Category: - Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger

Out & About #874 | Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes + Playdium Brampton

1/29/2023

In-office days are generally more entertaining than a work-from-home routine. However, the pandemic has taught me to appreciate stability in the mundane, as well as the bonus hours of sleep.

Instead of braving the pending snow storm, as my carpooling partner had opted to do, I rearranged my schedule to navigate into the city in the earlier half of the work week. Taken along for the ride was my standard breakfast fix of banana bread and iced coffee (cold brew this time); a generous wedge of Matcha Nian Gao joined the 9 AM party.

A bustling office encouraged me to venture outside for the midday break.

Northwest of the intersection was Yonge-Eglinton Centre, where I steadily ascended to the second floor in search of Mr. Buttons (and Mr. Tophat). Both fuzzy snowmen had disappeared from the shelves, leaving only elves and Santas in their place.

As I maneuvered back to the ever-chaotic intersection, a rowdy homeless man was observed shouting - at nothing in particular - while glaring at the mass of pedestrians waiting to cross. He hovered about the southeast corner of Yonge/Eglinton, stepping into live, southbound traffic several times throughout the spectacle. He continued shouting as we collectively passed him by. I was hesitant to turn my back on him, yet ever more petrified to lock eyes. Resorting to sticking close to the girl before me, I rushed past the grimy presence with urgency in each step.

The re-configured pedestrian access had shifted foot traffic closer to the centreline of the roadway, creating a wind tunnel where commuters would be pelted with precipitation.

Due to wind conditions, navigating any further than Belsize Drive would entail an unpleasant trek back. I looped back after confirming the status of Gong Cha's storefront ("Coming soon" it still reads.), avoiding the southeast corner altogether by routing up and down the stairs of the 2200 Yonge building that houses Merrithew's corporate training centre.

East of the intersection is The Social Blend, which remains utterly unaffected by the pedestrian walkway shift. From the monthly selection of rotating flavours, I pointed towards Black Sesame, Fenglisu, and Hotteok to take home. An Earl Grey Puff and Dulce Latte are also added to my order.

Unlike the last visit, the girl behind the cashier was neither as attentive nor amicable. Despite absence of a queue, she proceeded with my order in a hurried manner, sliding the Earl Grey Puff towards me between the POS tablet and brewing apparatus, then the remaining three macarons on the other side of the counter. Before I could request a bag for my purchases, she dashed away with looking back even once. Her gaze remained as far from me as possible, prompting me to withdraw my own plastic bag for carrying.

Out & About #873 | Chinese New Year Visuals

1/22/2023

During my childhood years, Chinese New Year was primarily an at-home event - either undertaken as a weekend celebration or incorporated as an after-school activity. Amongst my peers, there was minimal awareness surrounding the event; at the time, I had found a given, seeing that none shared the same ethnic background.

However, with each passing year, knowledge about the holiday seems to surge at a global level. These days, it's not uncommon to find physical sources of information at Indigo or even greeting cards at the local Rexall. As the festivities become more well-known though, it has also given rise to terminology debates.
Like most Chinese Canadians and Americans, I've referred to the day as "Chinese New Year". In recent years, we've reworded references to "Lunar New Year" to include other cultures that also celebrate. "Lunar" is an inclusive reference, but it should be noted that customs are vary vastly across regions within the same country, let alone different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Both terms are valid, yet not indicative of any particular practices.

Showcased on this space are my household's traditions, which are Cantonese Chinese in nature. However, there are many methods of welcoming the arrival of a new year - and to each their own. To the comprehensive cluster of celebrators, Happy Lunar New Year! And to those celebrating the Chinese way, be it with fish, dumplings, or fenglisu, Happy Chinese New Year!

New Year fare spans a wide variety of items, from elaborate entrées to sweet and savoury snacks. "Smiling" Sesame Balls, known familiarly as 笑口棗, is a popular pick in our household. A tray from Summit Garden had been purchased last year for mid-day munching, but the foil container's contents was very much satiating and reeking of grease.

