Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger - ~ What I Think ~

Out & About #688 | Week #44 Quarantine Update Feat. Savoury Shallot Buns

1/17/2021

In the past, I despised change. By no means do I encourage it in all its forms on a continual basis, but, suffice to say, I view it with less aversion.
There once was a certain irrationality about altering an existing system, one that functioned fine as is, though could have incorporated greater flexibility (not that I'd ever admit). It was with time that I adopted a desire for evolution - to contemplate possibilities beyond those presented in hopes of providing upgrades in efficiency and efficacy.

For this reason, it puzzles me that there are those opting to reverse the process, oversimplifying matters with no visible benefit to society while in complete disregard of accessible, proven information. As I formed this sentence, a few select individuals emerged in my mind, as several ought to have for any given reader; it's a common flaw to filter the facts that fail to align with the subjective ideal state.

Over the years, I've moderated the Blast with Sensory details. Beginning with over-mixed sweet potato cookies (I gag.) to the crafting of fanboards - bare of any knowledge on electrical wiring - to the recipes I now scale and adapt as needed, the Hero's Journey has fostered judgement, as well as its appropriate placement in varying circumstances.

Needless to say: It's an ongoing process.

1) Savoury Shallot Bun

As I munched on my final few Garden Spring Onion Pop-Pan Crackers, the idea of a savoury bun began to cultivate in my mind, rather abstractly I may add. These thoughts receded shortly afterwards as I grew distracted with 炒米餅 recipes, yet resurfaced at the sight of rotting shallots in the pantry.

Working June-style, I managed to salvage a small portion of the bulbs - an amount just decent enough for infusing into hot oil as my Pantry Quiche was setting. Some asymmetrical sections of luncheon meat had also been set aside during this process, diced finely, then pan-fried until crispy.

Out & About #687 | Weeks #42.5 + 43 Quarantine Update Feat. Chocolate and More Chocolate

1/10/2021

The new year starts with more food. More chocolate, more leftovers, and more cooking.

Weight gain is inevitable over the holiday season, and especially this one with majority of the population's relatively sedentary work-from-home lives. I started with leftover roll cake from NYE, which paired wonderfully with cold brew and cold frothed milk. It was no Irish Coffee, but a decent drink nonetheless.

Creations of the week (and a half) included:

1) Sablé Cookies w/ Chocolate Ganache

Cookie cravings rang loud and clear the moment the household was devoid of the dainty, buttery biscuits. Relishing in the orangecane's trademark Santa sugar cookie didn't help either. I consequently set out in the name of creation; running low on my preferred pick and with Président cultured butter on hand, the opportunity to attempt sablé was naturally declared.

Inspired by the admirable Sunday Baking, I followed the formula closely...until I forgot the vanilla. Its taste was subpar to the Lactania edition, but undeniably more buttery in terms of fragrance. While this may be owed to a horribly sticky dough (even after chilling!) and a perceptibly high amount of flour for dusting, the experience did not warrant the extra effort nor the steep premium. Conclusive findings aligned with Sunday in that cultured butter ought be used where possible, independent of brand and origin.

The original intention had been to populate the pieces with pandan and ube fillings, yet the plan had been scrapped when the mixtures failed to coagulate overnight. Melding chocolate couvertures and heavy cream to form a classic, tried-and-true chocolate ganache, I antsily began sandwiching the cookies as the mixture came to room temperature.

This impatience earned me relatively flat squares, leaving much flavour to be desired. Half of the cookies were assembled some few hours later, resulting in noticeably greater height and overall improved profile.

2) Nama Choco / 生チョコ

Influenced by the gradually descending Valentine's spirit filling the d̶e̶p̶a̶r̶t̶m̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶s̶t̶o̶r̶e̶ air (and with immense hatred towards overbearing soft centre truffles), the search began for a Nama Chocolate recipe - a cult favourite in Japan. The foundation was no more than a 2:1 ratio of chocolate and heavy cream, with the only downsides being mandatory refrigeration and inescapable breakouts.

3) Lemon-Rose Braised Chicken Drumsticks

It was an odd combination, even if I do say so myself. Seeing success in a soy-star anise (683) braise, I opted to experiment with lemon and rose this time around. The juice of a shriveling lemon, rose cooking wine, dried rose buds, and even cinnamon sticks lent a lightly savoury tone with prominent citrusy kick. In the absence of dark soy sauce, light soy sauce was supplemented with an extra dash of sea salt; light brown sugar was supplemented with molasses.

