using our Belgian Chocolate Brownie recipe although you may choose our own frosting recipes including the Belgian Chocolate Ganache or our French Vanilla Butter icing.

Our range of wedding favors includes a variety of options including our brownies and Belgian Chocolate Truffles. We present favours as foiled cubes or pack in boxes using the colors, ribbons or stickers you choose. We also ship all over Australia offering the ease of superlative tasting brownies right at your doorstep.

12.  Which are your favorite brownie flavors and do you ever tire of brownies?

All our brownie recipes have been developed by us and we are committed to their taste and flavor. However, like everyone else we have our favorites. Deb loves the Classic brownie with the Espresso Walnut following close behind. Bien loves Classic and  his second favorite is the Honey Caramelized Macadamia.

After so many years we are still gung ho about our brownies. We are always tasting different brownies from all over the world to ensure that ours remain the very best. To hijack and modify a quote Richard Branson, ‘our business is our life – we are passionate about what we do and so there is no such thing as work or play it is really all about life’. Our life is Brownies.

13.  What makes Dello Mano Brownies Special?

Our brownies are made from the very best ingredients. We use only the freshest Australian butter, free range eggs all delivered fresh to our door and of course the superior Belgian dark chocolate. We get the rest of our ingredients from the farmers market choosing to work with people who are as passionate about quality as we are, without compromising on cost.

However, more than all the physical ingredients are the emotional ones. A little bit of our hearts goes into each and every one of our brownies and we make it our priority to ensure that they have the finest quality, service and experience. Our mission is to share our own unique care, love & commitment to people through the unmatched and outstanding Dello Mano Experience.

14.  Who owns Dello Mano?

Dello Mano is a small family business owned by the recipe originators Deborah and her husband Bien Peralta. The business which was born in 2006 is a literally a work of love. We’ve put in very long days and many times  nights into Dello Mano. We share a common interest in premium quality food and were inspired by a trip to Italy where we were overwhelmed by the care and consideration put into the most simple of food purchases.  The trip inspired us to name our business Dello Mano which is corrupted Italian for ‘of the hand’. What sets us apart is our undying attention to detail, the passion with which we prepare each of our brownies and our commitment to the customer experience. We are not a mass marketing business, rather a small family business that believes in a wholesome brownie experience for all  customers.

15.  Is there a minimum brownie order for delivery?

We don’t have any minimum brownie order for delivery. You can order as little or as much as you like depending on your preference. However the delivery cost will play a role in the order value. We have a standard shipping container and many customers try and fill this without incorporating any additional shipping costs.

16.  What does Dello Mano mean?

Dello Mano is corrupted Italian for “Of the Hand.” It embodies our philosophy of preparing food by hand. We were inspired by a trip to Italy to start our brownie business so it was deeply meaningful for us to incorporate an Italian flavor to our brand. Today over a decade later, Dello Mano means much more than hand made. It stands for a commitment to quality, attention to detail, devotion to best quality of ingredients and a family dedicated to providing the best brownie and cake experience.

We know the exact moment we were inspired to create the "why" for Dello Mano. We had taken a family trip to Italy. Somewhat of a regrouping of our lives. We had worked in multinational companies and after having our children everything started to change. We started to question our own meaning and also the food we were eating. Our Italian pilgrimage awaken our souls. We realised that we longed for a connection to the handmade food that came before plastic packaging, chemicals and pretend flavours. We wandered the streets of Rome, enchanted by the little bakeries, cake shops and food stores. All of a sudden the scene of the ordinary became our inspiration. We became mesmerised by the artisans almost "gifting" their goods to their customers. There was an amazing exchange of humanity. We returned to Brisbane and set out to build a business based on the love, art and humanity that can only be found in handmade food. 

The words themselves though inspired by Italy were changed to create a brand to mean, made by hand. A brand that would signify all the love, art and humanity that we dared to dream over a decade ago. Read More

17.  Can Dello Mano brownies be frozen?

We bake all of our Dello Mano brownies fresh daily. Our brownies can be frozen and several of our clients have told us that they have done so.  Our feeling is that the very top chocolate notes are lost upon freezing and so we prefer for them to be eaten from the refrigerator within the shelf life that we have given. Having said that, if you are prepared to lose the top notes of chocolate then yes, our Brownies can be frozen. If freezing is your preferred option then a maximum of about 6 months.

18.  What does Bien mean?

Bien is short for the Spanish word Bienvenido which means “welcome”. For those of you that have met or know Bien you’ll know that he pretty much fits his name. He is very welcoming and is personally motivated to provide outstanding personal service and the very best brownies! See Bien's bio.

19. Do you ship chocolate gifts and brownies overseas?

We ship chocolate gifts and brownies overseas . Because our products are fresh and we are committed to protecting the integrity of our products we only ship them via courier. We are more than happy to give you a quote if you would like - please call us on

1300 661 682. 

20.  Where can I buy Dello Mano Brownies?

You can purchase Dello Mano Brownies on line, at our two Dello Mano Brisbane Stores Tattersalls Arcade CBD and New Farm at Merthyr Village.

