​Leftovers are inevitable in the days following intense periods of creation.

​The last of my strawberry jam was repurposed in the form of a latte.

Meanwhile, pancakes - both frozen and fresh - were reheated then served with melty pads of margarine and golden syrup. Baking at 375 F for 6 minutes was the preferred approach over microwaving.

The heat wave prompted frequent intake of icy treats, amongst them ice cream, Melona bars, and the supposedly rare sighting of a pupil-less SpongeBob SquarePants popsicle.

On the first day back, a snack table was arranged for sharing extras from Canada Day celebrations. My assortment spanned cider from Downey's, homemade focaccia (complete with an olive oil-balsamic vinegar emulsion for dipping!), and not-so-pretty, syrup-less pancakes. The spread was later joined by assorted baklava and cherries from a neighbourhood's backyard.

​Over lunch, I set out to claim birthday freebies at the mall. Sephora permitted pickup any time during the month, but other businesses restricted redemption to the day of. Chick-fil-A was learned to offer a complimentary cookie with presentation of ID, as the mobile app was not available in Canada.

A 20% off coupon led me towards Indigo; despite debating procurement of Claire Saffitz's cookbook, I ultimately departed empty-handed.

The same situation would arise at Uniqlo, where a $10 off $75 offer drew me into the store. Torn between the sights of new arrivals and purchasing sale items online, my footsteps ultimately led me back into the mall corridors out of in-the-moment indecisiveness.

​Alas, the staggeringly expensive Matcha Creamy Chill was merely sweetener and brain freeze without any shred of grassiness. A Small set me back $6.20 after tax; at that price, I may as well have lugged myself to an independent café.

​After conducting a series of mall errands, a second attempt was made to obtain CoCo.

My heat tolerance has plummeted sharply in the recent few years. Where I'd normally brave the humidity, these days I tend to burn or suffer recurring rashes and general discomfort.

​Because the desire to incorporate movement into my daily routine does not wither though, dreadfully sticky days are compensated by remaining indoors, blasting the A/C, and enclosing a firm grip on whatever handheld ventilation device my hands are capable of reaching. With time, these inclinations have led to general dehydration of the skin, face, and body. Most obvious symptoms are dryness in my hands, a parched throat, and awaking to nosebleeds from a fan blowing in my direction all night.

​Truthfully, there is no winning against 40-degree days plus humidity.

Monday's teasing of the McDonald's Menu Heist was successful in summoning me from the inside of my cool, comfortable house into the treacherous steamy outdoors. After completion of errands, I joined the Drive-Thru lineup for about thirteen minutes to pick up my order.

At first, I had been presented with the wrong order. Neither I nor the attendant realized this error, until I was handed a tall soft drink - an item that hadn't assumed a part of my order. The standard paper bag and Sundae packaging were otherwise too similar to be differentiated.

​The five-piece set of McPizza Bites rang in at an atrocious $4.49 plus tax. Criminally small with a pasty exterior and synthetic, commercial pizza filling, I grimaced at the specimen. Simply purchasing a box of frozen pizza pockets would have been the better decision.

​On the other hand, the $8.19 Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich thoroughly exceeded expectations! For starters, the chicken patty was substantial and thicker than the bun. Garlicy mayo and sweet Teriyaki sauce was an innovative sauce pairing, albeit not for those averse to the sweet x savoury combo. The natural omission of onions was regarded with fondness; one could also add crunchy, shredded lettuce at no charge if desired - and so I did. The bun was plush and, thankfully, devoid of the nasty oil spread in which Chick-fil-A prides themselves.

All factors considered, the concoction was tasty yet did not justify the steep price tag.

Continuing with the success of the Matcha Ganache Truffle, the subsequent undertaking was an Earl Grey Ganache Chocolate Bar. The idea had stemmed from:

• An availability of Twinings' Earl Grey Tea from the pantry
• The depletion of T&T frozen BBQ Pork Buns from the freezer, and consequential availability of the plastic container
• A desire to further my chocolate tempering journey

Earl Grey Ganache
​
​The ganache base was practically identical to the formula posted in Sunday Baking's Strawberry and Lime Bonbons. Ingredient amounts were doubled to account for the larger mould sizes, while lime juice was omitted and lime zest replaced with four Earl Grey tea bags for infusion into the heavy cream.