4) Coconut Chili Basa Stew

Pictured while being consumed in conjunction with the above, the stewed basa dish materialized out of need to relieve the freezer of bulky packaging. Pan-fried scallions and a knobby nugget of ginger established a fiery framework, into which a pinch of chili powder, fennel seeds, and and heaping tablespoon of paprika were added. Coconut milk assisted in moderating the flames, though the broth was ultimately too gingery yet very anti-inflammatory.

5) Black Sesame Coconut Milk Jelly that oddly turned into a three-layer concoction

Out & About #686 | The Decade Turns One

1/1/2021

Happy New Year!

Another 365 (+1) days have passed us by, and we've arrived at yet another period of sappy recaps. (But is there even anything to recap?) The last nine months have likely been as vague for me as any other human requiring to interact with the outside world, with the COVID virus and its prominent, indefinite presence.

A time of reflection comes with each year's end, but rather than recounting those that rouse regret and resentment, the approach ought be constructive. Too soon have I noticed those on the interweb bidding riddance to the year of 2020; optimism should be carried forward, but not without comprehensive review of the year's happenings.

Over the course of the pandemic, the global community has been stretched with no expected end in sight. Majority of occupations were shifted to that of a virtual working environment, with the exception of the essential services that support our lives silently in the background. And the non-essentials, some of which I shall not deny contempt of, dissolved - either out of lack of need or lack of financial support. The shift towards electronic processes for municipal and provincial services were well overdue, yet materialized only in the wake of a crisis.

But, as a civilization, we are dynamic creatures, adaptable and resilient in the face of change. The show must go on.

I'll admit it:
I missed experiencing work life in the flesh, whether it entailed office-bound overtime or not.
I missed the opportunities to engage with members of my social circle, whether we were on tight terms or not.
I missed outings that didn't involve running back to the house because I had forgotten a mask.
I missed the potential trip to see GOT7's domestic anniversary concert.

Most importantly, I missed the daily activities we took for granted. Every instance was a privilege, from every step to every living breath. Mere survival is already an opportunity. COVID couldn't depict more clearly that having health is having wealth.

Throughout these "trying times", I blamed not once the incarnation of such a lethal bug. In a society employing the survival of the fittest, our fate alters only with the actions we choose to execute, irrelevant of third-party stimulants. We, as a species, are given two options: live to learn, or learn to live.

From here, the only way is up, up the knowledge chain on a quest to conquer coronavirus and re-instate the activities we loved and will love again.

Out & About #685 | Week #41 Quarantine Update Feat. Breath of Love : Last Piece

12/27/2020

On the eve of Christmas, the world welcomed a dusting of frosty precipitation. Flurries commenced in the late evening hours, continuing throughout the night, such that the next morning we would awake to a weighty cloak of white on our porch, driveway, and backyard perimeter-lining pine trees.

There are only green Christmases in memories of recent years, although perusing the archives revealed discrepancies. Regardless, the just-freezing temperatures were quite welcome, for the tone of the holiday had been established.

In fact, the comparatively mild conditions even prompted the purchase of an Irish Cream Cold Brew. Advertised countless times by the Thai ahgase, the beverage was indeed as delicious as she had vouched for. It was creamier than expected, with a dash of nutmeg and hints of Irish Cream (in the absence of alcohol). Personal preference still lies with regular cold brew though, given the inhomogeneous properties of flavoured cream cap.

Appeasing the last-minute scramble of grocery runs and pre-Christmas cooking was the timely arrival of my fangirl package. A kind soul from Korea had shipped it two weeks prior, and the delivery date happened to coincide with the season of gifting.
A gift to myself, for the skirt of our tree is relatively barren this year.

My status as a devoted MyDay was declared as of 2018's "Youth" tour. Further confirmed was my position as a Wonpil stan, and now I have a Pil to my name to prove it!

(The teensy feet are the best.)

I had also teetered on the decision for (yet) another lightstick. Adopted as symbols of commitment, I ultimately proceeded with the Robong order.

"It's a promise to myself that, one day, I will see them live in concert." I had stated.
"So a placeholder!"
"Yes!"

Out & About #684 | Christmas 2020 Visuals

12/26/2020

'Tis the season for cookies, especially those decked in sprinkles - aka more sugar.

Leading up to the big day, I engaged in a couple more variants compared to previous years, and even acquired a substantial selection from the external world. We also have more than enough boxes of chocolate to entertain our sugar quota, but even with all that said, tradition denied the foregoing of our annual rollout of festive cutouts.

With my immediate surroundings graced with a generous dusting of glistening graupel, the mood had been set. Ingredients were assembled on the countertop; mini-marshmallow-topped hot chocolate in hand and Christmas playlist blaring in the background, I initiated the lengthy process.