21.  Do you have dairy free Brownies?

Yes we offer a dairy free brownie that is Vegan. It is available as a single unit and is available as a chocolate gift box. 

22.  Besides Brownies… what other products do you sell?

We hand make all of our produce from really wonderful ingredients. Besides Brownies we make a range of hand made cookies, Cakes, Mini Cakes, Belgian Chocolate Truffles and also a number of other delicious products such as fudge and rum balls. Visit our stores for some amazing cakes, pantry supplies and other gourmet products.

23.  Do you have seasonal brownies and special products?

We make the most wonderful seasonal Christmas Brownie and for both Easter and Christmas we offer all of our existing lines as well as a number of delicious and special lines and packages. Please sign up for our newsletter. The newsletter provides an update on seasonal products and timings so that you can order early, avoiding disappointment as many of our Christmas lines are by order only and do sell out in advance.

 24. Where are your new Dello Mano shop and kitchen?

Our new shop is located at Merthyr Village, 85 Merthyr Rd, New Farm, Queensland 4005 Australia, 1300 661 682

We also have a shop in the Brisbane CBD at Tattersalls Arcade, 215 Queen St. Mall. Queensland 4000 1300 661 682

You can also order, buy , and pick up or organise cake delivery or brownie delivery using our online store. 

25. Can I buy Brownie Hearts?

Yes of course. Dello Mano is the Brownie Pioneer. We ignited the Australian brownie revolution in 2006. We were first to launch the Dello Mano Brownie Heart as a chocolate gift on our first Valentines Day in 2007. Since then we have offered a Brownie Heart at each of the main festive events, a Christmas Brownie Heart, a Valentines Brownie Heart, Easter Brownie Heart and Mothers Day Brownie Heart. Each season and for each event we take a creative approach, It is a challenge  for our team to make the best Brownie Heart and with that, they are given the opportunity to express their own creativity. Each season we see everything from gold gilt, meringues, fluffy frosting and lots of coloured sparkles. It is fun and is a great demonstration of the art and creativity in Brownie Hearts at Dello Mano.

We offer Brownie Hearts as favours for Weddings and depending on the couple's theme can tailor them to the blend beautifully with the celebration decor. Dello Mano brownie hearts are a great way to appreciate the wedding guests. With each brownie heart handmade and hand decorated, guests have a real sense of the gratitude and emphasis the wedding couple place on their important day.

We offer Brownie Hearts in any one of our timeless flavours, Gluten Free Brownie Hearts and Vegan Brownie Hearts. Read More

26. Do you have any nut free Brownies?

First to say that all of the products offered by Dello Mano may contain nuts and all other allergens. We operate a kitchen that uses a range of known allergens. Sorry to say that we recommend not eating our products if you or someone you will share a birthday cake etc. has allergies.

Having said that, our Brownie range includes a number of varieties that do not have nuts added as an ingredient. These are Classic Belgian Chocolate Brownie, Salted Caramel, Orange Cheesecake, Rum & Raisin and Ginger & Orange. If you ever need a special box then you need only email and we will be happy to make it up for you. Email sales@dellomano.com.au

27. What allergens are or maybe be in your Dello Mano Kitchen?

We make a broad range of brownies, cakes and savouries. To this end our kitchen contains or may contain the following allergens. As mentioned above if you have an allergy or you  share our products with someone that does, we regret to say that  you should not eat our products.

The following allergens are or may be found in our kitchen:

Gluten

Egg and Egg Products

Milk and Milk Products

Nuts - such as but not limited to tress nuts, almonds, hazelnuts,walnuts, cashews, peanuts, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts,pistachio nuts,macadamia nuts, sesame nuts and their products.

Soybeans and their products

Sulphites may be used in products supplied to us

Fish

Crustaceans ( not used on our products however we cannot guarantee any truck or delivery van has not had contact with this allergen)

28. What does Dello Mano mean?

 Dello Mano means "of the hand". It is corrupted Italian for of the hand and we created it to demonstrate our commitment to handmade food.

Read more about Dello Mano beginnings here

29. Why do your wrap your Luxury Brownies in foil?

Each Dello Mano Luxury Brownie is wrapped individually in foil. There are a number of reasons that we wrap in foil. The individually wrapped brownie cubes keep fresher and it also helps our clients decide which flavour is which. Beyond that the cubes look beautiful in the foil and the box gives a beautiful chocolate gift box feel. 

Dello Mano was unique and original. We are the creators of the Luxury Brownie and we pioneered interest in Brownies across the Southern Hemisphere. We didn't google or copy anyone, we created the whole concept from scratch in the kitchen of our home while our small children did their homework. At the time in 2006 there was little interest in brownies and with all the courage and conviction of crazy people we decided to create a brownie chocolate gift box. Here we are over a decade later and our little idea has not only grown into the Dello Mano today but we have proudly inspired a whole raft of brownie manufacturers.

Read the Dello Mano foil story here