Out & About #669 | Week #30 Quarantine Update Feat. Apple Pie

Pies are more challenging than they appear to be.

I know, I know - doesn't that contradict the previous post on pecan pie?  Why yes, yes it does.

Alas, practice makes perfect, as experience is an enabler.

​Besides dabbling in pie-making - an act of which further details shall shortly materialize - I also made the discovery that Apple Cider and Cold Brew are wonderful when combined in a 1:1 ratio.  Not shown is the knockoff Tiger Spritzer, formula inherited from Smile Tiger.

Creations of the week include:

1) Bread - Eggless, Butter-less, and Machine-less!

Beyond the fact that I had adhered to one of Bake for Happy Kids' rare vegan recipes, I intrepidly accepted the challenge of hand-kneading. The decision hadn't been intentional, yet stemmed out of sheer consideration for time and butter inventory. (Unfortunately, the bread machine does take longer.)

With the exception one large gaping air pocket consistently spotted in the upper third of each loaf, results were conclusively satisfactory for a first attempt. My personal preference lies with the sweeter, eggier varieties containing condensed milk and milk powder, though a noticeable benefit was the dryness of the loaf and its enhanced resistance to moulding.

​Consumed on its own, it was a fine, carby specimen, though its potential was truly unlocked with the power of toasting. Two to three minutes in a toaster oven yielded crisp edges and a wispy, delicately golden body. We later deemed them ideal for dipping in semi-viscous soups or paired with a light spreading of butter - cultured, if available, for a refreshing dose of tartness.

2) Rotini & Cheese (as we had ran out of mac - not pictured)

3) Garlicy Meatballs in Tomato Soup
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Cooking hefty parcels of pork can be intimidating, all the while demanding discerning degrees of innovation. Perhaps already obvious by presentation of past creations, the food processor is my kitchen weapon of choice. The tool enables effortless crafting of meatballs, blitzing garlic cloves, onions, and even celery chunks into the mix with ease and swiftness. A swig of rose wine, spoonful of sugar, and dash of dark soy complete the marinade.

Contributing Italian flare is a tomato soup - elevated with white wine, a splash of heavy cream, and fresh, quartered tomatoes.

​4) Crispy Pan-Fried SPAM Bites

Furthering the topping selection for the previous dish are cubed chunks of SPAM, pan-fried until perfectly crispy on all sides. Do beware that sodium levels appear more prominent upon the evaporation; it is recommended to consume the pieces with a blander - perhaps one-dimensional - base of carbohydrates (refined or not).

5) Apple Pie

After a largely successful Pecan Pie run, I retained optimism while gearing up for the subsequent Thanksgiving-themed undertaking. I heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the absence of blind-baking, not knowing that the procedure was, actually, a step of assurance.

​I adhered to the trusty SK, whose flaky crust formula delivered exactly as promised.

​The filling, on the other hand, proved trickier than imagined.

​In inspection of the cross-section of SK's pie, I concluded that fewer apples would suffice for our purposes. The ideal ratio lies around 60% apple and 40% pie, or a solid split down the middle; after all, I have the option of just eating apples if I hadn't wanted pie in the mix.
So the recommended four-and-a-bit pounds was thus reduced it to 1172 g (or roughly 2.6 lbs). Sugar levels were also reduced at first, then re-incorporated due to the prominent moisture content of my chosen species of apple (whose name was not written on the bag). Tapioca starch was swapped for glutinous rice flour and corn starch, with an extra tablespoon added out of caution.

​Being mindful of the critical factor known as temperature control, the pie was returned to the refrigerator during times of idling. As the oven beeped to 400 F, in it was placed, in the absence of a tray underneath.
It was horrific decision, I shall confess. Shortly into its 75-minute stay was the dreadful spouting of apple-y juices. Attempts were made to eradicate a nasty cleanup process, though caramelization of the escaped filling was inevitable.

​The outcome was, unfortunately, far soggier than I would have enjoyed. Despite baking for a total of 120 minutes, the bottom remained damp and nearly indiscernible amidst the apples. However, it wasn't a bad product. Spice inclusion had been accurate though. The lattice overlay also exuded a stunning, golden beauty with the assistance of egg wash and turbinado sugar.

​Lessons Learned:

1. Keep apple slices relatively thick: casual munching sizes would have been the superior alternative to my wispy, frail paper thin cuts that merely disintegrated while baking.
2. Blind-baking should always be incorporated for structural integrity
3. Tray placement underneath is essential for catchment of agitated juices

Pie crust scraps were re-configured into (mini) galettes with homemade blueberry lavender jam.