An air fryer edition was attempted, but not by yours truly. At this point, I will declare my passive role in the construction of all featured New Year sustenance.

The Air Fryer 笑口棗 were crunchy on first day, and coated liberally with sesame seeds for maximum texture. They did not split - "smile" - and adopted a denser profile overall, growing progressively rigid over the following days. This variation was modestly sweet and savoury, and thankfully nowhere near as greasy as the storebought renditions.

Classic Nian Gao (or Leen Go/年糕) is an indispensable element of the New Year. Our household favourite features nutty, caramel-like tones of cane sugar in perfect harmony, aromatic coconut milk, and sublime chewiness. The formula was perfected after several years of trial and error, witnessing drastic development since the initial attempt in 2017.
Now, it is my absolute favourite part of welcoming another year, to such an extent that it regularly reenters the post-CNY scene as my choice of birthday cake.

While most families take to pan-frying centimetre-thick slices (with or without egg) for a grilled mochi-like finish, I gleefully delve into freshly steamed variations without reservation. The supple, subtly sweet qualities of steamed nian gao are incomparable to the stiff, tacky supermarket portions, which are only capable of being revived by additional oil.

The classic New Year Cake contains a small amount of oil in its batter, with a bit more for the pan. Excessive greasing can result in a slick, irregular surface though, thus caution is advised.

After a two-year, COVID-induced hiatus, the New Year Eve Market returned to Fo Guang Shan Temple, albeit subjected to a distinct reduction in scale. Instead of occupying the entirety of the basement level, the vendor count was halved - no, pared down to one third - of past years.

Out & About #872 | Matcha-Oolong Mochi Brownie + Pre-CNY Visuals

1/20/2023

As those with distinct preferences shall inform: Cravings are unique and exceedingly specific.
On days where I yearn for chocolate, the desired format may be liquid (hot chocolate), toothsome (truffles), crunchy (clusters or chocolate bars with nuts), fudgy (brownies), or beyond these profiles entirely.

For at least one week, I had contemplated the possibility of swirling three flavours into Sunday Baking's Mochi Brownie. Success had been seen with both the original in a loaf pan and swirled with matcha in a standard square baking pan. I continue to experiment with my stash of Paragon tea powders, as eager to unlock new flavour profiles as to deplete them before expiry.

Commencing with the mochi layer, I exercised caution to prevent scorching of the mochi mixture. Ever since replacing our microwave, I've noticed the need to reduce reheating times by at least 20%. This mochi was no expectation, for ten seconds on full wattage had rendered it lumpy and rigid. Water was gradually mixed into the dough in an attempt to reinstate its chewy qualities.
The result was acceptable, albeit thinner and retaining less structural integrity than desired.

For any future mochi-crafting endeavours, it is recommended to grease the bowl beforehand. The spoon spatula pictured in Sunday's video was a great alternative to the flat scraper spatula, providing more control and kneading power.

Next came formation of the batters. The original recipe called for two eggs. Despite having contemplated doubling the recipe and making two loaves (chocolate-matcha swirled and chocolate-oolong swirled), I ultimately opted to utilize three eggs instead of four. Adhering the roughly the same formula as my reduced sugar Oat Fudge Bar layer, I painstakingly prepared three batters.

This was a truly tedious process. While the original chocolate layer was a breeze to prepare, Matcha and Oolong required first melting white chocolate callets and butter together, then portioning them out as evenly as possible before whisking in the respective tea powders.
A total of four bowls piled in the sink, including the one for mochi. Then came the spoon spatula and three whisks. Instead of the "one-bowl, hand-mixed" format that SK often advertises, I had - accidentally, mind you - embarked on the path of more dishes.

Even with each layer comprising of only 46 g of granulated sugar, the result was still too sugary for my liking. I allude this finding to the existing sugar content in the white chocolate couverture, for I had not experienced this issue with semisweet Surfin.

