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Out & About #1148 | Loathsome Work Environment, Ma Lai Goh (Round 3), and Biscoff Yogurt Icebox Cake

1/31/2026

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Another week has passed me by and, with it, came the inevitably endless stress that this position entails. Time and time again, I question how those with undeveloped problem solving skills, nonexistent critical thinking capabilities, and fundamentally flawed spelling and grammar can retain management-level positions. It would be an understatement to say that the entire scene continues to baffle me to no end.

A second heavy snowfall over the weekend automatically granted employees a work-from-home chance at the start of the week. Naturally, I took advantage of this; the roads were an unmistakable safety hazard, with two lanes often reduced to one.

With the paltry piece of inept feculence MIA for a week, my inbox swelled by an approximate 50% due to deflected responsibilities. That said, I made it a priority to seek pockets of time to breathe. More often than not, I required personal reminders of my competence. My browsing partner's attempt at words of affirmation resulted in a "at least you're managing". At first, I scoffed at the response.
"Barely." I retorted.
"But at least things aren't going sideways."
Pausing for a millisecond or two, I replied, "I guess that's true." The thought of allowing things to fall into chaos had not occurred to me as being a plausible choice. And perhaps it is this very sense of duty that holds me far too accountable for situations beyond my control.

Ma Lai Goh/馬拉糕 (Round 3)
Desires for a Ma Lai Goh had been brewing over the past week and could be suppressed no longer. Leading up to a stressful meeting, I hurriedly assembled the batter and transferred the bowl to a dark but somewhat cool environment to proof. By refraining from using my oven's "Proof" setting, I could prevent over-fermentation in the case where work held me back.
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​The formula was consistent with Papa Fung's original and the metric edition developed for personal use. I had also been mindful to incorporate milk powder, baking powder, and homemade vanilla extract following my 2.5h fermentation period. However, when lunchtime rolled around and I was temporarily liberated from the chains of suffering, I rushed to finish the batter and promptly forgot to include the 0.5 tbsp of lye water.
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​The result was a noticeable lack of browning despite using dark slab cane sugar in the syrup mixture. The crumb was also arguably a bit more crumbly at its base. While I can't be entirely sure, the overall structure appeared less defined than the previous trial. Similarly though, I did not achieve the vertical air pockets in the lower third of the 馬拉糕. Nevertheless, it was undoubtedly superior to the first attempt, which featured rigidity and a burnt bottom in place of beautifully uniform air pockets and a lovely, plush texture.
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​Despite my blunder, I appreciated the absence of alkalinity that is often associated with lye water and baking soda. Omission of the ingredient had caused collapse or failure of the steamed cake, thus I reasoned it was worth exploring its inclusion in a lesser quantity - perhaps 0.25 tbsp - in a future trial.
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​Ma Lai Goh/馬拉糕 is best consumed immediately. For next day consumption, one should microwave for 10 seconds to reinstate plushness. Subsequent days will require microwaving of 15-25 seconds, depending on the dimensions of the square. Latter days will not see the same plushness as day 1, and I wonder whether the undesirable denseness is owed to insufficient volume acquisition (failure to incorporate lye water).
The cake should be stored at room temperature for no more than two days, as moisture may cause moulding beyond that period. By the 48-hour mark, I transferred the lofty square slices to the refrigerator.
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In fear that my pricey 2-class pass would expire before I had the chance to make use of it, I made the impromptu decision to drag myself to Panda Pilates to prevent further financial losses. Unfortunately, this would eventually lead to yet another (!) injury and an angry return.

The commute was shorter than expected given rush hour volumes, but concerns were consistent with my weekend visit. Drivers along Dundas were incredibly aggressive, even in consideration of the messy, snow-covered roads, which made turning onto the residential road difficult. A number of parking stalls had been overtaken by snow, thus giving rise to a parking shortage amidst a narrow, slushy drive aisle. Private snow clearing operations constituted blasphemy.
After its morning classes, the business would temporarily close until 5 PM, at which point complimentary thirty-minute trials were held. The first studio class of Reformer Foundations commenced at 5:30 PM. Despite the lengthy break, I entered into the space to find a similarly filthy environment: Staff had not bothered to clean the facility in preparation for the next wave of customers. Awaiting me were puddles of disintegrating dirty snow, salt on a sodden carpet, and, worst of all, an absence of toilet paper in the washroom facilities. 
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Reformer Foundations made for a better session than the first. To start, the instructor was better; she provided clear verbal directions that were paired alongside demos for clarity. My sole gripe was that her playlist - great selection of upbeat tracks, by the way - often drowned out her voice, making the words undistinguishable from across the room. Consistent with previous observations, the quality of the Align product series was despicable. One of our warm-up exercises involved placing the Long Box on the floor, with the hollow portion away from us, and executing a standing series with hands or forearms rested on top of the Box. While I understand that the moves were intended to challenge balance and stability, the sheer flimsiness of the Box was a poor choice of equipment for this sequence. The Align pilates ring, which retails for 50-70% less than the Merrithew equivalent used in standard studios (and even LA Fitness!!), was cheap and plasticy, akin to a kids' toy that would snap at any given moment.

