Category: Friends

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

1/9/2026

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!

The lunchtime mall walk led to several new discoveries:

The Bakers, a Middle Eastern bakery, had replaced Bingz in the food court

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

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.

SoftMoc taking over the former, partitioned space of PINK by Victoria's Secret by Simons
Adorable Valentine's Day décor landing at Dollarama

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 #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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Out & About #1133 | Black Sesame Basque Cheesecake + Lime Condensed Milk Pound Cake with Toasted Coconut Glaze

11/7/2025

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As the days countdown to my short-term departure from the province, it would be an understatement to say that I've become increasingly overwhelmed with the duties imposed upon me in the workplace and the outstanding list of items demanding attention in my personal life.
Work-life balance? What a joke. It doesn't exist in this job.

Packing isn't the only task to tend to prior to travelling. Cleaning, clearing the fridge of any perishable items, planning for days of absence, and planning for the days immediately following return further entail tasks that most of the population seem to defer until the happy days have past. My approach often leads to future me appreciating the efforts of past me, consequently instilling a sense of relief when comparatively chaotic times arise.
For the time being, I've started to utilize ingredients whose expiry dates precede my return.

1) Black Sesame Basque Cheesecake

The cake was crafted with the aim of using up my last block of cream cheese. I opted to adapt my most successful iteration of Biscoff Basque Cheesecake, swapping Biscoff spread for black sesame paste. Seeing as Sunday Baking's original recipe had taken to approximately 1.5 blocks of cream cheese (360 g), the amounts were to be scaled down accordingly. Amidst the arithmetic and agitating a new jar of the unsweetened ingredient, I had accidentally doubled the proportion of black sesame. Having realized the blunder only when my batter emerged extremely dark and viscous, a tad more heavy cream was added to maintain fluidity. Instead of weighing out 2 of 3 eggs and 1/3 yolk, I merely settled for 2 whole eggs.

Ingredients:

240 g cream cheese
86 g granulated sugar
120 g unsweetened black sesame paste * too much!!
2 eggs (instead of 3 eggs + 1 yolk)
vanilla extract
90 g heavy cream
pinch of salt

Yield: One 6 in cheesecake

My new oven has excelled at maintaining low temperatures for fermentation, dehydration, and general baking purposes (cookies, loaves, and the like). However, it has recently come to my attention that it struggles to achieve and maintain high heat settings. Any temperature over 400 F is tragically difficult to sustain.
The basque cheesecake was supposed to bake at 425 F for 20 mins, rotating halfway to account for the fan-forced convection. My oven thermometer hovered at a consistent 400 F, indicating that the internal cavity had never truly reached the specified temperature.

When the surface persisted pale - or grey, in this case - an outstretched pointer finger drew close to the Broil function. The oven offered "Low" and "High" Broil settings. Erring on the side of caution, "Low" was selected. For the next two minutes, I'd crouch near the viewing window to monitor the process.
Dark spots began to emerge at the centre of the cake, then along its edges. After about four minutes, including Broil pre-heating time, a uniformly darkened surface prevailed. I cut the heat and removed the cake. Still somewhat jiggly at its core, I knew it was done.

Over the next two hours, the tin was allowed to cool until room temperature. Then, it was transferred to the fridge, where it resided, uncovered, for about two more hours. Although Biscoff V1 had involved an overnight chill, the increased amounts of black sesame paste (fat + binder) and whole eggs (protein = binder), enabled a reduced chill time.

The result was a silky, creamy cake that was lightly cheesy at first bite but largely nutty and bordering astringency due to the high proportion of black sesame paste. On the first day of sampling, the slice still beckoned at the signature creaminess of a basque cheesecake. After chilling overnight though, the flavours became more uniform and the consistency less yielding. Second day sampling featured a proper Black Sesame Baked Cheesecake - slightly sweet, slightly cheesy, and comprehensively nutty.

