Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger
  • ~ Home ~
  • ~ What I Think ~
  • ~ What I See ~
    • Events
    • Food
    • People
    • Places
  • ~ What I Make ~
  • Blog Series
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Disclaimer

Out & About #638 | Week #11 Quarantine Update Feat. The Browniest Cookies

5/31/2020

0 Comments

 
 Unpopular opinion:  The economic pillar shall forever supersede the social pillar.

If there's anything I retained from my twice-enrolled, once-failed, and once-grudgingly-re-enrolled second year environmental course, it's the concept of The Three Pillars. Prior to undergoing any work, a project should be evaluated against the economic, social, and environmental pillars as criteria for execution. 
And while each of these elements are pivotal in decision-making, one tends to forget to nothing can operate in the absence of economics. For without capital, there is no funding for implementing environmentally sustainable measures. For without work, one cannot afford to sleep with a roof over his or her head, regardless of whatever respect society shoves.
Picture
Picture
​I abide by a pragmatic approach to living, because where there is a cause, there is an effect - most evident in the re-emergence of COVID in areas that were once deemed to have entered a "safe(r)" zone. Regardless of the sun's position in the sky, work is work, and work needs to be done. I'm not one to protest sanity breaks, of course, and was more than willing to justify it with a cool cup of CoCo after a tumultuous Monday.
Picture
Picture
Picture
​Being thoroughly drained by an endless assortment of tasks (the "cause") yielded an out-of-character meal of instant noodles (the "effect"). The foray into  fast food was a result of exhaustion and a consequential reluctance to cook. For the wellbeing of my tastebuds, the so-called broth of dehydrated MSG particles was diluted with thrice as much water, then had its nasty, hollow aftertaste nullified with a turmeric cold brew. 
Picture
Picture
​I suppose anxiety is a common spur of sugar-laden creations, for a dream about emails set me off in pursuit for brown butter cookies. "But not just any brown butter cookies." my subconscious announced, "We're doing matcha."
Picture
Picture
​An embarrassingly elongated roster of attempts in my back pocket, I opted to modify Tasty's edition, for I had not the patience to caramelize butter and strum my digits along the table edge as it re-solidified. Truthfully, it was my own fault; I oughtn't complain.
​I'm not, really.
Picture
Picture
Picture
​Brown butter is aromatic in ways unique to itself - an acquired redolence, if you will - and, just as many other bakers will heed, is worth every second of added effort. But alas, the luscious caramelized bits were nowhere to be tasted in the final product, overwhelmed by none other that sugar: a sickening sweetness capable of driving some to the point of lunacy. Admittedly, the texture was quite a nice mix of crunchy and chewy, though nonetheless a subpar formulation in my books.
​Woe is me for straying from the great SK!

Read More
0 Comments

Out & About #637 | Week #10 Quarantine Update Feat. Matcha Bread + Summer Bingsoo

5/24/2020

0 Comments

 
​Entering the tenth (!!) week of quarantine, the GTA has been met with an extraordinary heat wave. Needless to say, many have tossed social distancing policies through the window at the arrival of such balmy conditions.
Picture
I've more or less maintained my regular schedule of work and chores, and have taken the liberty of remaining in the air-conditioned indoors for my overall wellbeing. Humidity is, honestly, not my closest friend.
Picture
Picture
​Re-entering my life are runny soft-boiled eggs, which previously emerged overdone without reasonable explanation. Other ingested items include: DELISSIO Deluxe with a spongy crust, a Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher from Starbucks, and more Chocolate Chip Cookies - baked at 25 degrees Fahrenheit higher for extra crunch.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Things I learned during Corona (Rev 4):
  • An incline in mercury levels have a seemingly proportional relationship with alcoholic beverage purchases; lineups outside both LCBO and The Beer Store were witnessed on a scorching Friday afternoon.
  • Driver impatience - in addition to general recklessness - were frequent sightings amidst the climate change as well.
  • Perhaps the greatest source of "culture shock", should I be able to depict it as so, was the utter absence of a helping hand in a public environment. Having queued for my turn at the empty can return entrance and suddenly experienced a tumble of empty beer cans, I was almost appalled that not a single member of the lineup came to my assistance. However, the realization dawned upon me nearly immediately: COVID-19 is centred about contact surfaces, after all.
Picture
Picture
​Reviewing my creations of the week, the standout item is undoubtedly my Matcha Shokupan. Adapted from Bake For Happy Kids with the inclusion of matcha powder and dried berries, the result was delicate and stringy, though far too moist for sandwich bread usages.
Picture
​Along the way was an error on my part, even though the root cause is undetermined as of yet.
Picture
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Out & About #636 | Week #9 Quarantine Update Feat. Indoor BBQ

5/18/2020

0 Comments

 
Whether spring is finally here to stay remains a mystery. Between the flurries, heavy showers, and odd bursts of UV rays, it's difficult to predict precisely the climate that Mother Nature has in store for us next.

