Out & About #711 | Week #60 Quarantine Update

Spring in Ontario is never predictable. At times, we receive gloomy conditions rivalling Raincouver, while others be brazenly bitter and breezy. The unwonted ten-degree-plus greets us as Mother Nature pleases, leading many to seize the seasonal opportunities as they reveal themselves.

Prior to the work-from-home reality - that I pray once more to be temporary - brisk walking consumed my weekday lunch hours. Nowadays, it constitutes a maximum of twenty minutes of any one particular workday, should I be able to escape for such a period at all. Oftentimes, I'll seek an excuse for my outing; more often than not, this excuse adopts the form of an essential service: CoCo, without parking.

I've preached the concept of gratefulness throughout this pandemic, whose concept has only grown clearer with the warmer weather upon us. Navigating this life oughtn't be complicated: mobility in good health, liberty in outdoor saunters, and happiness in creation.

Larry makes a special appearance!

Creations of the week were few, and limited to previously executed cookie prep, strawberry jam, granola, and a Whole Wheat Loaf adapted from the almighty breadmaster.

Since depleting my stash of white bread flour, I've been dabbling in the realm of whole wheat bread-baking, albeit without much success. Most loaves emerge dry to the touch, yet damp at its centre.

The addition of butter generally improves consistency, however a prolonged "low and slow" bake time resulted in a consistently dry exterior and dense texture. Assembled in a hurry, this edition excluded raisins and cranberries, simultaneously reducing its sugar content and hindering the hydrating benefits of dried fruit. Using heavy cream to compensate for insufficient milk contributed an unmistakable dampness, disproportional to its richer mouthfeel.

I ventured out into the rain one weekday afternoon, discovering that my beloved Wonton Chai had evolved into Wonton Express. Our order of Plain Wontons and a Three Topping Noodle of Beef Brisket, Fish Dace Balls, and Dumplings were still delicious as ever. Wonton Express had retained the same quality and same team, but perhaps new freedom from the franchise.

As proof that Instagram ads are an effective marketing tactic, I grew intrigued at the sight of a Caribbean platter from Reggae Fusion, which prompted a trip two days later. The restaurant wasn't available on Ritual, so I took to placing a pickup order. I was directed to voicemail, though remained convinced that the restaurant was still in operation based on their recent social media updates. The second call landed in the same destination, which was a sign of business to me, given that it was peak lunch hour.

I pulled into the parking lot to find a lady peering into the restaurant's dimmed interior. "Oh no." rang inside my head. It all made sense.

I observed as the lady angrily removed her mask and retreated to the vehicle from which she came, mumbling to her elderly passenger as she reversed, before too peering in for any signs of life.


Ravenous and with an insatiated penchant for Caribbean cuisine, my eyes fell upon the nearby storefront of Radica's Hot & Spicy. A vivacious red with flashing "Open" sign sent some home, thus I advanced. A whiff of spices welcomed me in, followed by an ecstatic greeting.

Some eight minutes later, I happily departed, sustenance in tow.

Their menu had been declared mild in its entirety, with the ability to introduce as much spice as one's heart desires. My system desired none at all, and consequently pushed the two containers of hot sauce aside. Stew Chicken and Curried Chicken had both been requested with a side of Rice & Peas instead the standard Roti format. Little had I known this swap would entail a one-dollar upcharge (for each!).

Both were accompanied with a lukewarm and decidedly salty coleslaw, with several pieces of chicken served atop even saltier rice. My preference lay with the Stew Chicken, for the flesh was plush and the robust, savoury properties were as close to an oxtail braise as I could get for the time being. Despite being priced $1.50 greater at $13.49 (pre-R&P), the Curried Chicken was atrociously dry and relatively bland.

D&G's Ginger Beer, while thankfully milder than that of Grace, contained a positively frightening portion of sugar. At 56 g per serving, the bottle constituted 112% of the average adult's daily intake, leading to a instant sugar rush and post-rush headache.

The Peanut Punch, on the other hand, was quite the delicacy. Miracle's had been thick and shake-like, whereas Grace's bore noticeable depth alluding to additions of vanilla and a finite amount of salt.

Friday afternoons have been synonymous with grocery runs as of late, as they serve as the single external source of step counts

We opted to conclude the trip with a decidedly soft (read: low integrity) Oat Fudge Bar and Açaí Refresher with Lemonade and Black Tea from the Starbucks kiosk.

A Grinch-like Matcha Latte and Iced Vietnamese Coffee were enjoyed at other times throughout the week. Countless rounds of experimentation later, I deem 28 g of grinds + 5.7 fl. oz, or 167 ml, to be the appropriate ratio (in a pourover setup!).