In spite of this, the crackly surface and fragrant, chewy cross-sections were phenomenal. Fearing that the brownie would result cakey as opposed to fudgy, I removed the pan at the 48-minute mark. The underside of the centre was a bit damp at this point, though I had tested other sections of the slab sufficiently with a toothpick and deemed it done.
Its crackly surface, contrasting textures, and splendid aromas were absolutely captivating. That said, peak gustatory performance lasted just one day. Witnessed on the subsequent day was an overall dampness, followed by rigid, unyielding mochi. Heating individual pieces led to disintegration of the brownie, making it an unviable option to reinstating chewiness. I quickly resolved to undertaking future trials in the warmer months, hoping for the assistance of increased humidity levels.

The middle of the week saw Jinyoung's long awaited solo EP release. In the office, I could hardly reveal my excited demeanour, especially with a new member of staff seated directly before me the entire duration of the day.

"Cotton Candy", as well as the other four tracks on the album were played on loop that day - both in the office and the commute home.

When lunchtime arrived, I decided to venture a bit further than normal.

Out & About #871 | Sapin Sapin, Matcha Chiffon + Victoria Sponge Cake

1/15/2023

Mercury levels have begun to stoop this week, easing into a drizzly conditions hovering about the freezing mark. This climate conjures reluctance to head outside, and instead pairs well with indoor activities and cozy beverages. Nestled next to me, as I grudgingly undertake manual labour that ought be - and could easily be -automated, is Mr. Buttons.

The marshmallow-topped mocha in the last month has been swapped for a feel-good detox of yuzu, ginger, and lemon. Meal choices have similarly gravitated towards warm broths with subtler profiles. A bag of macaroni dating back to peak COVID grocery restocks was unveiled; the pasta was paired with kale and blanched pork shoulder strips in pleasantly tart tomato soup accented with sweet onions.

Resulting from an unfulfilled trip to Thornhill were persistent cravings and curiosity towards Filipino bakery and kakanin offerings. It was only a matter of time before this thirst for knowledge prompted my own rendition of Sapin Sapin. Without any familiarity with the authentic version, I relied heavily on YouTube sources to guide me through the process.

In the absence of ube extract, I utilized pandan. In order to minimize the number of dishes, I turned towards my toaster oven instead of setting up the steamer. In the face of a constant stream of emails, I skipped the step of sieving the mixture before steaming. Lastly, in an attempt to re-purpose the remaining quantity of coconut milk from my Pandan Honeycomb Cake experiment, I converted the measurements from US to metric and scaled the ingredient amounts accordingly, admittedly hastily while rushing through the tutorial at 2x playback speed.

The batters were compiled after a rushed lunch, then allowed to rest for roughly forty minutes while I burst out to complete errands. Each layer was steamed in a greased 6-in pan in the toaster oven for 10 minutes, using the steam-bake function, and then cooled to room temperature before removing. With the exception of the centremost section of the bottom layer, the creation unmoulded with extreme ease.

Out & About #870 | A New Year Feat. Oat Fudge Bar (Ver. 4) + Pistachio Strawberry Cake

1/8/2023

The seemingly reflective nature of New Years has slipped by me in the midst of tumultuous return to work measures.

After recovering from late NYE happenings (complete with a failed McD's run), I awoke to a groggy state, then gradually eased myself into productivity, first chores then the compilation of SK's Lemon Potatoes.

Maximizing an unused packet of Little Gems from Christmas dinner, I swiftly removed questionable bits of the baby potatoes and halved them for increased surface area. The recipe was executed in a square baking pan doubly lined with foil, as opposed to the rectangular pan I tend to gravitate towards for roasting. The decision had been made on the basis of potato count, though I'll be reverting to the larger pan in future attempts to ensure uniform heat exposure and distribution of the lemon-infused chicken broth mixture.

