Between anxiety-filled evenings of coursework, eyeroll-inducing tasks at work, and a seemingly endless exam period, brief sanity breaks were taken. Enclosed below are a few snippets that shed some light on my dreary work-commute-repeat cycle.
1) Breakfast in the form of a Ham & Cheese Croissant from COBS and an O-Matcha Black Sesame Latte
2) Received my JB pins from @magneticjaebum just in time for Christmas! They are lovely!
1) Breakfast in the form of a Ham & Cheese Croissant from COBS and an O-Matcha Black Sesame Latte
2) Received my JB pins from @magneticjaebum just in time for Christmas! They are lovely!
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3) Behold: my collection of GOT7 Masks that I am both proud and shameless about purchasing
4) Toffee Almond Hot Cocoa that was later modified to Toffee Coconut as Starbucks had run out of Almond Milk
5) Penguins in scarves make for great holiday-themed adornments
4) Toffee Almond Hot Cocoa that was later modified to Toffee Coconut as Starbucks had run out of Almond Milk
5) Penguins in scarves make for great holiday-themed adornments
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6) Original-Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake from H Cafe
Uncle Tetsu's knockoff ventured into the unexplored realm of cheesecake creation by swirling the contents of half-baked/half-steamed Japanese dessert.
Uncle Tetsu's knockoff ventured into the unexplored realm of cheesecake creation by swirling the contents of half-baked/half-steamed Japanese dessert.
I convinced my HOV buddy to hop out and brave the cold for me in exchange that we would both be able to take advantage of the four-day 50% off promotion. Going for a mere five dollars, the cake was an interesting take on the marbling technique that was as cheesy as it was distinctly flavoured.
The single, and most frustrating, downside was the consistency of the cake. Attempting to separate a clean slice from the moist, cracked round was impossible: the interior crumbled like there was no tomorrow. Results remained consistent regardless whether I used the plastic knife that it had been packaged with, or the sharpest dining blade in our household.
Perhaps the most annoying aspect of it was that the sheer struggle of obtaining a wedge took away from enjoyment of consumption. By my third attempt, I had caught myself thinking, "This isn't even worth the five dollars, nor my effort in wriggling through North York's slush-lined side streets.
Perhaps the most annoying aspect of it was that the sheer struggle of obtaining a wedge took away from enjoyment of consumption. By my third attempt, I had caught myself thinking, "This isn't even worth the five dollars, nor my effort in wriggling through North York's slush-lined side streets.
7) Further attempts at latte art (Is it a bear? Is it Mickey? Who knows.)
8) Stumbling upon kitschy yet useful tools at Canadian Tire
9) Trying out Starbucks' Christmas Tree Frappuccino, and then concluding that it was no more than a heavy dose of diabetes
8) Stumbling upon kitschy yet useful tools at Canadian Tire
9) Trying out Starbucks' Christmas Tree Frappuccino, and then concluding that it was no more than a heavy dose of diabetes
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10) GOT7's < 7 for 7 > Present Ver. + DAY6's Moonrise finally arrived!
Following their Q3 release of Sunrise, DAY6 wrapped up their EveryDay6 project with their second full-length album. Two versions of Moonrise were released, with each containing a whopping total of 18 tracks (and 5 CD-limited!). As an avid listener of the band since January's 'I Wait' dropped, I know I would be devoted to purchasing at least one version.
Much to my dismay, YesAsia not only delayed the shipment of my CDs - what was the use of splurging on Express shipping then? - but also presented my order to me in a dented FedEx box. This consequently resulted in an evidently damaged copy of Moonrise.
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On the bright side, the album's contents were unharmed. I also managed to secure a DoPil set of photocards! (Sorry Jae, but I'm moving onto the innocent maknae.)
GOT7's Christmas repackage of their 7th mini album also arrived, thankfully in a state free of flaws.
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YesAsia was exceedingly stingy to only include one of the two types of preorder cards when I had ordered the complete set. Not to mention, the preorder bonus for DAY6's Moonrise was sold at a higher price while other e-tailers included it free of charge.YesAsia was exceedingly stingy to only include one of the two types of preorder cards when I had ordered the complete set.
Starry Hour earned me a MarkJaeBamSon set, while a Jinyoung selfie card dropped out of Cozy Hour during the unboxing process.
Crazily enough, I managed to obtain a COMPLETE JINYOUNG SET and JJP unit card!!! Oh, what bias luck! (Cue tears of joy.)
The precious boy wrote a heartfelt letter to Jackson too! "Our Sseuni" it reads.
11) Tsujiri Square One (Round 2)
Deciding to try my luck at 9am yet again, it was firmly implanted in my head that pastries would cease to exist in the shop before the clock struck 11:30.
To ensure that the trip would not have been made in vain, two new drinks were tasted: the O-Matcha Black Sesame Latte (No. 13) and iced Yuzu Houjicha (No. 9).
Deciding to try my luck at 9am yet again, it was firmly implanted in my head that pastries would cease to exist in the shop before the clock struck 11:30.
To ensure that the trip would not have been made in vain, two new drinks were tasted: the O-Matcha Black Sesame Latte (No. 13) and iced Yuzu Houjicha (No. 9).
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The O-Matcha Black Sesame Latte was wonderfully fragrant, with a strong nutty aroma emitting from the toasted sesame topping. Sesame and bittersweet Japanese green tea were combined in an approximate ratio of 3:7, yielding a product that was generally grassy with underlying notes of dark floral.