​Ingredients:

• 220 g white chocolate couverture
• 120 g heavy cream
• 10 g Earl grey loose leaf tea
• 20 g unsalted butter, cubed

​
Yield: 319 g ganache, or ~160 g per chocolate bar

Surfin would assume the casing of the chocolate bar. The first trial did not set to yield a matte finish, causing me to scrape the portion back into the bowl and temper once more. For my Lindt couverture, it was easier to use the seeding method as opposed to merely bringing the temperature up to 31 C and halting addition of heat. As with previous trials, the difference in consistency was an indicator of nearing the proper temperature.

I adhered to the same steps as the Matcha Ganache Truffle, waiting patiently for two days to pass. No effort whatsoever was required to remove the chocolate from the moulds. That said, I do not believe I had succeed in tempering perfectly, for the surface exhibited subtle streaks of non-uniformity, was not shiny, and retained a trail of fingerprints when touched. It snapped readily and remained intact at room temperature, leading me to believe that I had accurately executed most of the steps and was maybe off by half a degree or so.

​Excess chocolate was transferred to a small bowl for later use, and tempered again to form a chocolate shell for ice cream. Who needs the drippy, melty mess of La Diperie, am I right??

It wouldn't even be a lie to say that the mere thought of returning to the office on Monday caused anxiety. Besides being subject to work-related nightmares, in which I was evidently uncomfortable, uneasy slumber and heart palpitations were leading up to the start of the work week weren't uncommon either.

The transition from a supportive, nurturing team to a frustration- and anxiety-inducing team and department was a drastic one that caused a sharp decline in physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. In spite of the substantially shorter commute and a handful of kind souls in the vicinity, I now dreaded going to work. The duties themselves appeared to lack real-life purpose, while those that worked in the group appeared disconnected with reality, utterly unaware of one's surroundings and unmotivated to make correlations to real-world impacts and implications.

My weekends provided brief durations of respite, however they were predominantly spent at home catching up on chores and the like. Discovering a tasty variation of coconut water and indulging in PB&B Toast with Vegemite Caramel in the absence of my browsing partner made constituted the attainable small wins amidst a sea of despair.

​Against the wishes of my family doctor, alcoholic beverages emerged on the regular, if not daily, for there are few things able to  ̶n̶u̶m̶b̶ appease the mind to the same efficacy. I devoured the last of my Läderach haul in parallel, then set out to forage for more snacks. Consistent with the preferences of the Korean palate, the second-last pack of HBAF almonds was an obnoxiously sweet Garlic Bread Almond with mini croutons coated in granulated sugar.

​Evenings before regrettably mandatory office days were spent rushing laundry and readying my roster of morning and mid-day rations.

Matcha Ganache Truffles

Similar to my agonizing, soul-less days in consulting, I took to the world of YouTube to purge daily sufferings with joyous sights of GOT7, baking, and music/dance performances. Sunday Baking's latest live stream and recipe release served as gentle encouragement to continue furthering my passion for baking.
The Strawberry and Lime Bonbon had been teased in her live stream segment, making me more keen than ever to review the crafting procedure. It is worth noting that, while I'm not the fondest of tempering, the concept has always impressed me.

​After painstakingly long periods of trial and repetitive failures, I had practically thrown in the towel. For the longest time, I was hesitant towards trying tempering again. But Sunday's tempering tutorial gave me the confidence to try again.

​I saw initial success, but results weren't consistent. But with each subsequent attempt, I began to collect observations. Gradually, I began to recognize the change in fluidity when the chocolate reached the correct temperature. Predicting the amount of seeding chocolate and heat exposure required became easier, and the tempering process was made swifter.

And so, inspired by the Bonbon video, I decided to attempt my own. Having neither strawberry nor lime on hand though, I worked to replicate the O-Sulloc Jeju Green Tea Chocolate Bar combination instead: an outer casing of semisweet chocolate with a matcha interior.

​The weekends now feel shorter than ever. Recuperating from the work week past consumes majority of the morning, as ongoing stressors and unresolved issues make for persistently restless sleep.