A Lemon Taiyaki obtained from a recent P.A.T. run was sampled throughout this construction process. The pastry wasn't discovered to be expired until at least twenty four hours following acquisition. I toasted it nonetheless, and was rewarded with nothing more than a dense, cakey batter and dimensionless, starch-thickened sugary filling. This Kevin's Taiyaki was utterly unsatisfactory, unlike the crispy-custardy goodness of the Koreatown.

At being made aware of my sudden Thai Tea cravings, the sleepy polar bear responded promptly by offering delivery of Yang's. Alas, the tea shop was discovered closed upon arrival. Mango Sticky Rice was a runner-up, but logistically unviable; Basil Box was the closest alternative, but somehow had run out of Thai Tea. Thairoomgrand's obscenely sweet was procured, yet served only to appease Thai tea needs by 70%.

Out & About #869 | New Year's Eve Feat. Hotpot

12/31/2022

One of my biggest goals was to finish the remainder of my Vancouver content, though I quickly realized the limitations of both my Premiere knowledge and index finger strength (for nonstop clicking). At the same time, it was impossible to resist some form of interaction with the outside world before the end of the year.

I proposed hotpot, a cuisine format I rarely dabble in, for supper, then partaking in countdown festivities at Celebration Square. The sleepy polar bear welcomed the idea, though noted that family matters may impact its execution.

Surely enough, their household's sluggish departure from London delayed our plans. Reminding the sleepy polar bear that we would need to undertake four stops in addition to washing, preparing, and cleanup procedures, the amount of allocated time was insufficient to proceed with the original agenda. Doing what I do best - if I must say so myself - I called for an urgent meeting, contemplating possible solutions within the constraints and outsourcing assistance as needed.

We opted to maximize our team efforts: while the sleepy polar bear undertook the grand mission of procuring salmon, I would complete my own round of errands before venturing southeast to P.A.T. for beef and pork shabu shabu. Another member of the party would assume pickup duties for Haemul Pajeon and Kimchi Jeon from Myungdong Kalguksu; the arrival of the pancakes were scheduled to coincide with the hotpot start time, such that sogginess would be kept at minimum.

The setup process was a joint effort by the sleepy polar bear and yours truly, who had brought and donned her own for the task. Other attendees did not extend a helping hand by default and, even when asked, there was an unashamedly brazen one that simply declared, "I just came to eat!" before turning back to voice seemingly dreadful concerns of "having too much vacation" left over. That's one member that won't be invited again. House gatherings are team efforts, not maid-making opportunities.

While we commenced on washing the greens, mixing the broth, and roughly chopping half of a lavishly priced salmon fillet, the others were asked to assist with transferring ingredients to paper plates. Only one arose from the couch, first absentmindedly cutting the paper plate instead of cutting the packaging of the fish balls.

Eventually, at 7:09 PM, the food came together. We were, more or less, on schedule.

I had brought along an exclusive makgeolli purchase for sharing. Kim's Soon Makgeolli (864) had actually been the reason for jeon acquisition. Albeit lighter and less chalky than the Jinro edition, I nonetheless suffered the same slow, crippling headache as my Albion hike on the following day. Korean liquor has not been proving to sit well with my body lately.

The party ceased consumption around the 8:15 PM mark, as per my expectations. Between 8:30 - 9:00 PM, the sleepy polar bear and I engaged in cleanup measures. Some brought bowls and plates to the sink; some twiddled their thumbs and yakked away.

We then set out for Celebration Square. In review of road closures, the old Empire Studios parking lot was selected. For the first time in seven years, I'd be embracing the new year locally.

Out & About #868 | Black Forest Cake + Commencing Homemade Vanilla Extract

12/30/2022

Mini marshmallow-topped mochas were the default mid-day pick-me-up for the weeks leading into Christmas, and for good reasons. Extremely easy to formulate with exceptional return on investment, there was absolutely nothing to dislike.