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Out & About #1147 | Wild Work Week + One Week of Classpass

1/25/2026

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I've officially completed my ninth month in my current role - or eight month, if you exclude my four-week absence before the holidays. Those that have enrolled in regular recaps of my daily duties have experienced secondhand frustrations and have made it a point to check in with my sanity every so often.

The latest feedback led to somewhat relieved responses: "Sounds like you've finally settled", "Glad to hear things are getting better", "That's one hindrance gone!". However, there is plenty left to be desired.

While I appreciate the drastic slash in commuting time, especially during the dreadful winter months, the workload has yet to waver. Uncommon it is not for me to work additional unpaid (!!!) hours on the regular for the sheer sake of making progress on a task, or to simply keep my head above water.
Employee concerns fall on deaf ears, for the "people leader" capable of improving such conditions cares about humanity about as little as he is aware of his surroundings. If obscenely poor communication skills, dreadful planning, and tactless approaches make a "people leader", I may perpetually remain an anglerfish in the corporate ocean.
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​Lunch walks served to assuage the imbecile requests of incompetent colleagues, who defer any and all issues to our team of three - myself included, although one could argue that there are truthfully, only two functional members.
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New to mall sightings are more Valentine's-themed merchandise and the arrival of Lunar New Year products to welcome the Year of the Horse.
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Giant teddies crafted of the same shell as my campus teddy were spotted at Walmart retailing for a mere $15.97.

Pillsbury-branded baking equipment also came as a surprise discovery. Although the economic benefit was enticing, I ultimately decided on the KitchenAid rendition adjacent, for sturdiness and durability are key to a long-lasting tool.
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I departed the office close to sundown, for resident interactions spanning well over 60 minutes plagued my afternoon, and soul.

An attempted reheat of a previously constructed cookie resulted in creation of a singed disc - I had forgotten that increased surface area and decreased thickness equated to reduced baking time.
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​Holt Renfrew was also keen in embellishing their store with ruby red installations and the annual return of a wish tree.
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As observed from across the counter, Saint Germain was steadily ramping up operations for new year gift boxes, also referred to as 禮盒.
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Out & About #1146 | Chocolate Pudding Bars, Haidilao + Lumina Med Spa

1/18/2026

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Ever since I finally conducted a comprehensive review of my pantry, the list of ingredients pending expiry have been on my mind. Among the assortment are various bags of nuts from Costco and graham crackers. While I've been tackling dry roasted, salted hazelnuts through granola and pecans through pecan pie, graham crackers have been used towards no-bake desserts. The most common application is a graham cracker crust.

​Chocolate Pudding Bars with Matcha Glaze
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A) Graham Cracker Base

Ingredients:
  • 400 g Honey Maid graham crackers
  • 190 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For an 8-9 in cake or 8 in x 8 in square pan, I typically turn to my small but mighty 3-cup food processor - which has now doubled (!!!) in price due to inflation! It takes about two rounds to blitz 250 g worth of biscuits. This time, I opted for a larger food processor, as I was practically doubling the amount for a 9 in x 13 in pan.

Melted butter was then drizzled into the food processor and mixed until combined. The crumbs were transferred to a parchment-lined pan, pressed towards the edges, and transferred to the refrigerator to harden as I prepared the Chocolate Pudding base.
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​B) Chocolate Pudding

i) Pudding Base

Ingredients:
  • 45 g (1/4 cup) custard powder
  • 15 g cocoa powder
  • 45 g granulated sugar
  • 600 g milk
  • vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