Yuzu Houjicha, which I had requested over ice and with minimal sweetness, was refreshing and citrusy. The addition of both yuzu peel and yuzu jam contributed to a pleasant uniformity admist the roasted cinders of houjicha.
Yuzu Houjicha, which I had requested over ice and with minimal sweetness, was refreshing and citrusy. The addition of both yuzu peel and yuzu jam contributed to a pleasant uniformity admist the roasted cinders of houjicha.
12) Tsujiri Square One (Round 3)
Having accidentally shifted time zones to PST (thanks Kpopotato82), awaking later in the morning meant I could head over to the mall shortly afterwards to try my luck again.
Having accidentally shifted time zones to PST (thanks Kpopotato82), awaking later in the morning meant I could head over to the mall shortly afterwards to try my luck again.
Rounding the corner on my last errand, I caught sight of a full selection of cakes and pastries. Thank goodness, I heaved a sigh of relief and accomplishment.
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I might have appeared overwhelmed by the sight that I had longed to see for the past six days, or maybe just plain exhausted from lack of sustenance all morning. Despite a brief glance of concern, the lady behind the counter packed up my suprisingly high number of items without further questions.
Tasted previously at the North York location, the Kinako Daifuku (No. 74) was chewy and nutty with a sublte sweetness. It was spongy with mochi's trademark tackiness in tow, but surprisingly easy to slice through, unlike Sasaki.
The Yuzu Rare Cheese Cake boasted three layers: a sturdy foundation of compacted graham cracker crumbs, a body of citrusy cheesy goodness, and an almost indiscernible clear glaze.
A citrusy gel featuring specks of yuzu coated the surface of the cake, ensuring that each bite would be laced with a wonderfully refreshing zestiness. Meanwhile, the body was jiggly with an almost tofu-like side profile. Silky and ridiculously smooth, it appears to have utilized a small portion of gelatin to retain its shape.
The graham cracker crust base contained just enough binder to ensure crispiness without unneeded thickness. The light vanilla scent was also a nice contrast to the fruity, delicate body.
Hands down, the creation was probably the most invigorating post-lunch dessert to ever make its way into my household.
The graham cracker crust base contained just enough binder to ensure crispiness without unneeded thickness. The light vanilla scent was also a nice contrast to the fruity, delicate body.
Hands down, the creation was probably the most invigorating post-lunch dessert to ever make its way into my household.
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The TSUJIRI Rare Cheese Cake was the more substantial of the two cheesecake slices, offering ample cheesiness with creamy indulgence. The graham cracker crust was less aromatic in this rendition; instead, it was the opulent amalgamation of floral matcha and fluttering cream cheese that stole the spotlight.
Its profile was similar to that of the Lunar Cheesecake from Uncle Tetsu's Angel Cafe, but taller and significantly less rigid.
Its profile was similar to that of the Lunar Cheesecake from Uncle Tetsu's Angel Cafe, but taller and significantly less rigid.
The Opera Cake possessed an extravagant presence - it was one of the most hyped items of the Mississauga launch after all. The layered masterpiece featured bittersweet matcha ganache heightened with gold micro-flakes, which one ought to take heed in storing at cool temperatures should not be consuming immediately.
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Melt-prone ganache aside, the dessert illustrated an exemplary incorporation of chocolate with ceremonial-grade matcha, with just a smidgen of rum.The finish was not too sweet, yet not excruciatingly bitter either. It easily garnered the approval of all taste-testers
A never-before-seen item at the other two stop was the Matcha Rare Cheese Double Fromage. The rectangular dual-layer cake was described as a delicious no-bake cheesecake, and quite an interesting one at that.
Majority of the dessert assumed a mousse-like consistency - the top layer a sweet vanilla and bottom a prominent matcha layer with grassy bitterness. At first forkful, the vanilla was a tad sweet for my liking, though harmonized well with its less sugary counterpart underneath. The foundation of the cake was an unexpected base of fluffy matcha sponge - ever so airy and enjoyable.
The Matcha Rare Cheese Double Fromage swiftly earned stamp of approval even from a non-matcha-lover (that is obviously not yours truly).
The Matcha Rare Cheese Double Fromage swiftly earned stamp of approval even from a non-matcha-lover (that is obviously not yours truly).
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Lastly, the Tsujiri Latte was a solid milk-containing alternative for matcha "purists" as it is devoid of syrups and/or added sweeteners. It is well deserving of the title of a matcha latte in its most proper form.
Costly as the Japanese tea house's products are known to be, it is my belief that the items purchased were well worth their value. For those that fail to distinguish between the variances of Matcha Matsu and Grand Cru, five-dollar drink mixes from T&T are likely to suffice. However, those that wish to attain greater levels of enjoyment (with the added benefit of naturally-occurring antioxidants) in the realm of Japanese green tea ought to give this Mississauga newcomer a try.
Even if you're not the biggest fan of green-tinted food items, you might found yourself being gradually drawn in.
Even if you're not the biggest fan of green-tinted food items, you might found yourself being gradually drawn in.
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13) REDS (Square One)
Two-Bite Butter Tarts from REDS was another purchase that took place on the same round of errands. The two-dollar nibbles were flakey, slightly syrupy, and, just as the name had suggested, buttery.
Next stop: more backlog and Christmas preparations.
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