Out & About #1115 | Shake Shack Square One Preview + Lime & Coconut Cake

Lingering giddiness from Japanfest hangouts made for light, happy skips towards the office elevators. But that residual joy would soon diminish. My heart was ready for it.

In a matter of moments, I'd be whisked into yet another never-ending meeting with aimless intentions - except to waste time. Another meeting would follow within seconds of concluding the first. Then came emails, along with correspondence in which I had to defend my right to fair compensation for hours worked and personal time abused.

Needless to say, I had become fiery and furious by the time lunchtime finally rolled around.

Shake Shack opening just outside the food court had surely made news even in our ancient, suburban office. While the pre-launch media event had taken place on the weekend past, the American eatery would not reveal its doors to the general public until Tuesday.

From the gated exterior, one could sneak peeks at the ordering tablets, seating area, and colourful wall mural fusing elements of Toronto and Mississauga with Indigenous flair. The GTA-exclusive Shackmeister Lager was brewed in collaboration with Toronto's very own Bellwoods Brewery, assuming a similar concept to ShackMeister Ale from Seoul Brewery.

Naturally, I didn't bother to queue for the 11 AM Grand Opening event when I returned to the office the following day. Regardless, there was hardly any lineup outside of the store. Majority of the patrons appeared to be awaiting their orders within.

A coworker's lunchtime cravings of shawarma led me to Osmow's, where I learned of their $12.99 daily specials and Dubai Crunch dessert, inspired by none other than the viral Dubai Chocolate of last year.

​After weeks upon weeks of scorching external conditions, I heaved a sigh of relief at the wonderfully sunny and breezy climate.

​At the very least, the world outside would remain a bright, inviting space even as I suffered tremendously behind the walls of concrete.

​Cooler temperatures were forecast for the upcoming week, allowing mid-day saunters to take place at a swifter pace.

​Haidilao was spotted replacing Ruth Chris' Steakhouse at Kariya Gate and Hurontario (!!). Outside the Sussex Centre, a new signalized intersection at Kariya Gate and Enfield Place was observed, effectively removing the mid-block crossing for Kariya Park. The pavement markings had been roughly removed, and the sidewalk prepared to be reinstated with a full curb and without depressions.

Amusingly enough, I found myself in Kariya Park in the rain once more.
Since the vanishing of peak spring blossoms, the park was empty besides two girls with yoga mats rolled out and a handful of locals resting on the benches, observing a flock of ducks.

My return route was quite interesting. At first, I stumbled upon a paved pathway that led to Fairview Public School. The playground was quiet, of course, as school had concluded for the academic year. Trekking along the perimeter of the school grounds, I quickly learned that it did not feature a path back to Burnhamthorpe, but instead exited onto Joan Drive; the closest east-west connection would be Confederation. Looping back, I spotted a young boy carrying what appeared to be weighty groceries. He took to a gravel path just north of the Kariya Park limits. Intrigued, I followed him, for it was my belief that he would be headed back to a residential unit with his haul.
Surely enough, the unsuspecting path connected to Webb Drive, enabling a connection to Duke of York and, consequently, the City Centre neighbourhood.

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Lime & Coconut Cake

Making the most of my lunch hour, I quickly downed my mid-day meal in a matter of fifteen minutes and proceeded to adapt SK's Key Lime Coconut Cake for my own purposes.

The intent was to take advantage of the remaining homemade vanilla extract in my pantry, fresh limes in the fridge, experiment with Coconut Rum, and incorporate previously purchased and promptly forgotten unsweetened shredded coconut. Sunday's recipes all listed coconut milk as an ingredient, but I wasn't too keen on opening a can just to have three-quarters (and potentially one egg white) leftover.

​Thus, I compiled my own rendition, borrowing the reverse creaming method from my favourite Sunday recipe, the Condensed Milk Pound Cake. The amount of sugar was decreased from SK's 250 g to 190 g - about 1/4 cup - and the glaze omitted in favour of a tender-crumbed, sliceable cake instead of a tacky, moist one. This reduction stemmed not only from my use of "regular" limes as opposed to key limes, which were learned to be more acidic, but also since SK recipes tend to lean sweeter, especially her older recipes.

I proceeded to undertake this project manually, but, in hindsight, should have switched to a hand mixer to facilitate the reverse creaming.