Directions
  1. In a medium saucepot, combine custard powder, cocoa powder, and sugar. Gradually whisk in the milk to prevent lumps.
  2. Add in vanilla and salt.
  3. Over medium heat, whisk the mixture continuously. Reduce to medium-low heat as the mixture begins to thicken. Keep whisking to prevent formation of lumps.
  4. Once the mixture thickens to a paste and a spatula can be dragged along the bottom of the saucepot, remove from heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover tightly with cling film and allow to cool in the refrigerator. It should reach room temperature within 3-4 hours, but feel free to prepare the pudding base the night before and chill overnight.

ii) Chocolate Whipped Cream

Ingredients:
  • 205 g heavy cream
  • 105 g granulated sugar
  • 15 g cocoa powder

Directions
  1. Add heavy cream, sugar, and cocoa powder to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed until reaching soft peaks, then switch to low speed to reach stiff peaks.
  2. Retrieve chocolate pudding base from the fridge and loosen with a spatula. It may reveal itself rather lumpy.
  3. Fold about 1/3 of the pudding base into the chocolate whipped cream, smoothing out any lumps. Add the remaining 2/3 to the whipped cream and beat together using a hand mixer
  4. Retrieve chilled graham cracker crust from the fridge and spread the chocolate pudding evenly.
  5. Chill for 5-6 hours.
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C) Matcha Glaze

Ingredients:
  • 117 g white chocolate couverture
  • 117 g heavy cream
  • 7 g matcha
  • 33 g corn syrup
  • 6 g gelatin
  • 30 g water

Directions
  1. Add white chocolate couverture and heavy cream to a heatproof bowl. Microwave in bursts until the chocolate is 60-70% dissolved. Allow to site for a few minutes, then mix until uniform.
  2. Sprinkle gelatin into a small bowl of water. Set aside and allow to hydrate.
  3. Mix matcha powder with corn syrup. Set aside.
  4. Combine a small amount of the ganache base with the matcha powder-corn syrup mixture to improve fluidity. Fold the mixture into the ganache base.
  5. Heat the gelatin in the microwave for about 10 secs. Allow to cool slightly, then add into the ganache base. Mix well.
  6. Retrieve the pudding bar from the fridge. Pour the glaze over a spatula to distribute the glaze evenly and prevent forming holes in the chocolate pudding. Tilt the pan to distribute the glaze evenly.
  7. Chill for at least 5-6 hours, but ideally overnight.
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In theory, matcha-topped pudding bars seemed like a splendid idea. However, the custard recipe on the exterior of the Bird's Custard Powder can was not only bland and tacky, but lacking in sweetness as well. Sweetened chocolate whipped cream enabled a soft, mousse-like consistency and drastically improved complexity.
The glaze also adopted the yielding consistency and vivid, grassy hue that I had sought out. Unfortunately, due to my matcha being expired, grassy depth had been compromised in the output.
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I was also met with another issue when the glaze ended up being heavier than the delicate pudding layer. The bars simply could not portioned without chocolate pudding oozing out from underneath. The graham cracker base cracking at odd segments worsened the issue. And so, like Sunday, I opted to wrap the specimen and transfer to the freezer for ease of cutting.
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​My patience was rewarded the next morning: I could achieve crisp lines and neat squares. The only caveat: the bars needed to be stored in the freezer and thawed only before eating.

With insufficient thawing time, the graham cracker base would persist impossibly rigid. On the other hand, the top two layers were still tasty and even slightly reminiscent of an ice cream bar.
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​To the office the bars went a couple days later. All but four were consumed by the end of the day. I had left the boxes in the kitchen to thaw since 8:30 AM; by 2 PM, the containers were no longer cold to the touch and condensation was prominent. Given this, it is advised that thawing time be limited to no more than 4 hours at room temp (but perhaps longer in the fridge).

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Out & About #1145 | Panda Pilates + Heart Sushi Heartland

1/11/2026

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Due to deviations from regularly scheduled weekend programming that endangered my workout routine, I decided that booking a fitness class for the earlier hours of the day was the only guaranteed way to maintain activity levels. After all, who would want to lug themselves out of bed after a late night without reason?

While I would have preferred a drop-in dance class, options were incredibly limited before 5 PM. Sunday slots were even rarer for pilates studios, which tend to offer early morning weekend sessions or close for business altogether. Panda Pilates emerged as the only establishment operating on Sunday, thus persuading a 2-class intro pack for $60 plus tax. While skepticism was prominent, I convinced myself that this was a good opportunity to try a new studio.

