Out & About #1006 | Ice Cream Weather, Textile Museum of Canada, Mini Apple Pie + Pecan Pie

Within the blink of an eye, single-digit mixed precipitation vanished and was promptly replaced by scorching hot temperatures threatening thunderstorm-level humidity

Before I even arrived at the office, patches of perspiration marks had appeared. I was both visibly and miserably warm, as if intermittent bursts of A/C hadn't succeeded in riling sleep patterns enough.

​But further situations awaited me. Having forgotten to renew my desk booking due to ongoing household chaos, I returned from my sanitization procedures to a passive aggressive note scribbled onto a brown paper towel and laid across my keyboard. The squirmy approach had been taken as opposed to direct confrontation, which would have been met with an apology and an offer, albeit a reluctant one, to relocate to another spot for the day.
​In verifying the rest of my desk bookings, it dawned upon me that I had also forgotten to book the subsequent office day, and was thus coerced into undertaking the grueling, sweat-inducing commute for two consecutive days.

When lunchtime arrived, the consensus was that it was too hot to walk outside. As such, my coworker and I opted to slip in and out of air-conditioned spaces for sanity.

Roughly thirty minutes was spent roaming the Eaton Centre.  ​Roughly thirty minutes was spent roaming the Eaton Centre. Then, we exited at its northeast limit, the soon-to-be-renamed Yonge-Dundas Square. Stepping foot into the sweltering, sunny conditions, I declared a desire for retreating back indoors. Next to me, my coworker nodded in agreement.

Consequently, we slipped into Atrium on Bay, explored Hazukido, then went to Uncle Tetsu in search of Matcha-Vanilla Swirl Soft Serve. Unfortunately, after confirming the individual and combo prices of soft serve and rusk, I was informed that the soft serve machine was under maintenance and likely wouldn't be in operation until the following day.​

​My coworker's mouth dropped agape when I admitted to not having butter baker soft serve. In response to my qualms over finances, he generously offered to treat me to the pricey $6.99 treat, even covering my request for both a cone and a cup. On the current month's rotation was a Lemon Meringue flavour that combined a zesty, refreshing Lemon Sorbet with a creamy Toasted Marshmallow. The latter, while substantially milky, was relatively mild compared to its pastel yellow counterpart. When accompanied by the semi-soggy, semi-crunchy waffle cone, the dessert was indeed reflective of the ratios of a lemon meringue pie/tart.

At its given price point, though, I had anticipated a wholly crisp cone with minimal shatter encasing a sturdier formula that would not see immediate dissolution upon departure from the bakery.

Having been informed of the eligibility criteria for a Toronto Public Library card, I succeeded in obtaining the shiny plastic card with ease. The pass would permit complimentary access to various City attractions over the course of a one-year period. Tickets could be reserved in advance during designated windows, enabling access for the passholder and one adult, up to a maximum of two adults and two children, depending on the event.

It is worth noting that a handful of restrictions apply:

• Only one admission booking is permissible per day; other attractions are restricted upon confirmation of one booking reservation
• Each attraction can only be reserved once per calendar year
• Booking availabilities can fluctuate over the course of the day, thus it is advised to monitor the page for openings (usually cancellations) and reserve popular attractions as soon as possible

​The second in-office day kicked off with an overwhelming amount of sunshine. Temperatures hovered about the 20-degree mark, with cloudless skies foreshadowing relentless heat in the forecast. A few fluffy white masses moved in towards the mid-morning hours, however Mother Nature had pivoted in the direction of thunderstorms as opposed to torridity relief.
​
​The downtown scene was met with tenacious, foul-smelling gusts akin to the ominous warning signs of an oncoming tropical storm. External conditions appeared breezier than the day before, though trekking underneath direct sunlight was equally as treacherous.