It is worth noting that a 6 in aluminum pan was used instead of my usual 7 to 8 in Instant Pot Round Cake Pan. The choice in pan material caused the cheesecake to remain level after baking, thus minimizing the settlement after cooling and chilling. This meant that, although the cake did exhibit surface cracking, these fissures were not exaggerated by the prominent doming observed when using nonstick cake pans. The minimized delta in height had also ensured even broiling in the final steps of baking.

Strawberry Jam

Frozen strawberries can technically be kept in the freezer for eternity. But expiry dates do not dictate when cravings surface.

In an attempt to convert my volumetric recipe to metric units, quantities were weighed for quality assurance and repeatability:

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Out & About #1129 | Cold Creek Conservation Area + 19th Ave Farmer's Market

10/18/2025

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All of my hiking adventures share similar schedules: The first stop is a bathroom, usually the closest fast food franchise to the scenic destination.

As of late, I've also been incorporating an early lunch into the plans, for continuing into the early to mid-afternoon hours on a breakfast of strong cold brew and oatmeal simply wasn't sufficient.
Shaky hands and a quivering body were experienced previously, consequently impacted my physical endurance and ability to capture images with stability.

The second similarity lies in the conversations exchanged. Lengthy are these drives, so it only makes sense for catch-ups to happen along the way.

With a former coworker joining me for the day, we happily engaged in our respective work and life updates. The conversations truly never stopped, despite the duration spent together.

A longstanding location of Tims in a tragic parking lot was our first stop. There, we obtained Old-Fashioned Plain Donuts - a highly underrated menu item that we equally enjoy - and sustenance to fuel our journey.
While my former coworker's croissant with cheese and butter arrived in record time, my mobile order was nowhere to be seen for at least twenty minutes! Only when we approached the staff did they confess that the item could not be prepared since they did not have scrambled eggs in stock. A round egg was an easy swap that took far too long to execute.

The seasonal Maple Brown Butter Sausage & Bacon Double Stacked Scrambled Egg Loaded Wrap had set me back $6.99. Despite being just slightly longer than the length of my palm, the creation was quite tasty. Boasting the inclusion of egg, sausage, and hash brown, I had anticipated the wrap to be satiating. To my surprise, not only was it hearty and gratifying, but the comprehensive drizzle of maple syrup and synthetic "butter" truly elevated the overall composition.
My Small Original Protein Iced Latte paired well with the Wrap, for its cool creaminess assuaged steam escaping from the inside of the wrap.

The facility itself was quite dated, though I appreciated that the single washroom stall was spacious and tidy. Of course, its status could vary drastically following the mid-day lunch, complete with soccer moms and senior citizens.

Around noon, we continued on our way. Google Maps warned me of a road closure, even directing me away from our destination to avoid the supposed blockage.
The posted sign on 11th Concession read "Local Traffic" only. For my purposes, the fact that the entire access hadn't been blocked by TC-54s was confirmation enough.

I found the conservation area with ease, then followed the path into a gravel lot. The vicinity was heavily populated with vehicles.

Soon, we learned why: There was an event taking place within the nearby Education Centre, which had led to the building remaining open for the public to access.

On the basement level was a wall of hooks, likely present to facilitate school field trips, as well as the blessed sight of indoor plumbing. In addition to a shower stall with a wooden bench positioned in front, the facilities featured a row of narrow but clean stalls. Thank goodness! I was praying for more than just a portable potty.

The hike commenced from the South Connector Trail.

Consistent with the forecast, the day started off humid, but a splendid breeze eventually filled the air. The shaded areas of the trail also contributed some much-needed respite from direct sunlight.

View the full album HERE !

At 1 PM, sunlight was harshest and mercury levels reached their peak. I quickly grew warm, thus encouraged heading back into the shaded trails as soon as possible.

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Out & About #1129 | Scarborough Eats Feat. J-Town, Once Patisserie + Linh Ahn

10/18/2025

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Read Part 1 HERE !