When Monday rolled around, I felt stifled to not have managed anything beyond recovery and fundamental chores. In the quiet periods where I had yet to receive unscheduled agonizing call, I worked quickly to realize the outlandish idea in mind. The availability of heavy cream that was imminently to expire, Vegemite that was otherwise unpalatable on its own, and the vast resource bank that is YouTube and Sunday Baking's repertoire led me to Vegemite Caramel.

Vegemite Caramel

The concept was that "If salted caramel works, why not Vegemite?" The latter is salty, in an undeniably funky way, but should theoretically develop into a similar output.

Adapted from Sunday Baking's Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart, I scaled the ingredient amounts to deplete the remainder of my heavy cream carton, then introduced a quarter teaspoon smear of the beloved Aussie spread.

• 140 g heavy cream
• 140 brown sugar
• 49 g unsalted butter
• 20 g corn syrup
• 5 g Vegemite (did not incorporate)

Yield: 1.5 cups

​All steps were adhered to as depicted in the recipe. Vegemite was added at the very end of the process, prior to straining. Unfortunately, it did not incorporate fully, as its proportion of stabilizers had caused seizing when added over heat. Straining the mixture removed a few bits, though the remainder was already sufficient in tinging the salty-sweet spread with its signature funkiness.

​Overall, the spread was pretty tasty over toasted whole wheat bread. The warmth of the toast would awaken the aromas of Vegemite, such that the olfactory senses would awaken before tasting. The caramel could also be used in dessert applications: drizzling a small amount over vanilla ice cream made for luscious, fudge-like streaks bursting with umami. At cooler temperatures, textural contrast was improved and funky fragrances were moderated.

Vegemite is very much an acquired taste. Although my interpretation retained some of its signature qualities, the spread served to introduce the spread in a subtle, familiar manner, with a faint twist.

​I also succeeded in tempering chocolate!

The turnout of the weekend baking session had sparked a sense of indignance - I was positively certain that I had completed all the steps accurately. My journey to redemption would involve Surfin instead of Blancor, meaning that the desired temperature would be 31-32 C as opposed to the 30 C required for white chocolate.

​I've definitely improved in terms of speed, for the very first attempt spanned up to one hour. Subsequent attempts were within the 20-30 minute range, while this latest attempt averaged fifteen minutes. After comprehensive mixing, seeding, mixing, and checking for a stabilized temperature, the contents of the bowl were poured into a mould. Excess was merely spread across a sheet of parchment.

It was through this process that I confirmed the need for patience. The allotment that had been allowed to rest untouched emerged perfectly shiny to touch and exuded a wondrous snap. In contrast, the slab that I had poked and probed out of impatience persisted with a matte finish that tracked fingerprints and refused to snap cleanly, exhibiting fuzzy edges and poor texture.
In summary, temperature control and patience remain critical to success in baking.

April showers are known to bring May flowers. Recent observations have proved us wrong though.

​After Victoria Day long weekend, the GTA was graced with atypically high levels of precipitation. Back-to-back days of dreary skies and downpours reminded of my Raincouver climate - save that gusts were stronger and mountainous views were nonexistent.

​Braving the miserable walking conditions, I sauntered over to Food Basics over lunch, eager to relieve myself from the ongoing work tasks for a brief moment.

​Indeed, some items were observed more economic than my go-to destinations of Loblaws and BTrust. On the other hand, some imported items were priced tragically steep, including Ribena for $18.99!

My umbrella flipped over several times over the course of my outdoor journey. By the time I reached Timmies, my thin, woven gloves were damp and digits frigid. A request for a hot Brown Sugar Latte was received well by the staff. Although the concoction was offered exclusively in an iced format on the mobile app, a customized creation was made possible by ordering at the kiosk. A toasty "BSL" enabled me to continue with my day in a cheerful manner.

​The next morning saw similar climate conditions, albeit with increased amount of fog. Fabric gloves were swapped for a water repellant pair instead. Persisting in tow were an umbrella, waterproof footwear, a hood-less, furry bomber that boasts more warmth and style than water-resistant qualities.