Instead of risking maximum levels of perspiration during my lunch, I decided to try my hand at one of the TPL Map attractions.
At the early hour of 9:30 AM, I succeeded in reserving a same-day admission pass to the Textile Museum of Canada using my newly-acquired Toronto Public Library card. While I didn't think much of it, availability for the cultural destination vanished entirely a short while later.

​Upon arrival, I learned of the Museum's narrow, vertical layout. Spanning four floors, the lobby served as a reception/information area where tickets were verified. The lady behind the counter cross-referenced the library card number on the physical ticket with the blue plastic card in my hand, then printed a paper receipt for my records. Regular adult admission would have cost me eighteen dollars.

The second, third, and fourth floors could be accessed by stairs or elevator.

​On the second floor was a combined merchandise and display area, as well as a small gallery with culturally significant pieces. There was also a corridor that featured educational videos about spinning wool and dying fabrics without the use of synthetic materials.

​Connecting the small gallery to the elevator and stairs was a "Learning Hub".

​There, visitors could purchase discounted beads - Michaels who? - and utilize the facility's resources to craft to their heart's desire. Scrap fabrics could be disposed in an adorable scrap monster, also made of discarded bobs and bits.

​The main gallery would be located on the third floor, which featured a beautiful quilt exhibit as well as several paintings. A "No Touching" symbol could be found near most artworks, though there were a few snippets positioned at hip height (either for accessibility or children, or both) that encouraged tactile interaction.

​The museum had maximized its compact floor area by staggering pillars within the corridors and using dramatic lighting and coloured walls to give off the illusion of spaciousness. Frankly speaking, the cultural attraction wasn't very expansive. Had I visited on a different day, at a different time, it is nearly guaranteed that I'd experience claustrophobia and noise disturbance as opposed to peace and solitude.

​Besides myself, two elderly citizens in the Learning Hub, and a handful of staff members, the facility was essentially empty. Naturally, this led me to succeed in browsing the entirety of the museum is roughly 25 minutes.

​Given that the fourth floor was restricted to staff, I retraced my steps back down the winding stairwell. Convex mirrors had been positioned at each end to promote visibility and lessen the risk of blind spots, similar to in underground parking garages.

Back at the information desk, it was confirmed that admission would not be required to enter the second floor for purchase of materials. In fact, as she noted, the museum would be holding an extravagant fabric sale come July, and all members of the public would be free to partake.

​With about thirty minutes left of my lunch break, I began to saunter in the direction of IKEA.

I had little on my to-buy list and merely conducted a lap about the kitchen and storage sections before returning to the street-level entrance.

​Two chairs with cushions had been positioned near the automatic sliding doors. On one cushion was a plush orangutan; the other was vacant, beckoning interested individuals - of all ages - to join him. Naturally, I couldn't resist the offer. In spite of appearing more than a tad silly to bystanders, I proudly sought to appease the lonely demeanour of the orangutan before bidding him farewell.

​Cotti Coffee would assume my last stop of the trip. Their seasonal summer special of Bergamot Lemon Sparkling Cold Brew had captivated my attention.

Ordering on the app proved quite the travesty, for it recognized not a single payment option. Frustrated, I eventually took to ordering in store. The scene was quiet as could be, and my chosen beverage was presented sooner than I could have predicted.
In consideration of technical issues with the app, I was also provided a physical stamp card to continue earning point as part of their loyalty program.

​The drink was identical to the image on the poster: a two-tone presentation and smooth crema floated atop ice cubes.

Taste-wise, the Sparkling Cold Brew was strictly passable. Neither noticeably lemony nor carbonated, it was a concoction that could easily be recreated at home.
Comparable creations could include Third Wave's Espresso Lemonade and Hazukido's Iced Orange Americano - both of which had ranked higher than Cotti Coffee's latest budget-friendly release. 

Meals at home primarily comprised of Air-Fryer Pork Loin, Steamed Minced Pork with Pickled Turnip, and Coca-Cola Chicken Wings, none of which were constructed by yours truly and therefore do not entail images for reference. The odd IKEA Medallion and Meatballs served to supplement these meals.