J-Town was impromptu stop. Crawling along Steeles towards Pacific Mall had lodged the idea in my mind and, as the driver, I could act upon such thoughts however I desired. My hiking partner did not oppose the deviation in the slightest, and so we entered into the lot, somehow finding parking with ease.

It was the first time I had stepped foot into the cultural district in many years. A part of me was astounded to find it still standing, as strip plazas redeveloping into high-rise towers has been the trend as of late. Few improvements have taken place over the years with regard to the condition of the asphalt lot, interior finishes of buildings, etc. That said, vendors have moved in and out of the space consistently. Rather than terminating and restarting leases though, majority of these outposts share a facility or operate out of the counter of another business.

A coffee and handmade goods display caught my attention. Nearby were intricate-looking desserts, ranging from colourful mochi, peach-shaped pastries, and even Sakura Cheesecake. The associated price tags were indeed shocking. Not even Patchmon's elaborate luk choup mung bean dessert and woon kati jellies had adorned such a hefty value. Meanwhile, I cannot deem the sakura cheesecake to be nearly as much labour as my own Youkan and Sakura Anko Pound Cake.

I secured the rare bag of Momo Tea's Matsu at Sasaki Pastry. Heading over to Heisei Mart, we found more affordable renditions of sakura mochi, a wide selection of ceramics and teaware, and beverages and seasonings that were seldom seen elsewhere.

One of us emerged with an oriental style tea canister and Matcha Amazake, while the other two bars of Lotte Crunky. Needless to say, the chocolate bars were mine. Unfortunately, the formula was seemingly altered from the blue packaging edition, resulting in a sugar-filled headache and instantaneous breakouts.

The alcohol-free Matcha Amazake was shared after obtaining a small paper cup from Sasaki Pastry, who made an exception given that I had made a purchase previously. Viscous and brimming with rice grains, the formula tasted as one would anticipate: thick due to commercial stabilizer (ie. starch), slightly bitter due to the inclusion of non-ceremonial grade matcha, and sweet due to its name ("ama" = sweet in Japanese). Its afternotes were vaguely reminiscent of nigori sake, though not nearly as potent. Being a lover of Junmai sake though, the non-filtered sake is hardly my preference.

Next to Sasaki Pastry was Yuzu no Ki, a pastry house boasting a comprehensive array of Japanese-style tarts, cake slices, and cream puffs.

I was captivated by the Green Tea Opera Cake, which was retailed in the forms of individual slices or a whole cake. Pristine in its finishing touches and prominent in its layering, I was impressed that a 6" square had only been priced at $51.

The merchandise shelf comprised of jams, teas, and matcha accessories. Mini jars of Bonne Maman and Japanese black tea powder were the most interesting discoveries, though I refrained from purchasing any.

At long last, we arrived at Pacific Mall around 5 PM. Due to closure of the underground garage, I was prompted to park in the surface lot instead. This is important to note, as we would later learn.

Egg waffles were the primary objective, but I couldn't skip indoor plumbing facilities. The basement level washrooms had been renovated since my last visit, now beaming and brilliant with marble tiling, dyson hand dryers, and Cintas soap dispensers. The reason for the "Washing Hands Only" sticker on each mirror remained unknown to me though.

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Out & About #1128 | North York Hangout Feat. Mister Wheel, DYAM + Nakwon Kisa Restaurant

10/13/2025

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I collapsed into bed after two back-to-back days of activity. However, my long weekend plans were far from being over.

My former coworker had been kind enough to meet up in the later half of the day to accommodate my need for sleeping in and recovery. As such, plans would commence around the early afternoon and conclude before the evening.

I slept till around 11 AM, rushed a load of laundry, then prepared accordingly.

We had agreed to meet at Centerpoint Mall, sheerly out of my curiosity for a games space by the name of Forever Young. While the stores within the mall were shuttered for the statutory holiday, the parking lot was oddly full. I couldn't figure out why until it was suggested that the mall itself was open, but the stores within were closed.