​Traffic conditions along the restricted segments of Dundas Street are abysmal during weekday evenings, but weekend mornings were surprisingly smooth. Despite a delayed departure, the unbelievably swift 8-minute commute led to an early arrival.
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The studio was located off a residential road with a sharp turn off Dundas. Had I not known of the studio location prior, I'd have easily missed the turn with impatient weekend drivers tailing behind me. Parking spaces were limited, but adequate for the limited commercial GFA on site.
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After climbing the concrete steps towards the entrance, I was met with a reception desk, series of cubbies, coat rack with fabric hangers covered with hair, and the odd installation of a coffee bar, known as Panda Café. Outdoor shoes were to be removed and placed by the entrance. 
This landing area was the dirtiest I had ever seen and, unlike the boutique studios, the staff did not maintain the studio between class sessions, allowing debris and hair follicles to fall to the ground and remain as is. I grimaced while stepping over the dirt- and salt-speckled floor mat towards a basket of equally questionable slippers. Unlike other studios though, the edges of the slippers appeared fairly clean and free of grey borders.
Two dimly-lite bathrooms were found past the studio space. The design was minimal and serene, though its cleanliness merely passable. I did, however, enjoy the smart mirror and conveniently located hook against the wall instead of behind the door.
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Behind a glass panel were a total of 10 reformers, branded by Align Pilates as opposed to the STOTT standard of Merrithew. Although the instructor inquired whether I had tried pilates previously, she did not provide an introduction to the machine, its accessories, nor its spring levels. The lack in awareness would later catch up with me, for the springs were not configured to the same tension as the V2MAX.

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Out & About #1143 | Back to Office, Shortbread Round 2 + Friday Baking

1/9/2026

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I returned to the office in an awfully haggard state. Needless to say, I wasn't the only one. There were also plenty of technical difficulties experienced with the first meeting of the year.

​However, I am glad to report that, despite the undesirable conclusion of the winter holiday, seeing familiar faces made for a pleasant time. Cookies were presented and rapidly depleted by fellow floor members, while excited exchanges took place about the past two weeks. I even received a new year gift of Läderach and magnet stickers from a lovely coworker!
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The lunchtime mall walk led to several new discoveries:
  • The Bakers, a Middle Eastern bakery, had replaced Bingz in the food court
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  • To Go Coffee advertised complimentary shots with their beverages
  • Lindt was promoting gift boxes for both Valentine's Day and the upcoming Year of the Horse
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  • A hidden location of Hello! Photo was discovered on the top level of the mall, tucked away near Walmart and Bell in an inconspicuous area
Presumably a recent addition given its cleaner quarters, I excited flipped through the frame options. The New Year frames piqued my interest immediately, and I swiftly convinced my coworker to join me. In the absence of hooks, our winter jackets were hung on the ends of the curtain rod for the duration of the session.
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  • SoftMoc taking over the former, partitioned space of PINK by Victoria's Secret by Simons
  • Adorable Valentine's Day décor landing at Dollarama
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The day passed quickly, and I eventually found myself acting upon my craving for a 3 Guys from CoCo. Naturally, I took advantage of their January promotion of 2 for $10. ​A hot variation was bestowed upon my browsing partner.

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Out & About #1142 | No Bake Coffee Cheesecake Tart, Butterscotch Chip Pecan Cookies + Salty Granola

1/4/2026

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Friday was the day I looked forward to the most. Operating with a noxious strained neck for at least one week was loathsome. When the day of my long-awaited massage finally rolled around, I entered the premises with vigor and anticipation.
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​The evening ended on an excruciating - but nevertheless high - note as the many muscles surrounding my neck were pried at with force. Recoiling in pain, I crawled into the comfort of soft friends and commenced an exceptionally rare activity: Opening a book.
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It wasn't a novel per se, but a cookbook with filled with personal stories. For the first time since acquisition, I began to read "Life's Sweetest Moments" by Dominique Ansel.
He was an impressive man, with countless baking ideas stemming from interactions and isolated moment in time. Even more inspiring was his ability to apply mastered principles to convert a feeling or past occurrence into a dessert. Truthfully, it was mesmerizing to read his detailed recaps, for my memory also functions in a strikingly similar fashion, with details and timelines intact.

​His recipes ranged in difficulty level, but I bookmarked a seemingly simple one to try. It was a Homemade Cherry Macadamia Granola inspired by Dominique's late nights when working in a restaurant.
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1) Granola
​The original recipe quantities are as follows:
  • 91 g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
  • 104 g sliced almonds
  • 196 g unsalted butter, room temp
  • 196 g brown sugar
  • 261 g old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 76 g golden raisins
  • 76 g dried cherries

With the exception of dried cherries and sultanas instead of golden raisins, my pantry was already stocked with the above ingredients. After  carefully reviewing the method, I set out to construct. In the absence of a recipe, imagination was required to envision the sequence of steps.