​As expected, they were utterly crisp and delectable.

​Since the start of the COVID pandemic, supporting local businesses has remained a priority. This principle applies to shopping within my immediate community (within economic reason) and expanding the criteria on a national level, without venturing down south if possible.
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Issho Bakery is one of many local bakeries emerging from "new normal", distinguishing themselves from the rest by offering unique products and establishing meaningful partnerships with their ingredient sourcers.

Reasonable delivery fees encouraged the act of support: complimentary delivery service was awarded to orders of $25 and up within Toronto and $30 elsewhere in the GTA. As such, it seemed only fitting to pick out a few items of interest for orangecane and myself.

Their current range of cookies span an assortment of Sourdough Chocolate Chip, Milk Chocolate Matcha, Double Chocolate, and Kinako Peanut Butter Crinkle. Sampled on the day of arrival, all proved far too sugary. The subsequent days allowed for moisture to evaporate, placing emphasis on the base flavours.

​Sourdough Chocolate Chip was a crunchy specimen featuring a dash of flaky salt - a typical yet very necessary component to offset its sweetness.
​Milk Chocolate Matcha possessed a grassiness that was neither explicitly grassy nor particularly floral. Chopped milk chocolate shards offered an asymmetric appeal; that said, milk chocolate is not an item that garners fondness from me due to its one-dimensional flavour.

​Double Chocolate had been my most anticipated of the quad. With its dark profile, chewy consistency, and soft puddles of chocolate, these were delicious as is, but could have also used sodium bullets for contrast. Nonetheless, both black cocoa and (presumably) chopped baking chocolate were a wonderful upgrade to the all-too-commercial chocolate chips and "natural" cocoa powder (both of which I am guilty of incorporating in certain test projects).
Kinako Peanut Butter Crinkle ultimately proved the tastiest of the pack. As opposed to the icing sugar-laden variations that many seem to have taken a liking towards, Issho's version is firmer, drier, and nuttier. The inclusion of soybean powder is more prevalent in fragrance than flavour, acting to expand the cookie's zone of influence and elevate the already nutty base notes.

​With special instructions to keep them chilled until consumption, the three-pack of Houjicha Spelt Sando cookies were, conclusively speaking, the favourite of all samplers. The biscuits boasted a tender, buttery crumb and a glorious sheen, while its interior was a luscious, potent houjicha-infused cream. These were positively scrumptious regardless of served cold or at room temperature.

​A jar of Knotty Coppertop Unpasteurized Honey was also acquired. The jar remains unopened at this point in time, thus no remarks can be made.

​Since the re-instated work-from-home measures, I've yet to revisit the Iroquois Shoreline Woods trail that had provided me with a sense of escapism amidst hectic office hours. The opportunity to explore a similar but smaller trail was granted when grocery runs finished earlier than expected.

​Arriving far sooner than Lazros could compile my order, I was told that an additional fifteen minutes would be required. Hearing this, I debated between idling in the car or making a quick trip to Meadowvale Town Centre. Both of these choices were later superseded by the suggestion of a walk in the park, in the most literal sense possible.

​​Conveniently situated behind the plaza was Maplewood Park. The Pathway weaved between the backyards of residential addresses, a private school, and nearby church, constituting a perfectly-timed promenade through nature.

​We picked up our Meat Meze shortly afterwards, with the kitchen staff seemingly implying a lack of response on my end. "It was ready for you." He gestured to the Styrofoam bundle. "We called you but you didn't pick up!" - which was a complete lie, for my phone had been in my hand for majority of the walk.

​Returning home, we unveiled the meal's four components: Greek salad, pita bread, rice and lemon potato, and a medley of chicken, beef, and shaved lamb. Included for dipping were containers of creamy, garlicy Tzatziki and heavily salted Taramosalata. The salad was, in fact, my favourite of the assortment, for the quantity of dressing was adequate and the shaved bits of (unidentified) cheese were a refreshing departure from the standard crumbled feta.

The meats embodied sufficient robustness, with chicken, lamb, and beef ranking respectively in order of tenderness. Given the degree of doneness of the (presumably Russet) potatoes, it was agreed that the starchy elements of the meal were best served cold to retain shape and texture. 
With the exception of the slightly odd, yet overall friendly customer service, Lazros managed to satisfy the metrics of economics, quality, speed, and convenience. And with Lake Aquitaine nearby, I might even purposely defer a pick-up in the name of adventuring.