It wasn't without hiccups though, for my fairly recently secured silicon whisk succumbed to an all-too-timely detachment. Alas, the show must go on. I proceeded with the rest of SK's recipe, trimming the sugar quantity as needed. The divine ruler of the kitchen, as coined by orangecane, is indeed impressive, though sometimes a tad too heavy-handed on the sweetener and baking soda.

Out & About #683 | Week #40 Quarantine Update Feat. Gingerbread

12/20/2020

How Did I Get Here?
I do wonder how many of us have pondered this question.

The end of December draws close, and with it, a smidgen of hope for the new year emerges. And while optimism is necessary, remaining realistic is equally as critical.

Throughout the week, I have been kept occupied with seemingly endless work responsibilities. The week slipped by without much thought given to my items of consumption: Greek yogurt atop last week's failed batch of granola (Hi Larry), Timmies' Hot Chocolate with mini marshmallows, Soy Braised Chicken Drumsticks, Kernels' Christmas Cheer mix, and a terribly tender Ginger Molasses Cookie from Starbucks.

A botched attempt at wielding microfoam resulted in a flashback to Little Pebbles' tragic tadpole rendering.

Takeout meals were frequent, as lengthy durations of work prevented meal prepping. Secured from Summit Garden was our four-piece supper set of:

Braised Grouper with Fried Bean Curd in Casserole / 豆腐斑腩煲
Steamed Pork Patty with Salted Fish / 鹹魚蒸肉餅
Fried Grouper with Sweet & Sour Sauce / 咕嚕石班球
Sautéed Beef with Vegetable / 蔥爆蘑菇牛肉

Out & About #682 | St. Jacobs Farmers' Market

12/19/2020

Holiday markets are as customary of the Christmas season as hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.

I miss it all - even the subzero jitters and consequential chilly cheeks, even the trembling fingertips and joule-generating antics. Without these elements, winter festivities just seem...a little less festive.

Which I suppose is a fair declaration for the ninth consecutive month of COVID co-existence in the human realm.

Venturing beyond the boundaries of Peel, Toronto, and York, I suggested a trip northwest. The St. Jacobs Farmers' Market had been excluded from our Kitchener drive during the summer due to lack of time, yet was rightfully re-instated this time around. Fully compliant with provincial guidelines, the market enforced masking and further guided visitors using directional arrows both inside and out of the market buildings.

View the full album HERE !

Parking was complimentary and frankly quite close to the Farmers' Market and surrounding structures. We pulled in just after noon, at which point damp flurries began to descend.

Out & About #681 | Week #39 Quarantine Update Feat. In A Bowl

12/13/2020

Nine months into the coronavirus pandemic, it is likely for the population to have entered countless phases of highs and lows, with higher highs and lower lows in between: turmoil, followed by acceptance, adjustment, and compliance, then optimism, and ultimately the current phase of restlessness.

Even in the face of these fluid circumstances, perhaps you've registered one new skill (or even more!) onto your roster of capabilities. Perhaps you learned that technology is an enabler of equal opportunity, rather than an unspoken barrier buried within the generation gap. Perhaps you thank your local grocery store cashier now, for it's dawned upon you that their societal role is fraught with danger. And perhaps you've grown more modest, more humble, and more respectable.

Speaking from a personal note, I've conquered my fear of bread-kneading and raw meat-handling. I've explored a larger quantity of cookie recipes than I've ever had the luxury to in the past. I've established an effective method of communication with coworkers, where misunderstandings can be kept to a minimum even without facial expressions in play.

Without a doubt, I've learned more than enough about my own poor posture, all whilst conjuring innovative workarounds to technical travesties.

Creations of the week were few, given the looming work deadline ahead. For the most part, I resorted to simple snacks to refuel. Allocating a portion of dough from the Everything Bagel attempt and incorporating roughly chopped semisweet chocolate yielded a ready-to-bake batch of chocolate chip cookies. I've also grown particularly fond of Lindt's seasonal Peppermint Cookie truffles and Chocolate Mousse cups, which are constructed from two ingredients and nothing more.

My Black Friday order of couvertures included callets from Callebaut and hexagonal Lindt Piccoli plates. While I have yet to determine superiority, it can be concluded that both varieties are delicious and diverse, suitable for suitable for an assortment of applications.

Callebaut's Velcro-esque bag closure was an added bonus feature.

Alas, I have yet to confirm a foolproof formula for chocolate mousse. Stay tuned as I modify the ratios with each iteration.