The recipe instructs toasting the macadamia nuts and sliced almonds together at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. Based on past experiences, this approach would surely lead to one's demise. The nuts would not toast evenly given their drastic difference in size and would further become burnt and unusable by the 8-minute mark.
I toasted my sliced almonds at 325 F for 4 mins and dry roasted, salted, chopped macadamia nuts at 325 F for 7 minutes then another 4 minutes more. This enabled both varieties of nuts to achieve a golden glow without fear of blackening.

The next step involved using a stand mixer to cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Frankly, using a stand mixer for granola seemed excessive, so I creamed the butter and brown sugar together by hand. Perhaps I did not cream adequately, for fine bits of brown sugar remained in the final product. After adding the specified quantity of oats, I spread the mixture into a lined baking pan as directed. Baking at 350 F for 10-12 minutes did not render the oats crunchy whatsoever. I continued baking for another 20 minutes, at which point the butter began to ooze from the mixture, seeping underneath the silicon mat.
In the end, I'd continue to bake until dryness was observed, but the oats persisted awfully greasy and crumbly. They were also too sweet for my liking.
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​Against my better judgement, I had sampled the baked oat mixture before it had cooled completely. In response to the excessive sugariness, I sprinkled a generous amount of smoked Maldon into the bowl. This inclusion contributed to the granola's eventual downfall, as it did not require the sodium boost at all.

Should the recipe be attempted again, I shall be reducing the amounts of both the butter and brown sugar. The specified quantity was excessive, and far more than even a standard cookie recipe! For chunks of crunch instead of crumbly oats, I will also consider the inclusion of egg white, as SK had done for hers.

In the days that followed, the granola only grew saltier, much to my dismay. Adding raisins assisted slightly, as did consuming dried strawberries (the item I had requested from my browsing partner due to bulk barn's unavailability of dried cherries) between each spoonful. My face and body bloated shortly after consuming a breakfast bowl's worth of granola, in a similar fashion as one does when consuming sodium-laden instant noodles. The experience was indeed traumatizing.

Nevertheless, I appreciated Dominque Ansel introducing the method of toasting nuts separate from baking the oats, then folding in dried fruit in the end. Often are instances where the raisins become bitter and burnt before the oats become crisp. Reserving mix-ins for the final stage prevent such a scenario. The combination of salted macadamia nuts and dried fruit was also unexpected, but highly enjoyable.
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​2) No Bake Coffee Cheesecake Tart with Chocolate Ganache and Coffee Ganache Montée

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Over the holidays, an inventory check was conducted for all the snacks and ingredients in my pantry. Some had been long forgotten, labelled with expiry dates one or even three years past, while others recently expired or soon to expire. I succeeded in IDing most of the bagged goods, disposing of rancid nuts, ancient wheat bran, bread flour with an atrocious, off-putting aroma, and homemade breadcrumbs, which, thankfully, hadn't moulded due to my inclusion of a silica gel packet in the container.

For the next little while, I vowed to deplete as many ingredients as possible before their expiry date. While these dates merely serve as an estimate of freshness, excessive exceedance is likely not recommended.
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A) Biscoff Crust

First up was a lonely 250 g pack of Biscoff, which formed the base of my recipe-less, no-bake creation. Using Sunday Baking and SK for reference, the approximate proportion of melted butter to crushed biscuits was 40-64%. I adhered to Sunday's ratio, which specified the amount of butter to be 40% of the biscuits by weight.
Ingredients:
  • 250 g Biscoff
  • 100 g unsalted butter, melted
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Directions
  1. Crush Biscoff biscuits into fine crumbs using a food processor.
  2. Melt butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Add in crushed Bisoff.
  3. Mix well until combined. Transfer to tart pan and distribute evenly, pressing with a handle-less mug to compact the crumbs.
  4. Place in refrigerator while preparing the filling.
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B) Cheesecake Batter

Life's Sweetest Moments, Pg. 28 had also included specific quantities for powdered gelatin and water. This was incredibly helpful, as Sunday Baking tends to use gelatin sheets, which will stop absorbing water once saturated.
  • By volume: 2 gelatin : 3 water
  • By mass: 1 g gelatin: 2.333 g water