I had barely made managed to catch a glimpse of Forever Young when I laid eyes on the horrifying sight of parking mayhem before the entrance. Internal site circulation was positively awful! There were multiple conflict points for inbound vehicles from Steeles and vehicles and pedestrians navigating through the site.

Eventually, I found parking in front of Canadian Tire and crossed the asphalt lot towards Forever Young. Perhaps I should have expected the interior to be filled with children, for it was long weekend after all. The screams were deafening and the entryway far busier than my sanity could handle. Prices are seemed ludicrous for the amount of time I'd be spending in wait of little kids.

Spinning on my heel, I resorted to head into Centerpoint Mall instead. At one of its north entrances, I was surprised to find Alminz Kakanin. I had heard news of Galleria taking over the lot at Steeles and Hilda, but hadn't expected relocation of the Filipino specialty grocer so soon. The storefront was vibrant and noticeably cleaner than the rest of the single storey shopping centre.

I decided to take a gander later, for finding a bathroom was of utmost priority. Consistent with my expectations, stores within the mall were indeed closed. This hadn't stopped locals from congregating in the food court or the corridors, however. The interior was shockingly busy, to the point where I had difficulty maneuvering. A handful of eateries and food kiosks remained open. Much to my relief, the bathrooms were open as well.

My former coworker joined me inside the mall shortly afterwards. We browsed the multitude of stalls forming an indoor marketplace, concluding a common theme amongst the merchandise (Middle Eastern vibes, china and teaware, and apparel for the elderly, etc.) and how Centerpoint served the function of a community centre more than a retail space. "You can say it - it's dingy. But these people are locals that don't have a community gathering space nearby." I was told.

Seeing as Forever Young was too chaotic (and too pricey) for my liking, I suggested heading to Yonge and Finch for snacks. There, the atmosphere was better suited for those of our age group, culinary palate, and spending power - or rather, lack thereof.

Having secured parking first, I briskly strode into Upper East Food Club in search of Mister Wheel. Taiwanese wheel cakes weren't foreign to me, but they had always been incredibly difficult to locate in the GTA.

I neared the cashier and was promptly ignored for the entire duration. Consequently, my energy was redirected towards their online order platform, supported by Snappy. Signage posted along the counter informed that all orders would require fifteen minutes to prepare. By ordering on the browser-based platform, I could venture elsewhere instead of persisting aimlessly in a warm and unnecessarily noisy environment.

The menu ranged from classic fillings of Custard and Red Bean to modern Matcha and Earl Grey, trendy Thai Tea, and fusion flavours such as Maple and Pistachio.

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Out & About #1123 | White Sugar Steamed Cake + Apple Crunch Cake

9/27/2025

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There wasn't really a definitive catalyst, but Cantonese treats have been trending test projects as of late. Perhaps it was sparked by a visit to HK Festival, or maybe the mere association of assurance with comfort food.

White Sugar Steamed Cake (白糖糕)

While I've consumed my fair share of Ma Lai Goh, the jiggly white specimen known as 白糖糕 was foreign to me. Despite not being able to recall an instance in which I've sampled the street snack, this didn't restrain me from attempting to create it. There wouldn't be a point of reference for comparison, but ethnic specialties - and life, in general - is often like that.

The recipe put forth by 廚娘 was straightforward, just like her formula for 砵仔糕.

Ingredients:

350 g water
150 g granulated sugar

1 tsp yeast
3 tsp warm water

260 g rice flour
250 g water

1/4 tsp oil

Yeast is bloomed and a simple syrup is constructed on the stovetop. On the side, a slurry of rice flour and water is formed in a large, heat-proof bowl. Once sugar granules have completely dissolved, the hot syrup is poured into the starch slurry, encouraging the decomposition of lumps within the batter. 廚娘 warns against incorporating the bloomed yeast too early, for it can kill the yeast and impact fermentation. Once the batter reaches 30 C, or slightly warmer than water used for showers", as she describes, then it is safe to proceed.