Victoria Day long weekend was off to a swell start with summery temperatures, rendering it the ideal time for trail exploring - while maintaining physical distance requirements, of course. And for those that relish in A/C-prevalent environments or find barbecue grills foreign (me), oven baked hot dogs and orange-Ribena bubbles are the way to go.
Picture
Picture
Weekend morning rituals revolve about live airings of 화양연화, alternatively known as "When My Love Blooms". Following suit was the preparation of hot dog complements: Egg Salad with sweet corn kernels (and wasabi!) and a Pickled Cucumber-Onion Mix.
Picture
Picture
Rotini and SPAM were then quickly coated in tomato sauce to yield a fast food-appropriate ally. Neither canned meat (if we can address it as so) nor jarred condiments made many appearances prior to the arrival of COVID-19, however one can only chop so much and cook so much with one dominant hand and one dominant wrist.
Picture
Picture
Picture
​Sautéed button mushrooms would have been a pleasant addition to the mix, though speed was the name of the game this time. 

Read More
0 Comments

Out & About #635 | Interpreting DAY6 "Zombie"

5/15/2020

0 Comments

 
​Monday comebacks, with the exception of GOT7's, prove tricky acts to support. The influx of emails, paired with abrupt realization of imminent meetings, tend to prevail over 8 AM live showcases. My roster of Not By The Moon promotions remain unresolved, while indulgence in ASTRO's Knock activities are slowly but surely underway.

Prior to the release of third instalment in The Book of Us, DAY6 announced a hiatus from promotions due to health and anxiety issues. The situation was unforeseen, especially given that the news had circulated within 24 hours of the drop of "The Demon".

Five days of on-and-off screenwork later, I finally had the opportunity to familiarize myself with Zombie.
Picture
It was dark.
Dark red makeup with bluish undertones to replicate bruised flesh.
Dark and tiny was the  ̶s̶e̶t̶ room, seemingly teeming with torturous tension.
Dark was the aura emitted from the hallucination-like post-production effects.
But darkest of all were the lyrics to the song - radiating one's deepest, dreariest deliberations towards living, or the mere thought of not.

Zombie depicted emptiness in the eeriest way thinkable, as if the world no longer held happiness.
"Though I want to just dream on. / 꿈꾸도 싶어도"
"Tomorrow will be no different. / 내일도 다를 것 없이"
"Give me back my tears, they’ve run dry. / 마른 내 눈물을 돌려줘"
"I live counting the time 'til I close my eyes. / 그저 잠에 들기만을 기다리며 살아"

Read More
0 Comments

Out & About #634 | Mother's Day 2020

5/10/2020

0 Comments

 
​Precision of the mind is not interchangeable with precision of the body.
​​
I've never had issues with numbers or simple plug-and-chug formulae, and am proud to declare that even differential equations made sense at one point. Physical dexterity, however, is a different beast altogether.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Dainty decorations and steady handiworks are regular endeavours of orangecane and other like-minded artfolk, whose acquired aptitudes prove handy in situations demanding patience and painstaking meticulousness.
Picture
I won't hesitate to admit that I missed the cake preorder dates for Mother's Day. Although, I also didn't hesitate to offer an alternate in the form of a request fulfillment. "A buttercream cake - with loads of cream and plush portions of sponge" was the presented challenge.

"Ideally coffee-flavoured" was my last instruction notice.
Picture
Picture
Consulting the "divine ruler of the kitchen" - orangecane's words, not mine - I proceeded to assemble my baking pans for a tri-layer treat. It was, undoubtedly, my most extravagant undertaking since the ultra-dense, six-layer potluck tower four months prior.

The 1-2-3-4 cake was simple enough, especially after I had taken the liberty of converting to metric units (for the sanity of my digit-dominant brain). My sole deviation from the formula was a generous sprinkling of Maxwell House, because "too much coffee" is not a statement to rear its head in my household.
Picture
Picture
Layered Mocha Cake (A Rough Recipe)
File Size: 292 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

​Cakes cooling and dinner prep completed, I began whipping up the frosting - in the most literal sense possible.
Buttercream would have proved pipeable, for those looking to decorate dramatically. But butter is rare to come by these days. And there was enough butter in the cakes.