As I experienced difficulty fully dissolving the gelatin using a 2:3 ratio, I turned to 1:3 ratio by weight instead. 1 gelatin : 3 water worked much better.
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Ingredients:
  • 4 g instant espresso
  • 20 g hot water
  • 245 g cream cheese (1 block)​
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 30 g black sugar
  • 10 g lemon juice
  • 4 g vanilla extract
  • 180 g heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
  • 6 g gelatin
  • 20 g water​
Directions
  1. Dissolve instant espresso in hot water. Mix well and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. Beat softened cream cheese with sugars. Add in lemon juice, vanilla extract, and cooled espresso.
  3. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Gently heat in a microwave in 10 sec bursts until just melted. Let cool to at least room temperature.
  4. Fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Add in gelatin and fold again.
  5. Remove prepared crust from the fridge and fill with cheesecake batter. Use an offset spatula to evenly distribute the batter. Do not overfill. Reserve excess for a separate creation; in my case, I obtained 73 g extra.
  6. Refrigerate until set - about 4-6 hours.
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D) Chocolate Ganache

To seal off the no-bake creation, my original idea was to create a marbled chocolate ganache with dark and white chocolate couverture. Unfortunately, the white chocolate ganache persisted as liquid while the dark chocolate ganache set up nicely. It was set aside.
Due to technical difficulty-induced delay though, the dark chocolate gradually lost fluidity with time. While not obvious in the final creation, a small arc of the tart is devoid of dark chocolate. It is pivotal to maintain the temperature of the ganache, as pouring it atop a cool surface can quicken the rate of solidification.

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Out & About #1141 | Smoky Pork Loin, Shortbread + Turkey French Onion Soup

1/1/2026

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​For the first time in a long time, January 1st felt like any other day.
Except the skies outside was sunny and glorious: a breathtaking blue to awaken a sombre soul.
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There was no time to waste. A number of kitchen projects would need to take place - and conclude! - before lunch time.

Strawberry-Pineapple-Peach Jam

A Four Fruit Jam had been compiled the day before in anticipation of being used as a compote to serve with pork. Its construction leaned similar to my go-to jam recipe, which comprises of:
  • 4 cups frozen fruit
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1-1.5 tbsp gelatin
​Instead of leaving a scanty amount for another recipe, I ultimately decided to use the 600 g bag in its entirety. To account for the innate sweetness of pineapples and peaches, the quantity of sugar was reduced from 1 cup/190 g to 170 g. Furthermore, the amount of gelatin was reduced to 1 tbsp due to the heavy ratio of fruit.
Turkey French Onion Soup

One bag of onions supplied ten, roughly uniform bulbs. Majority were utilized towards a French Onion Soup base; a handful of slices were reserved for pairing alongside the lunch main of pan-seared pork loin.​
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Unfortunately, this variety did not disintegrate and caramelize as I would have liked. The resulting French Onion Soup was quite bland, even with the inclusion of our sumptuous Christmas turkey. Sautéing the mountain of slivers in butter for approximately thirty minutes lent a bodacious mouthful to the resulting soup, but the concoction was ultimately found lacking in complexity and containing an abundance of intact onion threads. ​ It is uncertain whether the heat was inadequate (low-medium heat was used to encourage a slow degradation without burning) or if the pot needed more butter to encourage browning.
​Smoky Pork Loin

Slabs of meat are not an item I tend to cook frequently. As a consequence, I took it upon myself to conduct ample research before commencing. Most, if not all, recipes included the following steps/principles:
  • Brine or marinade; any amount of time is better than none, though the ideal brine is minimum four hours up to overnight (24 hours).
  • Garlic, as well as shallots in place of onions for a sweeter, milder take
  • Some type of fruit to pair (ie. pear, apple, peach, etc.)
  • Basting for substantial cuts, akin to cooking steak
  • Finishing the cooking process in the oven for smaller cuts
  • Obtaining an internal temperature reading of 135 F, halting cooking, and allowing residual heat to bring the internal temperature to 145 F
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Drawing inspiration from Edward Lee's Smoke & Pickles, in which he introduces the porky chapter with an eye-opening segment on slaughterhouses and their connection to the farm to table movement, I prepared a brine of sugar, dash of white pepper, Shaoxing wine, and, of course, plenty of salt. Commencing at the early hour of 9:15 AM gave me about 3.5h of brine time, just slightly short of the recommended four-hour minimum for his dark, gin-reduced rendition.
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In the meantime, I'd tend to my Gai Lan.
Searing was an absolute atrocity for those fearing the sputtering of hot oil. My Dollarama splatter screen helped marginally. In any case, it is best to approach with confidence and caution. After each round was patted dry, I drizzled oil into my pan and waited for the lubricant to lose viscosity. For best results, an aluminum pan is recommended. Having none though, the easiest alternative was my largest nonstick pan. Less fond was anticipated to emerge though.
On one side of the pan, a rack was readied; on the other, Turkey French Onion Soup bubbled away. Working in batches, each round of pork loin was seared until golden brown with blackened edges. Rotating the cuts along their perimeter provided additional char and served to preserve their shape.