Long, grueling hours on the laptop oddly spurred a desire for granola. Yet, with none available, I settled for a standard slice of toast then proceeded with its creation, haphazardly if I may add. The ceaseless vibrations and meeting alerts had me frazzled and led to the omission of a binder. In my haste, egg white had been forgotten; the result was crumbly and ridiculously greasy, with bitter, charred raisins to boot. Nonetheless, it was a crunchy batch - even passable, dare I say, when paired with vanilla yogurt.

To commend myself for yet another torturous period of report-compilation, I bestowed upon myself the opportunity for fresh air.

Out & About #680 | Week #38 Quarantine Update Feat. Green Tea Scones + Lemon Dill Salmon

12/6/2020

The last month of the fiscal year had previously meant nothing more than frigid fingers and the end of another school semester for my studying acquaintances. Holiday hangouts were customary though not events typically associated with the arrival of winter. Upon boarding the bus of full-time employment, December equated to an entirely different experience - one characterized by endless evenings of physical and mental exertion.
These happenings also have a tendency to creep into one's subconscious state, where its side effects conclude a psychologically taxing state. (Have you ever dreamed of being chased down via emails?)

In the face of COVID-19 though, there are few things deemed more critical than stable income and general health and wellbeing. Working from home may not offer the most ideal circumstances, yet it allows for the isolation of issues that probably weren't granted much attention in the past. Moreover, it encouraged the development of new skills, a silver lining in the midst of widespread pandemonium.

Creations of the week included:

1) Green Tea Scones
Continuing the pursuit of the perfect scone, I progressed onto a green tea variation sourced from the ever-dependable Sunday Baking.

Egg was swapped for additional heavy cream and Mediterranean yogurt (10%) as to keep them moist and adhere to the egg-less formula of traditional tea scones. The dough was fairly easy to construct and binded together without excess dampness. I didn't re-roll the dough, but instead separated the disc into triangular segments as illustrated in the original recipe. Just as advertised, the sections exuded rich green tea flavour and was ideal paired with sticky matcha-white chocolate drizzle. Utilizing an egg wash of only whites helped to preserve the luscious colour - a 끌팁indeed!

Albeit misaligned after baking, the pieces bore only a single crack around its midsection, as scones ought to.

The scones were delicious, and best enjoyed a milk-enhanced espresso beverage. All hail the timely arrival of my Black Friday Balzac's package!

2) Homemade Rice Krispie Squares Two Ways

As like many North American children, tri-colour Rice Krispie squares were an essential element of every end-of-year school potluck. I wasn't able to locate the holiday edition of the puffed rice cereal, but instead made use of the Brown Rice variation for this nostalgic Christmas treat.

Out & About #679 | Week #37 Quarantine Update Feat. Breath of Pineapple Bun Scones

11/28/2020

The first snowfall of the season arrived earlier than past years, wherein parched, cracking skin and green Christmases were inevitable.

It was but a fleeting scene of all white though, for the rapid surge in temperatures eradicated the snowy masses over the course of three days. I remained within my humble abode in the meantime, primarily due to workload, but also due to my reluctance to summon winter boots at this early stage.

Seemingly an eternity of a homebody state, I proceeded with consumption of leftovers, Highballer Pumpkin Ale - totally not a treat, mind you - purposing the remainder of my couvertures into a silky chocolate mousse.

In hindsight, I should have adopted a more conservative approach to the 2.5 kg bag, as the objective of inventory replenishment largely went unaccomplished on Black Friday. Prices were far from reasonable, and when they were, they were sold out.

Quite honestly, I had dreaded nothing more than the return of yet another Monday, especially after a Sunday of endless edits and a late night technical travesty that terminated in tears. The release of GOT7's Breath impressively erased that uneasiness. I breathed a slow sigh of relief, unaware I had been stifling one the entire time.

Thank you Youngjae. Thank you GOT7. At the most pivotal times, where I find myself wallowing in tremendous doubt, anxiety, and frustration, thank you for providing a safe haven for faith restoration.

Creations of the week were many and included:

1) Pickled Cucumbers Two Ways (not pictured and unsuccessful)

2) Tzatziki Cucumber Salad, in which forgotten removal of cores resulted in a watery, but nonetheless delicious, mess.

3) Tomato, Potato, and Pork Soup

The combination was a classic Chinese soup similar to the likes of the Malaysian ABC soup - not that I have ever referred to it as such.

WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Quirky = a term that commonly refers to something/someone distinctly different and unique
Aesthetics = the visual aspect of things

Together, Quirky Aesthetics refers to the things, events, and happenings seen and perceived by this blog's creator - quirky perspectives in a visual form.

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