My new oven's Proof setting worked splendidly for encouraging fermentation. Just prior to steaming, a small amount of oil is incorporated into the batter.
Out of laziness, I took to the countertop toaster oven's Steam function instead of the traditional wok, which would require occasional replenishing of water. Steaming at 350 F for 35 minutes caused the sides to colour and underside to burn slightly; the resulting visuals were not wholly reflective of an authentic White Sugar Steamed Cake.

A bake-steam approach was determined unsuitable for the traditional snack.

That said, neither the texture nor flavour suffered as a consequence of my fuss-free approach. The cake was subtly sweet with a delightful, bouncy texture, which was impressive for the minimal amount of effort required. The profile wasn't particularly complex though, and could be depicted as a creation lacking in depth. I had an undeniable preference for Papa Fung's Caramel Honeycomb Cake, which boasted aromatic notes of slab (cane) sugar.

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Out & About #1122 | Island Lake Conservation Area

9/20/2025

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Fall has arrived early this year. If not the cooler temperatures, the fallen leaves outside have indicated the season's long-awaited descent (pun partially intended).

Since the last July baby hangout, I had extended an open invitation for a hiking catch-up. The time was now, for Mother Nature was cooperative and a CVC Lucky Day pass had been successfully obtained.

The selected destination was Island Lake Conservation Area - not too far from the popular picks of Mono Cliffs and Forks of the Credit, and constituting more of a trail than Ken Whillans, the initially contemplated conservation area.
I proposed carpooling, for the understanding was that the CVC pass would cover any parking fees and enable admission for all passengers of the same vehicle.

We made a stopover at Tim Hortons after roughly an hour of driving. This location featured elements indicative of newness: red lawn chairs out front, wooden furnishings, Canadiana décor details, a communal table with a curling board design surface, and even a wall mural of Tim Horton - no "s"! - himself. Two accessible stalls were available at the rear of the eatery; stick figures in red-and-black checked flannel indicated availability of changing tables within.

It was barely 11:30 AM, but this would be the last opportunity for sustenance before heading into the woods. I took advantage of the opportunity to try the chain's seasonal Thanksgiving Stack sandwich and revisit my beloved Pineapple Dragon Fruit Lemonade Quencher.

As if in response to my woes over tradition, the $8.99 compilation did, in fact, include cranberry sauce! It also housed a plentiful portion of turkey slivers that were cut like chicken breast, but not dry at all. A mayo-style sauce contrasted against the plush brioche bun to keep things balanced. The underside of my bun was partly burnt, but that's on the location rather than the item itself.

My long-time friend and fellow July baby opted for an Iced Coffee and Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza. At seeing the cardboard box, I was whisked back to memories of Wonderland, wherein similar presentations of fast food were encountered.

Despite boasting an extremely promising visual with gooey cheese, the slab leaned dry. There was also a lack of harmony with regard to the chunky, acidic tomato sauce, which had seemingly been smeared atop as opposed to baked in.

Just as we retreated back to the car, I realized that I had left the CVC pass at home! Of all the things I could have forgotten, the item that waived entry requirements was the worst one. I hastily requested images of the pass, along with the receipt that showed my library card number. I reckoned that, if the pass numbers aligned across the receipt and pass and the library card number aligned with my physical one on hand, it would be worth presenting the evidence for negotiation.

Ultimately, I needed not be so concerned for we had opted to access the trail away from the main entrance anyway. The P6 lot at the northwest limit of the conservation area was unmanned, thus none of the 10-15 vehicles parked in the gravel lot were subject to admission checks.

Source: Credit Valley Conservation, 2025

Commencing from Station 49, we followed the Island Lake Family Trail from the Dufferin County Forest to the Vicki Barron Lakeside Trail, the main trail that traversed along the perimeter of the waterway. The idea was complete a counter-clockwise loop about the lake, then return to our starting point via the Hockley Trail.

It didn't take long before we caught sight of fall views. The boardwalk featured a handful of fallen leaves, a scene consistent with the relatively cooler temperatures and gentle breeze filling the air.