If there's anything I can confirm, it's that I've reverted back to my consulting disposition: irritable, unhappy, fatigued, and sensitive to any acts that deplete time from my day. Twenty-four hours was never enough to start, but even small pockets of time have become increasingly valuable as the work stress overcomes me more each day.

The first in-office saw a giant platter of Pandan Honeycomb Cake quietly emerge. I tacked a label onto the plastic wrap, plus a bold "EAT ME!" to dissipate any hesitation.

Stemming from a desire to walk, I strolled my way up to the mechanical penthouse level, then back down to the floor wherein my desk had been reserved.

​Over lunch, I'd gradually make my way in the direction of Square One, but meandering on the west side of Duke of York for improved access to shade and streetscaping.

Tulips and dainty buds graced the exterior of the Living Arts Centre. Meanwhile, yellow maple leaves and a tiered, indigo-tinted outdoor lounge area assumed colourful highlights outside Sheridan College.

​For the first time in a long time, weather was perfect.

Modern technology has enabled products to arrive on our doorstep within a matter of days - or even minutes for items requested through UberEats. A seemingly perfect solution to keep consumerism alive, headaches arise when large purchases arrive when one is not at home to receive them, or when the item ordered is far weightier than fathomed.

With supposed corporate reimbursement, I finally splurged on a standing desk.
The only issue? I couldn't move it into my house.

Not only was the weighty box unable to be rolled or dragged, I could barely even lift it off the wall! Finally, after pulling my back and further injuring my wrist and shoulder, I succeeded in transferring it to a wheeled cart for temporary storage in the garage. For the time being, it would be safe from forecasted showers.
Later that evening, I received the gracious assistance of my neighbours, who not only swiftly lifted the table into the foyer, but even offered to assemble the desk for me! I would have gladly accepted, had I made space for the sizable piece of furniture. But alas, I'll admit I hadn't planned that far. Both my new monitors and new desk would reside in their respective boxes until such time I could purge an area for staging.

In the meantime, I'd undergo office preparations, readying my Honey Cakes with allergen information and container warnings.

​Unfortunately, not a soul would draw near the Honey Cakes. Had I not walked around with the tray in hand, offering them to various members of the floor, they'd not move an inch! This was a scene utterly unheard of at my previous workplace. Snacks, no matter the kind, were seen as exclusive - in other words, for consumption by distinct teams and not intended for sharing. This territorial nature was equal parts confusing and unattractive.

​As if distributing the cakes personally wasn't enough of a hassle, one colleague unashamedly insinuated an otherwise unnecessary remark.

After declining a honey cake, he followed up with "So you like baking? Do you bake often?", to which, of course, I answered in the affirmative. While conversations with non-bakers usually end here, he continued his interrogation.
"Do you have an Instagram page for it?"
I furrowed my brows, perplexed at the question.
"No?"
"Oh so you're not serious about it (baking)."
Immediately recoiling, I replied that I do capture photo evidence of my creations and log recipes into spreadsheets.
Of course, neither of these points mattered, for the man was determined to present his biased stance.
He announced that he knew "someone who posts and gets orders to make things", and slid the baker's social media feed in my direction. He then mentioned that they were neighbours, and he often receives baked goods as a result of proximity.

Beyond perplexed at this point, I attempted to understand the exchange, but ultimately could not.
What is the relationship between posting photos and being "serious" about a hobby that they enjoy?
For all he could be aware, I could be a hidden professional and never tell anyone, and never post a single photo. Furthermore, my distribution of the goods is merely for the purpose of sharing. Anyone who had ever sampled my creations prior would know that I could easily sell my products, but I had chose not to.

Politely declining a cake is absolutely fine.
Commentary that is neither nice nor relevant to the food at hand was unwarranted.
In the wise words of my former coworker, "take the cake and eat it fam."

​Beautiful blue skies and blossoming shrubs were observed on my way towards the mall.

​The main objective was scouring the closing sale assortment of Frank & Oak. Unfortunately, the shelves were practically empty at my time of arrival. As the staff chattered cheerfully without a single glance in my direction, I made my departure for other stops of interest.