While discussing this composition with a coworker, camouflaged behind a screen but radiating the personality of a fellow food enthusiast, I began to contemplate a spiked edition.
Taking to the same base recipe of 1 NOMNOM stick and 2 teaspoons of Tim Hortons' hot chocolate, I opted to swap out 1 tsp of the latter for a whopping 1.65 oz. of Kahlua, keeping the mixture well below 173 F to ensure no loss of alcohol. The solution was far from my expectations, burning my throat without remorse and emerging utterly unharmonious with the other constituents. Moreover, it yielded a staggering sweetness level preventing addition of mini marshmallows. The original, non-spiked edition was superior: Stay sober.

Reduced daylight hours are arguably challenging to navigate. For late wakers like myself, skies are cloudy at the start of day, glaringly bright around noon, then recede to grim nothingness in the subsequent hours.

Recently, I've had the luxury of witnessing a rare multi-toned gradient. The conclusion of most workdays are spent with the curtains shut, for the blinding reasons mentioned earlier. With the decrease in emails as of late, I gazed up from my desk more often, admiring the cascading waves of indigo, rose, and coral in the cozy accompaniment of Mr. Buttons.

With both my Mill Street small batch set and NOTL purchases gleefully depleted, I set out to explore other seasonal exclusives. I regret to inform of Crabbie's Original Ginger Beer's excessively sugary yet ginger-deficient profile.

Amongst the many activities made possible during work-from-home days, I maximized the slow holiday period with a much-needed inventory restock trip to Costco. The day was commenced with an Iced Americano and toast with sweetened Pistachio spread.

In a likely attempt to cater towards the seasonal baking crowd, the shelves were lined with an abundance of nut butters, cocoa powder, and even whole vanilla beans. The club size Kirkland-branded vanilla extract was confirmed to ring in at $7.99 for a two-pack of 455 ml each. There is significance in noting this, as detailed further below.

I retrieve a hefty round of Pork, Beef, and Veal Pie. The colossal specimen is priced at $17.99 - extremely reasonable given its portion size. The pie was flaky as well, but its fillings mushy and tasteless. It is advised to have a sauceboat of gravy on hand, or a tube of HP sauce nearby, to combat the lack of flavour.

Upon returning home, I prepare to undertake my last big baking mission of the year: Black Forest Cake.

My go-to recipe source of Sunday Baking did not feature a Black Forest Cake on her channel. The original idea had been to utilize the dark chocolate cake sponge in her Cherry Mousse Chocolate Cake formula as the base. On the morning of, however, it was swapped for Cho Hanbit's Chocolate Genoise.

Out & About #866 | Christmas 2022 Visuals

12/25/2022

Airy sugar cookies adorned with sprinkles are an annual staple come Christmas time.

But not just any cutout cookie recipe is deemed acceptable - the formula from Elegant Desserts by HP Books is our go-to. Strictly utilizing egg yolks and combining a pinch of cream of tartar consistently yields crunchy, buttery results. The cookies are the furthest from dense, and taste best after adopting golden edges.

This year's batch actually almost didn't materialize. With hectic in-office days planned and a constant inward stream of emails, I nearly couldn't muster the time for their construction. However, climate conditions worked in my favour: a nasty snowstorm cancelled commuting plans, enabling the opportunity for creative juices to flow within the kitchen.

The first tray tends to burn, naturally so given the inconsistent oven temperature. Turning my head away from the oven momentarily to check emails, I returned to find deeply brown specimens staring back at me.
But, believe it or not, the cookies are, in fact, more delicious this way. They remained crisp instead of reeking of irrevocable charring, further radiating richer notes of butter.

Within 48 hours, most of the colourful cutouts had vanished. I only partially assume responsibility for this development.

Out & About #865 | Kosam + Bloom Cafe Christmas Lattes

12/22/2022

I commenced my week by constructing yet another batch of Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. In response to some negative commentary regarding peppermint-iness, the festive flavour was omitted this time around. Still adhering to my seemingly endless inventory of Callebaut, the batter was constructed and left to reside in the fridge as I pursued social activities.