Read More
0 Comments

Out & About #633 | Week #8 Quarantine Update Feat. Sikgaek + Cocktail Buns​

5/8/2020

0 Comments

 
Two months into the stay-at-home regime and I've still yet to feel a longing for social activities. Again, haircuts and badminton would be great; weekly dance drills and the occasional Rec Room visit for coordination honing wouldn't be unwelcome either. While levelling up on the scale and experiencing torturous tingles from excessive muscle strain, I've simultaneously lost a substantial portion of hand-eye awareness. Though, as much as COVID-19 is an enabler of these unfavourable outcomes, alternatives are not out of sight. Humans are dynamic after all.
Picture
Picture
Picture
​The weekend marked the last of my 8 AM grocery runs for the subsequent eight-ish weeks, concluding at my all-time fave of Sikgaek. If any, the virus has proved its greatest worth in enabling purchases of makgeolli at a consumer level; the sole prerequisite of the exchange was commitment in an accompanying food item. Yangnyum Chicken was the clear choice.
Picture
​After hauling back some 4.4 L of kimchi, Wedding Cake Edition Honey Butter Chips, and some costly assorted rolls later - if only we had H Mart prices here, but I digress - I set out to craft yet another round of bread.
Picture
Picture
​I opted for sandwich bread as opposed to sweet, pull-apart rolls with the aspiration of extending the batch's lifespan. The loaves were fluffy and delicate - just as advertised. My consumption preference was to toast and adorn with margarine or jam, however my lack of loaf pans also rendered them appropriate for garlic bread-making.
Picture
Picture
​Hence, I set out with vigour, attempting the standout starters of the bygone Spaghetei. Parsley, minced garlic, and a thorough brushing of maple syrup landed me close to the 2016 memory, but, alas, my toppings had been too coarse for proper penetration.
Picture
​Cravings for a chocolatey, cakey concoction were only amplified with launch of Alvin's mini series. I turned to the mentioned eggless mug cake for an oven-less single serving.
Picture
Results were subpar and chunks of flour were frequent - I'd recommend this UK-based alternative for tips and tricks. The supposedly speedy solution wasn't all that speedy either, so I resorted to proper execution - with a proper oven, with proper metric units.
Picture
Picture
​Adapting the infamous zucchini pièce de résistance of many "healthy" baking blogs for the more pantry-friendly resource of sweet corn kernels yielded fifteen rounds of moist, chewy muffins that were tasty on their own, but even better with a side of cream cheese frosting. And yes, this contradicts the heart-healthy intentions of the origin recipe, though the aim had always resided with satisfying cravings within given limits. These days, we speak of limits on grocery store flour and sugar inventory.

Read More
0 Comments

Out & About #632 | Week #7 Quarantine Update​ Feat. Bread, Onions, and Chocolate chip Cookies

5/2/2020

0 Comments

 
Boredom is a state to which I cannot relate.

The thought of being idle is appalling.

The thought of being unproductive is repulsive in every aspect.
The thought of being lethargic and proceeding about without purpose does not entice me.
Picture
Picture
Picture
So while there are those that have been involuntarily bound to their homes without much work, the same simply cannot be stated for the remainder of society. At one end of the gamut are unconstrained souls, leisurely spending their days browsing Netflix while inverted on their sofa, and at the other are front-liners and employees working remotely in essential services.

With that said, being unduly occupied still overrules the inactive lifestyles led by many during this quarantine period. We're growing accustomed to the work-from-home procedures, inclusive of its around-the-clock responsibilities.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Things I learned during Corona (Rev 3):
  • The only thing more incredulous than the ever-arduous grocery store visit is the bills that result from them: Food expenses have surged - trifold, I should say. Our local community has passed the stage of "panic purchasing", though citizens have not refrained from hauling items as they become available. After all, the waiting has already happened.
  • When paired with extended periods of mousework, shortened cooking frequencies have introduced the return of my long-time enemies, untreated RSIs. During such times, all members of the immediate household ought to pull their weight in terms of chore distribution. However, this is far from an ideal world, and reality is  ̶u̶n̶n̶e̶c̶e̶s̶s̶a̶r̶i̶l̶y̶ ̶ oddly kind to those that fail to make equal contributions to mankind.
  • Elaborating on the previous point, imbalance exists on this planet, and will continue to exist. As mere occupants of the planet, it's strange to think that mortal creatures such as ourselves subconsciously generate obstacles that prevent attaining harmony with the existing physical environment and surrounding creatures. 
  • (On a lighter note,) Non-essential retailers remain open - just opt for curbside pickup!
Picture
Picture
Amongst my endless endeavours in the kitchen this week are the following:

1. Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (thanks SKU!)
Because cookies and sanity go hand in hand - in my dictionary, anyway.
Picture

Read More
0 Comments
    Picture

    Who Am I?

    Formerly an avid owner of several interest-based portals, Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger presents precisely the elements expected. From experiments in the kitchen to miscellaneous musings, from IGOT7 reflections to developments in transportation infrastructure, it's all consolidated here. Welcome to the raw, unfiltered side of Quirky Aesthetics.



    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013


    Categories

    All
    Ahgabond Adventures
    Ahgase
    Arctic Aquarium
    Atlantic Canada 2018
    Barrie
    Beauty
    Birthday Buddy
    Calgary 2023
    Chinese New Year
    Conquering COVID 19
    Daily Randoms
    Eyes On You World Tour 2018
    Food
    Friends
    Hallyucon
    Hamilton
    Hong Kong
    Iron Ring
    J Movie
    K Drama
    K-Drama
    Korean Beauty
    K Pop
    Los Angeles 2017
    Macau
    New York 2018
    Ottawa 2019
    Pilates
    Random Rant
    Restaurant Review
    Seoul
    Shopping
    SSMC
    Taiwan
    Vacation
    Vancouver 2013
    Vancouver 2014
    Vancouver 2015
    Vancouver 2016
    Vancouver 2020
    Vancouver 2022


    trazy.com

    RSS Feed


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.

Contact ME

​Subscribe

Join our mailing list today!
Join Now
© Quirky Aesthetics. All rights reserved. Last modified: August 10, 2015.