The West Bridges provided an unobstructed perspective of the receding waters. Skies were gloriously azure and UV rays were intense. Yet, mercury levels were very bearable, even embracing a light chill in the air.

View the full album HERE !

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Out & About #1119 | Coffee Madeleines with HK Milk Tea Ganache Montée, Red Bean Jelly + Mindset Matters

9/5/2025

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There are fewer things I despise more than wasting time. Yet, team meetings scheduled for first thing in the morning have precisely that effect. In this case, none of us were ready for the arrival of Tuesday morning, physically or mentally. Incessantly sluggish discussions spanned for two hours, at which point we were permitted to leave at long last.

My lunchtime walks now intend to compensate for the periods of brain cell-depleting stagnation - a stark contrast to the aimless saunters associated with roaming downtown. Cooler weather enabled swifter steps, but sunny, cloud-less skies imposed risks of sunburn. On the first day of the academic year (not for me, of course), I ventured towards the Student Centre at the Hazel McCallion Centre, otherwise known as "HMC".

Palgong had recently announced their expansion into the west end of the GTA with a kiosk within the student centre. Sharing the space was a cafeteria counter, pool table, and arcade-style punching game.

The mid-day reprieve was short-lived, for meetings were scheduled shortly after.

Two months ago, when I had just finished watching K-Pop Demon Hunters, my feed was permeated with references from the animated movie. I had laid eyes on a photocard holder from a UK-based artist named BEEEANS and, after several nights of contemplation, finally committed to a pre-order.

Derpy the Tiger was an adorable character, and even cuter once transformed to soft, furry holder with beautiful embroidered details. Shipping fees had been steep, and production time lengthy - which was reasonable for individually crafted handmade goods. However, I regretted not the decision, as I was extremely happy with the product received.

When my work-from-home days were slightly quieter than usual, I immediately made up my mind to undertake another project in the kitchen.

1) Coffee Madeleines with Hong Kong Milk Tea Ganache Montée

It should come as no surprise that I was eager to recreate a specimen I had sampled and enjoyed profusely. The concoction in question was none other than the Yuan Yang Madeleine from Once Patisserie.

A) Ganache Montée

Ingredients:

190 g heavy cream
20 g Hong Kong milk tea leaves (loose leaf/granules)
168 g white chocolate couverture
300 g heavy cream, cold

Directions

Steep tea leaves in heavy cream in a medium saucepot to infuse. Once the mixture has thickened and cream has assumed a light orange hue, remove from heat.
Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Strain the tea leaves/granules from the infused heavy cream using a fine mesh strainer directly into the bowl.
Mix gently, until all chocolate is dissolved. If the chocolate does not fully dissolve in the residual heat, warm in bursts of 30 secs in the microwave, stirring between each round.
Add in cold heavy cream and mix well.
Cover and transfer to refrigerate overnight.

The formula was loosely adapted from Sunday Baking's Best Pistachio Cake. There should be tremendous emphasis on "loosely", for I merely commenced with the residual amount of heavy cream in my carton for infusing and proceeded to scale the other amounts accordingly.

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Forward>>

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

Out & About #1139 | Christmas Visuals

Out & About #1138 | A Chaotic Pre-Christmas Feat. Nama Choco Pickup, Baking + Pilates

Out & About #1133 | Black Sesame Basque Cheesecake + Lime Condensed Milk Pound Cake with Toasted Coconut Glaze

Out & About #1129 | Cold Creek Conservation Area + 19th Ave Farmer's Market

Out & About #1129 | Scarborough Eats Feat. J-Town, Once Patisserie + Linh Ahn

Out & About #1128 | North York Hangout Feat. Mister Wheel, DYAM + Nakwon Kisa Restaurant

Out & About #1123 | White Sugar Steamed Cake + Apple Crunch Cake

Out & About #1122 | Island Lake Conservation Area

Out & About #1119 | Coffee Madeleines with HK Milk Tea Ganache Montée, Red Bean Jelly + Mindset Matters

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