​Simons was an unplanned detour, yet one that bestowed me with fabulous finds! The sale section led to the discovery of $9.99 knits and $19.99 blouses - all of which served as great options to expand my workwear wardrobe.

My third week on the job catapulted me into a series of training sessions, both virtual and physical. The former is comparatively forgiving, for, at the very least, I have the liberty of standing, stretching, and using the bathroom as required. The latter serves as a gradual decline of energy levels and attention span, for being bound to one's seat for extended periods of time induces restlessness, thus lessening the overall willingness to absorb new information.

With that said, I utilized every possible pocket to roam. Walking was vital to my overall disposition and wellness.

The return of Smile Cookies prompted many visits to my nearby Timmies. For this season, they would be raised to a price of two dollars per cookie and exempt from earning points via the Tim Hortons' app. While I was pleased with neither decision, the entirety of its earnings being donated to a local charity somewhat sufficed as justification. Ultimately, my intention to partake in the annual-turned-semi-annual initiative was not swayed.

​A former Toronto colleague informed me of her cookie pulls. Donning deranged demeanours, she joked that they were reflective of the downtown community.

​Meanwhile, my pulls were unquestionably tamer - adorable even!

The city's initiative to introduce magnolia trees to the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Garden and Celebration Square had also not gone unnoticed.

​Despite the buds being oddly shrivelled, their rosy pink presence nevertheless brightened the gathering space in a way that announced the arrival of spring.

​Of course, as far as Ontario weather goes, there is never such a thing as guaranteed spring.

​Lunchtime would again see perusal of the mall.

When my eyes opened to yet another Monday, I was overcome with anxiety once more. The sporadic bursts of lightheadedness hadn't faded. Recovery had been inadequate. Nevertheless, I peeled myself away from the safe cradle of the bed and proceeded with preparations.

​It was a gloomy, gusty day. A handful of employees had likely extended their long weekend by one more day, for the parking garage was noticeably empty.

The mid-morning saw a "coffee walk" around Square One. At first, I had wondered why all retailers were still shuttered. In verifying the time of day, I realized I had never once roamed the mall quarters at the early hour of 9 AM.

A few select establishments were open, namely Walmart, Tim Hortons, and Au Pain Doré.
Promotional posters for Hot Cross Buns at the latter caught my attention initially, but the Chocolate Moelleux was the item ultimately acquired from the short-lived saunter.

The cashier depicted the specimen with a "chocolate mousse"-like texture. However, sampling the extra-dense portion with a tongue depressor wooden spoon back in the office, it was found to be an incredibly rich ganache instead.

The aluminum container in which it resided was greasy on the outside and lined with specks of granulated sugar on the inside. Having not dissolved completely during the baking process, one could perceive visible patches of condensation incited by the sugar particles along the interior circumference.
Served chilled, the Chocolate Moelleux resembled a hybrid of a ganache and an upright molten lava cake. Interestingly, the ganache was not uniform, instead featuring a viscous yet pliable centre and fully set edges. There weren't any distinctively alluring elements to the concoction, thus I deemed a repurchase at $4.75 plus tax to be unwarranted. For my purposes, I could create a similar product with minimal effort using excess ganache.

I returned to am excruciatingly long morning, which led me into noon. The immediate task at hand was dropping off donations at Hazel McCallion Central Library. The convenient drop-off location constituted the ideal opportunity to participate in the city's Recycling Collection Drive.

Afterwards, I braved a drizzly trek into the mall.
While there were a number of ongoing sales and promotions, MEC offered not a single cycling glove for testing and evaluation.

That evening, I decided against a second consecutive office day. Woes were drowned in Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls with yellow cane sugar syrup.

Emerging as a consequence of my work-from-home breather were Ginger Molasses Cookies, the sole recipe from Smitten Kitchen Keepers that I've crafted again and again.

There was two deviations from her recipe: my go-to substitution of fresh ginger for candied ginger and the not-so-novel inclusion of Gingerbread Finishing Sugar in addition to turbinado for coating. Any increased gingerbread-y essences were indistinguishable, and the cookie was rendered utterly cloying as a result.

​I paired the batch with the last of two packs of Drip Coffee from 곁에, relishing in the beverage more than the staggeringly sweet specimen in hand.