As the seared rounds rested on the rack, bloody juices dripping, sliced onions were transferred to the pan. A quick sautée ensued, followed by a plentiful glug of rose cooking wine that gave rise to an excited sizzle. I adapted my pan sauce to use homemade jam for a sweet, fruity component. Three heaping spoonfuls of jam were added once the cooking wine evaporated. Subsequent steps involved distributing the jam, nestling the pork loin back into the pan, adding a small amount of water, and allowing the meat to finish cooking as the sauce thickened.
An initial temperature reading came back at 119 F. The pan was covered for several minutes before I checked once more. At this point, the readings ranged from 139-150 F. White juices that had solidified on the surface of the rounds also confirmed doneness.
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I ought to have reduced the heat in the final stages of cooking, for the rounds were unmistakably tougher after resting. Nevertheless, they were juicy, tender, and irresistibly smoky. Crunchy bits of onion and sweet morsels of red-tinted pineapple complemented the dish perfectly.
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 Smoky Pork Loin was a success! 
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Out & About #1140 | Year End Stress

12/31/2025

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As the final hours of 2025 inevitably draw closer, I am reminded of the noticeable deviation between my planned and actual progress. Circulating social media are reminders that mere survival is worth commending, and that even the small wins are worth celebrating. However much I may preach the same message to those experiencing feelings of unfulfillment, I am a hypocrite. Those same sentiments do not hold validity for me.

Whether it be described as unwavering determination or naïve, unrealistic ambition, I couldn't care less about the classification. What matters is that goals were made, but not all were achieved within the designated time frame.

Substantial setbacks were suffered when I departed the downtown core in favour of a work location closer to home. My commute improved drastically, effectively slashing the total travel time by one third, yet my physical, mental, and emotional states were subject to a harsh blow. Having breathed easy for the past two years, the change mimicked the torturous, traumatic days of private sector work. Many months would pass before I could stand on two feet again.

Just when I believed that brighter days were ahead, my world drowned with darkness. Loss of a loved one is never easy, but experiencing grief firsthand was yet another grueling challenge for the mind and body. And while I have come to terms with the new reality, it still feels surreal at times, knowing that what was once constant is no more. The event was a cold reminder that humans are mere mortals vulnerable to the brunt of time.
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​Returning home, it dawned on me that Operation Clean The House would need to be rebooted, else it'd never take place. New horrors await in the new year, after all. An ominous feeling rooted deep within my heart also urged me to inherit and acquire (via skill) family recipes that could potentially be lost with further changes.
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​Honey Date Tea / 杏仁蜜棗茶 has been my saviour for all throat-related concerns from youth. Albeit straightforward in its ingredient list, the procedure was supposedly time-consuming. Being presented with this tea time and time again without a recipe for repeatability, I deemed it appropriate to devise a written method for reference.
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​While the tea sat atop the stovetop, simmering away for hours on the lowest heat setting possible, I went to work reorganizing my bakeware collection. Since the pandemic days, the assortment of pans, tools, and accessories have multiplied exponentially. Gradually, the chaos and inconvenience became too much to endure.

Shelves were procured from IKEA under the assumption that assembly would be straightforward. After three hours of scratched shelves and a shaky frame, I surrendered and sought help from TaskRabbit instead. In partnership with IKEA, the portal allowed users to find "neighbours" offering handyman services and request a time slot suitable for both parties.
For those with natural aptitudes at building or constructing, this service may not be relevant. However, in a society with an aging population, such personnel become extremely helpful to those without the inability to DIY.
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​A small amount of cleaning was conducted, as was inspecting all areas for expired food.
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The last few days of the year proceeded under anxiety. With the other member of the household still out of commission, the responsibility of survival operations fell upon my shoulders. Groceries and errands were completed in a hurry, followed by cooking. Within the span of an hour, four stops were completed; my browsing partner assisted with the remaining two, enabling commencement of sustenance preparation shortly after 11 AM.
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Out & About #1139 | Christmas Visuals

12/29/2025

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Christmas felt more than a little different this year.
For starters, we weren't celebrating - not officially anyway. But the lingering flu symptoms plaguing one member of the household had yet to dissipate completely.

