Dalandan Topiary
This was first posted last December. This is great holiday party decor…natural, fragrant, economical and stunning. There’s nothing like going all out during the holidays. The Christmas season at our house is one filled with food and more food. 
Even the decor is sometimes made of food. Inspired by a recent photo sent to me of western topiaries made of lemons and apples, I decided to see if I could make one out of local produce. The results were really quite stunning…dalandan topiary christmas tree a la marketman.
Start with a wood or metal base then tailor floral foam (oasis) in the rough shape of a Christmas tree (please refer to photo below to see various stages of topiary) which will be used as the base for sticking in the dalandan fruit. You may also want to try a styrofoam base but I prefer the green oasis to the stark white styrofoam. 
Make sure the foam is wired to secure it to the frame. Do not soak oasis in water. Buy very fresh dalandans with dark green skins… I bought 10 kilos but only used 7.5 kilos for this nearly three foot tall topiary. Attach dalandans to the frame using sturdy toothpicks stuck into the center of the bottom side of the fruit.
After totally covering the foam frame, insert “fillers” in the gaps between the oranges. I used ivy tips (yes, the stuff growing on our hollow 
block walls) cut from our garden, but dried or fresh moss would also work well. Just insert ivy or moss between the dalandans as shown in the photo below. This topiary looked great for about 4 days (though the ivy dries out fast) and I used it for two holiday dinners.
I bought the dalandans at just P12 per kilo so this cost roughly P120 for fruit (including lots of juice from extras), P150 for the oasis, I made the frame from extra plywood at home and the toothpicks were just a few pesos worth. Grand total — about P300 for this stunning topiary. I think that’s a great deal, don’t you? You may wish to try this on a smaller scale with calamansi or larger scale with dayap. The citrus fruit has a great scent that infuses the room where the topiary is placed. If you want to re-use the fruit, do so just a day or so after making the topiary… make tons of juice, dalandan sherbet, etc. A great holiday centerpiece, consumable the following day, and very reasonably priced. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
verrrrrrrrrrrrrry nice web site! i will get tita pati to see it!
January 8th, 2005I just decided that I need to recruit you for Slowfood. This site is fantastic. Can you construct a food trivia forum in this site so that people can just throw out their tidbits Then you can pick out the best ones for your food trivia item of the week. I will get all my foodie friends and chef to visit the site.
January 13th, 2005marketman, both your topiaries blew me away. I don’t cook much but I love entertaining and decorating and will definitely make the fruit/flower topiary my next project. i’m truly impressed by your talents and i have a feeling you have found your true calling. forget martha magazine - you are so much more informative AND entertaining.
February 20th, 2005very informative, entertaining and encouraging…from
April 1st, 2005to time I’ll visit this site… keep it up!!!
I remember your yellow amiba Painting from Jakarta:)
May 4th, 2005Your Marketmanila is very very impressive…
Colorfull and a real pleasure to read
This is the first time I open a website but I did not
June 3rd, 2005regret. I really enjoyed a lot, much more that I know the man
behind the rose and dalandan expertise. Keep it up bro.
Christmas is around the corner and this is a great idea! :)
August 23rd, 2005Hi. I have found your blog through ellens ramblings (www.ellens-ramblings.blogspot.com). I love your appreciation of food. You have been tagged for the YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT TOP 10 FAVOURITE FOODS by www.manilamayhem.blogspot.com
:-)
December 14th, 2005Wow, the topiary looks very dramatic! I like the dalandan even better than the roses. Merry Christmas!
December 14th, 2005You are truly talented not only in cooking but also in decorating and very resourceful too. U and your ideas really bring Christmas cheer.
December 14th, 2005a great solution to my current dilemma..with my small apartment in new york and my daughter asking for a christmas tree..thanks!
December 15th, 2005i have read this last year’s post but i have to re-read it and still enjoyed. I hope i have the time to do this. Keep up the goodwork, MM.
December 15th, 2005i love your dalandan topiary.. will try to make one next christmas :) btw, how long did it stay fresh? thanks thanks.. i love your website
January 4th, 2006It lasts just 3-4 days max. But it is worth the effort if you ask me…
January 4th, 2006This is what I’m proud of as a Filipino. The infinite imagination and creativity of my compatriots. This is simply a great and fun-tastic idea. Merci beaucoup, MM and the author, of course…
March 13th, 2006