The cookies were baked the next day. Though nicely puffed when removed from the oven, each icing sugar-topped round began to deflate within minutes. Identical circumstances had been witnessed with the Peppermint Crinkles from the Holiday Cookie Box, though I couldn't quite figure out why.
Hummingbird High's Ube Crinkles had used baking powder, but SK had taken to baking soda, likely due to recipe's quantity of brown sugar. I recalled baking soda as an ingredient conjuring an instantaneous reaction, meaning that batters and doughs should be baked immediately after construction. The chemical leavener would also require some form of acid to initiate the reaction. In this case, it would be the molasses contained within the brown (or golden) sugar. While this wouldn't have proven problematic if the cookies were shaped and baked right away, it limits storage flexibility and prohibits staggered baking.

The holiday season is a time of intense indulgence. Beyond increased intake of chocolate truffles and rich, boozy beverages, dining out tends to take place more frequently. For the most part, I'm not very inclined to venture out into the cold, wait to be seated, wait for food, then return home two (or more) hours later. The sleepy polar bear, on the other hand, rarely adheres to a designated schedule and would much rather invest in permissiveness than active attainments.

Travels to J-Town led to the presentation of day-old products from Bakery Nakamura: A Yakisoba Bun, Keroppi-style Matcha Melonpan, and Strawberry Shortcake. The bun was revealed fluffier than expected, though satiating in its carbs-on-carbs construction. Kewpie mayo and a squeeze of wasabi alleviated such heaviness.

The Strawberry Shortcake, from which I had requested a mere half slice, was airy and, admittedly, delicious. That said, I'm not one to enjoy copious amounts of fruit cakes with whipped cream. The 3/4 inch slice was perfectly adequate.

I ventured towards midtown in the earlier half of the week, for schedules simply aligned better. The office was more or less vacant, yet I enjoyed my time nonetheless.

A southbound sojourn led me to Kay Gardner Beltline Trail.

A southbound sojourn led me to Kay Gardner Beltline Trail. The bridge, decorated with local art installations, overlooked Yonge at Merton Street as well as the TTC Davisville Yard and headquarters building.

Out & About #864 | Le Génie, Gingerbread House Construction + Karaoke

12/18/2022

Just when I thought the sleepy polar bear's revulsion towards raisins were childish and abnormally choosy, the office crowd proved the popularity of this opinion, deserting a raisin-filled banana bread loaf in favour of the chocolate chip-containing rendition.

Typically, my in-office days of late have been spent exploring the cardinal directions of the intersection. When the need to undertake a mid-day venture downtown emerged though, I jumped at the opportunity to extend the lunch break and explore the unknown.

Boarding Line 1 southbound during the lunch rush made for an interesting trip. The train was noticeably less congested than the afternoon peak, yet busier than in the morning. As we pulled into Wellesley station, I caught sight of a filthy blanket entering my peripheral. Huddled underneath the grimy mess was a red paper cup and a mop of mental instability. I was fortunate enough to be far away enough to escape any potential interaction, though a girl who had found herself next to an empty seat was not so lucky.

I exited at College station, first out of intent and second out of contingency; I was not looking forward to any further happenings in that passenger car.

The trip had been centred about Le Génie, a bakery that I learned of for nearly one year, yet never visited due to its inconvenient coordinates.

Gargantuan pastries and elaborately decorated cakes filled the display case. These specimens were larger than the typical puff pastry, yet also exponentially pricier.

Beyond their impressive assortment of baked goods, Le Génie also served espresso-based beverages and wine, complete with a wine fridge against one wall of the asymmetric establishment.

My first pick was the Vanilla Flan. Reminiscent of an egg tart, the $7.38 delicacy contained a semi-viscous custard speckled with vanilla within wispy thin layers of puff pastry. I had been expecting a looser consistency to fill its cavity, along with more widespread fragrance to be perceived.

The buttery, flakey shards were lovely, but the filling left a little to be desired.

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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