Before the influx of illness though, a turkey had been procured. Celebration or not, sustenance wasn't negotiable. We reckoned we'd make several meals out of a single turkey anyway.
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​Simple sides accompanied the glistening centrepiece: boiled yellow potatoes, canned pineapple chunks, and freshly sliced tomatoes. The assortment appeared minimal in comparison to past years, yet I frankly preferred it. Zucchini and Little Gem potatoes roasted with butter often reveal themselves too satiating alongside a meaty entrée. There is also far more food than can be reasonably consumed by two people. By scaling down the lavishness of the meal, we had inadvertently also prevented food waste!
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​Brined overnight with plenty of garlic cloves, the oven roasted turkey was likely the best variation to emerge from our kitchen. Tender, juicy, and unbelievably flavourful, I declared it fitting that the side dishes had persisted conservative as to allow the turkey to take centre stage. Most impressively, all parts of the bird were thoroughly cooked through. The breast remained succulent despite its leanness, while dark meat along the thighs were marvelous, boasting irresistible flavour from hours of diligent preparation.
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Holiday Rice Krispies

The annual return of Christmas cookies hadn't anticipated to be omitted, but the timing of festive preparations coincided with a turbulent return to reality. Rather than gleeful cut out cookies glistening with colourful sprinkles, I turned towards a simpler take on holiday treats: Rice Krispies.
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​When the return of red, green, and white Rice Krispies returned to the shelves, I flocked towards the boxes, in spite of their four-dollar price tags. The seasonal variety was a pivotal element of my childhood and, as with many young Canadians, associated with family-friendly undertakings for school parties.
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​Over the years, I've experimented with a wide range of Rice Krispies flavours, only to return to the original every single time. 
My homemade rendition is almost always less cloying than the storebought version, which is exactly as I prefer.
The quantities listed in the original recipe can result in drastic variances, for I've never been able to pinpoint the metric conversion of 1/4 up of butter. For this holiday edition, I took to the following amounts:
  • 54 g of unsalted butter - use less next time! 40 g?
  • 240 g of mini marshmallows
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal
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Out & About #1138 | A Chaotic Pre-Christmas Feat. Nama Choco Pickup, Baking + Pilates

12/22/2025

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Regardless of my health status, I had planned to make the Monday before Christmas a sick day. Over the weekend, a sore throat and sinus pain had crept up, then gradually subsided with diligent nasal rinsing. Meanwhile, the remainder of the household was engulfed with severe flu symptoms, ranging from fever to nausea and vomiting, and a persistent cough.
My once peaceful morning was consequently repurposed for doctor appointment drop-off, medication pick-up, and groceries.
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​In spite of an early awakening, my eventual departure for the northeast end of the GTA was delayed.

I arrived at my first stop of Oomomo around 1:15 PM - approximately 1.25h behind schedule. Locating parking in the FMP plaza is perpetually a nightmare; thankful was I to have chanced across two vacancies during my second loop about the space.
The intent had been to purchase a holiday card and envelope set prior to seeing Sunday Baking at her pop-up. Alas, all Christmas-themed items had sold out. I resorted to the next best alternative of a wintry dove letter kit.
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The pickup process was as swift as could be - it was my commentary that was not! Having been presented with the rare opportunity to relay my appreciation in the flesh, I couldn't help but excitedly express my gratitude and admiration for her creative masterpieces! The honour was truly mine. Sunday Baking was easily my baking role model, in addition to my mentor and teacher. She had, albeit unknowingly, enabled me to create by providing free, valuable content via her YouTube videos and remarkable troubleshooting. I was ecstatic, for since the end of the stay sweet phase, I hadn't been certain that I would see her again.
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​When ROYCE's Nama Chocolate had first risen to fame, I committed to a box at their Richmond Centre kiosk. After bringing the costly specimen back home though, I quickly discovered my aversion towards the dimensionless squares and their excessive dusting of cocoa powder.
But Sunday Baking's creations are different. Despite having reservations about certain treats, I've learned to trust in her formulas. The same theory was applied to the quad of Nama Chocolate on offer at the holiday pop-up.
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    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.



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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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