When my eyes opened to yet another Monday, I was overcome with anxiety once more. The sporadic bursts of lightheadedness hadn't faded. Recovery had been inadequate. Nevertheless, I peeled myself away from the safe cradle of the bed and proceeded with preparations.
It was a gloomy, gusty day. A handful of employees had likely extended their long weekend by one more day, for the parking garage was noticeably empty.
It was a gloomy, gusty day. A handful of employees had likely extended their long weekend by one more day, for the parking garage was noticeably empty.
The mid-morning saw a "coffee walk" around Square One. At first, I had wondered why all retailers were still shuttered. In verifying the time of day, I realized I had never once roamed the mall quarters at the early hour of 9 AM.
A few select establishments were open, namely Walmart, Tim Hortons, and Au Pain Doré.
Promotional posters for Hot Cross Buns at the latter caught my attention initially, but the Chocolate Moelleux was the item ultimately acquired from the short-lived saunter.
A few select establishments were open, namely Walmart, Tim Hortons, and Au Pain Doré.
Promotional posters for Hot Cross Buns at the latter caught my attention initially, but the Chocolate Moelleux was the item ultimately acquired from the short-lived saunter.
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The cashier depicted the specimen with a "chocolate mousse"-like texture. However, sampling the extra-dense portion with a tongue depressor wooden spoon back in the office, it was found to be an incredibly rich ganache instead.
The aluminum container in which it resided was greasy on the outside and lined with specks of granulated sugar on the inside. Having not dissolved completely during the baking process, one could perceive visible patches of condensation incited by the sugar particles along the interior circumference.
Served chilled, the Chocolate Moelleux resembled a hybrid of a ganache and an upright molten lava cake. Interestingly, the ganache was not uniform, instead featuring a viscous yet pliable centre and fully set edges. There weren't any distinctively alluring elements to the concoction, thus I deemed a repurchase at $4.75 plus tax to be unwarranted. For my purposes, I could create a similar product with minimal effort using excess ganache.
The aluminum container in which it resided was greasy on the outside and lined with specks of granulated sugar on the inside. Having not dissolved completely during the baking process, one could perceive visible patches of condensation incited by the sugar particles along the interior circumference.
Served chilled, the Chocolate Moelleux resembled a hybrid of a ganache and an upright molten lava cake. Interestingly, the ganache was not uniform, instead featuring a viscous yet pliable centre and fully set edges. There weren't any distinctively alluring elements to the concoction, thus I deemed a repurchase at $4.75 plus tax to be unwarranted. For my purposes, I could create a similar product with minimal effort using excess ganache.
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I returned to am excruciatingly long morning, which led me into noon. The immediate task at hand was dropping off donations at Hazel McCallion Central Library. The convenient drop-off location constituted the ideal opportunity to participate in the city's Recycling Collection Drive.
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Afterwards, I braved a drizzly trek into the mall.
While there were a number of ongoing sales and promotions, MEC offered not a single cycling glove for testing and evaluation.
While there were a number of ongoing sales and promotions, MEC offered not a single cycling glove for testing and evaluation.
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That evening, I decided against a second consecutive office day. Woes were drowned in Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls with yellow cane sugar syrup.
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Emerging as a consequence of my work-from-home breather were Ginger Molasses Cookies, the sole recipe from Smitten Kitchen Keepers that I've crafted again and again.
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There was two deviations from her recipe: my go-to substitution of fresh ginger for candied ginger and the not-so-novel inclusion of Gingerbread Finishing Sugar in addition to turbinado for coating. Any increased gingerbread-y essences were indistinguishable, and the cookie was rendered utterly cloying as a result.
I paired the batch with the last of two packs of Drip Coffee from 곁에, relishing in the beverage more than the staggeringly sweet specimen in hand.
I paired the batch with the last of two packs of Drip Coffee from 곁에, relishing in the beverage more than the staggeringly sweet specimen in hand.
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A total of 24 cookies were obtained using a 1.5 tbsp scoop. Four were set aside for personal consumption, while the rest transported to the office for distribution.
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