​Afternoon pick-me-ups would range from Iced Passionfruit and Guava Americano (a combination of Lavazza espresso, T&T Passionfruit Citron Tea, and Vita Guava Juice) and Iced CafePho x De Mello NomNom.

My creations of the week lent an autumn aura: I'd be revisiting pies, but during a distinctly warmer period of the year.

1) Mini Apple Pies

Pies? Tarts? Casseroles?? Honestly, I'm not sure which name would best suit the impromptu trial, but they were delicious nevertheless.
A case of Honeycrisp apples from Costco were found to be too dense for snacking, thus automatically prompted the idea of apple pie. I had also been keen to revisit Pecan Pie, as my freezer was utterly devoid of Pecan Tarts.

I would adhere to my go-to pie crust formula from SK, but noticed staggering differences in the preparation process. The base was definitely trickier to formulate during warmer months, for the flour absorbed humidity from the air and hydrated much faster. In addition, the ice in my water beaker also dissolved quicker. The onset of a humid summer risked oversaturation of the dough, softening of the butter, and formation of excess gluten.

​But I persevered, as I always have. A second batch was formed shortly afterwards as insurance, leaving me with four discs in total: two circular and two rectangular.

One of the latter portions had been intended for mini apple pies, allowing me to debut my forgotten mini tart pans. Three rigid Honeycrisp apples were chopped into rough cubes measuring no more than 1 cm in thickness. Added into the bowl were unmeasured quantities of dark brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, ground ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. After tossing thoroughly, the apples were allowed to macerate for about thirty minutes. As expected though, the pieces hardly oxidized and only about 1/6 cup's worth of liquid would pool at the bottom of the bowl.

My rectangular section of pie dough was tragically difficult to roll out, demanding a liberal dusting of flour between each application of pressure. Eventually, I succeeded in obtaining enough to fill five mini pans: two non-stick tart pans, one nonstick casserole dish, and two loose-bottom aluminum tart pants. Though, the disc did not leave me with enough dough to form lattices over each pie, so three of five were exposed. Loose-bottom pans are hardly recommended for any application where sugar may bubble and boil over, then harden onto the pan after cooling; as such, the non-stick variations should be one's first choice if available.


Admittedly, the portions were formed in a hasty manner, for a meeting awaited me. Instead of tucking the lattice sheets along the circumference, I had merely permitted the overhang. Given that the meeting would commence before the pies had coloured, I transferred the batch to the toaster oven to continue baking for 5 minutes more, as the auto shut-off was more forgiving than the conventional oven.

​Not a single specimen was soggy, albeit revealing somewhat pasty bottoms. Doneness was deduced by the tarts' willingness to detach from the pans with ease. From there, I took the opportunity to sample one immediately. A generous squeeze of lemon juice had rendered the filling a tad tart, though the apples had readily adopted the warm spices while retaining their structure.

​Despite not featuring the most extravagant presentation, the mini pies were exceptionally tasty. I was thankful, especially considering the effort-to-yield proportionality.

2) Pecan Pie (with Tequila!)

Long perfected and adored by the household, Pecan Pie made an uncustomary May appearance. As mentioned earlier, I had been yearning for the delectable custard, impeccably crunchy top, and exquisite nutty presence, but the pie would concurrently serve farewell measures: The "Goodbye" Pecan Pie.

SK's recipe needs no tweaking. However, with the availability of tequila in my pantry, I opted to substitute SK's optional teaspoon of bourbon for the Mexican liquor.

​The addition did indeed enrich the complexity of the custard slightly, though would be hardly apparent to the untrained palate.

​Either way, the pie saw tremendous success, with over half being devoured within five hours of emerging from the oven. The fleeting timeline of consumption prompted the consideration for a follow-up creation in the upcoming days, seeing as insurance pie crust discs had been compiled anyway (and were not recommended for preserving in the fridge beyond 48 hours).