Out & About #565 | Canada Day BBQ + Collective June Visuals

7/1/2019

We've steered ourselves into the third quarter of the year: the midpoint of summer holidays and peak of construction activities. An extremely fruitful month for those in the heavy civil sector, I'd like to officially announce my upcoming reduction in leisure time. And not to be exempt from announcements of any sort, below is my usual recount of short-lived excursions, errand runs, and recent items of fondness.

1) Polishing off the remnants of Cafe Seoulista's Korean Fermented Grapefruit Tea with a splash of sparkling water
2) An expectedly chilly morning calls for a Matcha Latte.

3) A sweltering morning in Milton was succeeded by a brief visit to the Toronto Premium Outlets.

It was here that Cacao 70 had opened up shop and introduced a three-dollar seasonal promotion.

Having only ever tried the chain's savoury crepes and marshmallow pizza, dipped ice cream cones were a new discovery for me. The lady behind the cashier was blunt - and outright rude, might I say - though the man executing the dipping procedure was exceptionally friendly.

The concept in place was not so different than La Diperie, where the soft serve flavour was kept a constant vanilla and the only customization options resided with the chocolate dip. We took to the Coffee and Black Sesame cones - both ginormous portions at the exchange of mere pocket change.

In contrast to the Trinity Bellwoods spot, the vanilla soft serve underneath remained intact, instead of imploding into an annoyingly sticky mess. The waffle cone wasn't half bad either. It were the chocolate shells that disappointed: excessively sweet and exhibiting minimal sturdiness, the supposedly carefully tempered coating induced feelings of sluggishness - something far from commendable amidst the humid external conditions.

Spotted: Monkey rides I am probably too ancient for (but would love anyway).

4) Blue skies are characteristic of summer.
5) Complimentary chocolate chip cookies were greatly appreciated.
6) The journey to health continues.

7) An excess of Red Bean Soup means incorporating the homemade formula to create a Red Bean Latte - caffeinated, of course.

8) Platform Espresso Bar

I am a creature that thrives under the influence of caffeine, and that should come as no surprise. One dollar McD's Iced Coffee is great and all, but Platform, as noted a couple times on this space, is my go-to spot in Markham for a quality cup of joe.

Strictly available on weekdays is the Platform Freight: the cafe's own take on flights. Employing either a Light Roast or Medium Roast in its formulation, patrons are able to experience the profiles via three mediums: espresso, drip coffee, and cortado. It was recommended to commence from the espresso, then gradually ease out to the drip and heart-adorned cortado.
As with their prior selections, the espresso proved too acidic for my preferences, but, given a prior evening of restlessness, its stimulation was deemed crucial for functionality. The Drip Coffee was a solid selection for slow sipping while engaged in work, while the Cortado contained an adequate amount of milk to neutralize the beans' naturally existing acidic properties.

< Pictured above and below:

Platform Freight (Medium Roast)
Hanami Cold Brew
Americano
Omelette
Torched Salmon Herbed Waffle Sandwich
Apple of My Eye w/ Thai Tea Ice Cream >

We also took to a Hanami Cold Brew (me), which was a fair indication of my level of sleep deprivation. The spring exclusive was refreshing and fruity - significantly sweeter than the Medium Roast of the Freight. I rapidly slotted the item into my mental list of "Beverages I Could Enjoy All Summer Long".

With a strong desire to catch up on backlog, I proceeded to set up camp for several hours. Over this course of time, a Torched Salmon Herbed Waffle Sandwich and Omelette were requested.
Plucked from the Early Bird Menu, the Omelette included a side salad and choice of tea or Americano ("Long Black"). Both of us had nothing but good words for the extreme cheesiness of the specimen and its extravagant inclusion of ham. It was the hangover breakfast I never knew I needed.

The Torched Salmon fell under the Sandwiches category and was served with white bistro bread. When indecisiveness struck, I made the earnest inquiry for substitution, which was granted to me without hesitation at an additional cost. Some ten minutes later, a plate of lightly dressed greens and torched smoked salmon made their way over. The wasabi mayo was scrumptious, as was the yuzu-based dressing and chewy herb waffle. Admittedly, the salmon slices were a bit of a letdown, though I have seldom taken a liking to the sodium-laden profile of smoked salmon anyway.

Concluding our five-hour visit (and countless water refills) was the Apple of My Eye with Thai Tea Ice Cream. A second substitution was made: the weekly special of Thai Tea in place of standard Vanilla. Embodying the distinctive essence of Thai Milk Tea and caramel goodness of slowly simmered apples, this was truly a wonderful finish.

9) Canada Day BBQ Visuals

It's (almost) an annual tradition.

As far as barbecues go, one can never go wrong with charred jumbo scallops and steak bites. Enoki mushrooms are a classic complement to beef as well. Brush on some herb butter, grab a can of beer, and you've got yourself a simple yet satisfying backyard fiesta.