Ingredients

• 190 g granulated sugar
• zest of one lime
• 125 g unsalted butter, softened
• 200 g cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 6 g vanilla extract
• 8 g coconut rum
• 36 g lime juice (juice of one lime)
• pinch of salt
• 85 g milk
• 100 g unsweetened shredded coconut

Garnish

• Unsweetened shredded coconut
• coarse sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 8 in x 8 in square pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix lime zest and granulated sugar, coating the zest with sugar evenly. This steps allows the oils of the citrus fruit to perfume the sugar prior to using, enhancing the overall aroma of the final product.
3. Cream softened with lime zest-infused sugar until airy.
4. Add in cake flour and baking powder. Blend well; this process is called "reverse creaming". Using a hand mixer is highly recommended for this step. If working manually, I would suggest ditching the whisk (it will distort) and working quickly with one's hands to bind the components like pie dough.
5. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well.
6. Add in vanilla extract, coconut rum, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Mix well, then add milk.
7. Fold in unsweetened shredded coconut.
8. Transfer batter to pan, spreading towards the corners and ensuring a level surface. Sprinkle unsweetened shredded coconut and coarse sugar on the surface.
9. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes, until the surface is uniformly golden and crackly. A cake tester should come out clean.
10. Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
11. Serve and enjoy!

​My choice of coconut rum was intentional, didn't appear to contribute noteworthy depth. With that in mind, feel free to increase the amount, swap with a potent Gold Rum, or double the vanilla extract for greater impact.

As one would expect of reverse creaming, the cake was unbelievably tender. Slicing and transporting inevitably led to a shower of crumbs, meaning that the cake is more suited towards afternoon tea time indoors than an outdoor picnic. Coarse sugar lent a crunchy surface on the first day, with a 20% reduction in crunchiness on the second day once transferred to a lidded container. Unsweetened shredded coconut adopted different textures throughout the cake: a subtle snap from the initial forkful, followed by a chewy bits in the subsequent bites. Unlike SK, I hadn't bothered with toasting the coconut in advance - it was far too fussy for minimal payoff, in my opinion.

​The alluring aroma of lime graced each square, nixing any potential heaviness sustained by the heavy proportion of butter. I enjoyed the cake thoroughly, for it was as flavourful as it was airy and delectable. Moreover, the concoction was a splendid - and lightly tropical - escape from the average coffee cake.

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In response to ruffled feathers, I was left in peace for the next few working days - thank goodness. Meetings were few, thus permitting catch-up and correspondence of tasks. But having to fight for independent work opportunities during working hours was laughable to start.

Two days away from the office assisted in restoring some degree of wellness. When I returned again, I was glad to not only have one morning meeting cancelled, but observe the half-day absence of potential obstacles.

During lunch, I took note of Italfest installations being set up in the Civic Centre lobby and Celebration Square Grounds. Numerous years have passed since I've laid eyes on a tri-fold presentation board.

​Another pop-up market graced the mall corridor outside H&M and Lindt. Assorted dried fruit and nuts, fragrances from the Middle East, and handmade/imported jewellery were some of the booths' offerings.

​A few crystal bonsai trees caught my eye, but a stall by the name of Renee's Accessories had my coworker and I lingering the longest.

​The pieces were absolutely beautiful, either dainty specimens imported from Japan or handcrafted using beads, glitter, flowers, and resin. Notably striking was the latter, and I went back and forth debating a purchase for at least ten minutes.

Price was my main consideration, especially in the face of being denied OT pay. The stunning assortment of earrings ranged from $25-$45, with a Buy 1 Get 10% off the 2nd deal. Necklaces were priced at $28 each, or 2 for $50. In spite of the promotions, the cost was quite steep and we continued on our way.

When the last meeting of the day miraculously concluded just before 4 PM (Huzzah!), I began to entertain the idea of a post-work Costco run. Flyer deals were slated to change on August 31st, and I had no desires whatsoever to visit before Labour Day long weekend.

​With the team's hire in tow, I suggested a joint trip for groceries - the most efficient social activity for adults.

​Visitor volumes were higher than anticipated, but there were no respective issues with locating parking - a huge relief! The mission was accomplished in about one hour.

Conversation was held simultaneously, which undoubtedly deepened understanding of the other party. The venture also shed light on the types of fare created and consumed, for habits, location, and culture can be defining factors when it comes to food.

​Overall, I was glad to have established a better relationship with the new hire, both in and out of the office.