Out & About #719 | Ontario Place Picnic + Stay Sweet

The province's entry into Stage 1 was an event worth celebrating. Few items had changed since lifting of the stay-at-home order, but Friday the 11th marked outdoor gatherings permissible once again.

I proposed a picnic to orangecane not long after hearing the news, then promptly forgot about the proposal until Thursday, when hours worked throughout the week were to be logged and submitted. Well-versed in the ways of urban living, majority of the variables were left in her capable hands for the final decision.

Toronto Islands had assumed the initiation destination, only to later be swapped for Ontario Place in consideration of my tardy arrival. Having only ever seen the area after dark on a single occasion, venturing along the waterfront by foot to the Cinesphere was an entirely foreign experience.

The menu comprised of rice balls (termed 못난이김밥/ugly kimbap or 주먹밥/fist-shaped onigiri), zucchini frittata, watermelon and mint salad, romaine salad w/ mozzarella and apple, yellow pickled radish, and yubuchobap (유부초밥) - Korea's take on inarizushi. I had also constructed a peach-grape pie as dessert on the morning of; in fear of not finishing though, it was excluded from our assortment.

​Approximately thirty minutes of a walk was undertaken to reach our picnicking spot. Glorious and sunny, with a faint breeze felt every now and then, the only aspect that could have improved the trek was relief from the cooler weighing on my forearms.

Mercury levels climbed throughout the day, yet our spot underneath the shade kept us cool, and even a bit chilly at times. With a splendid view of Lake Ontario before us, we leisurely picked at our (very) late lunch while observing those zooming by on bikes and rollerblades.

Our tranquil stay would have likely continued into the early evening hours, had the fury of the red-winged blackbird not fallen upon us. A strictly unprovoked attack, the duo darted towards us, unleashing angry calls and violent pecks in response to our utter presence. Though I was fortunate to have escaped unscathed, the same could not be said for orangecane. Even glimpses of birds flying near us was enough to instill fear in our hearts for the remainder of the day.

Retracing our path to the core, we began to evaluate other possibilities for the day. Despite having munched on Choco Churro Turtle Chips already, the weather summoned ice cream, or a similarly sweet treat.

It was then that we agreed on the walk to Dessert Lady, wherein Stay Sweet was located. Not nearly as treacherous as I had imagined, we managed completion of the 60-minute journey just before 6:30 pm.

Stay Sweet offered a total of 12 flavours, some fixed and some altered on a monthly basis. Walk-in purchases could be made in the format of a Box of 9 or Box of 4, both of which consisted of preset flavours. Deviations from the selection were exclusive to pre-orders. That said, we were informed that they would have not issues re-arranging the selection for us, given that it was closing time anyway.

Indecisiveness got the best of me: while there were flavours I could easily opt out of, I ultimately decided to obtain all twelve flavours. The trip to Yonge and Bloor had been a grueling one, especially on foot, thus it seemed only fitting to take advantage of the incredibly rare opportunity.​

I caught a glimpse of Sunday Baking behind the counter of Dessert Lady, earnestly tackling pre-closing activities from mopping to garbage disposal. "Go say hi!" nudged orangecane beside me. But alas, I could not bring myself to interrupt her.

It wasn't until the conclusion of our checkout process that her business partner prompted, "How did you find out about us?"
Naturally, I snatched the opportunity to declare my fan status. "Actually, I follow her channel."
The surprised response was accompanied by wide eyes. "Oh! Does she know? Did you tell her?"
As I shook my head in disappointment, she immediately assured me of my chance, "Hold on - I'll go get her!"

Lo and behold, within five minutes, Sunday Baking herself walked up towards us. Without a moment's delay, I began to express my gratitude towards her creations and thoughtful recipes. She responded positively, appearing slightly overwhelmed by my enthusiasm but nonetheless thankful - possibly as much as myself.

I departed in high spirits, paying little attention to the uneven tiling that I would soon stumble over. The return trip estimated another hour, only to be extended by curiosity in the Urban Campfire Benches - one of Yorkville's many streetscaping projects, tired feet, and dinner discussions.

A boastfully beany Chicken & Carnitas Salad was obtained from Chipotle while en route to supplement our picnic leftovers.

 Then, the Korean-style macarons were unveiled.

Scarred from Thierry's sickeningly sugary mounds in my early teenage years, macarons have rarely been spotted on this space, and I say "rarely" only since they have likely infiltrated through secondhand purchases. I shall admit that they are amongst my least liked desserts, as they possess the very characteristics I despise: excessive sweetness and meringue.
​With that said, I was willing to give Stay Sweet a try. Beyond the fact that the assortment comprised of Korean-style macarons, I was intrigued by their origins. One half of the Stay Sweet duo is a creator, baker, and individual that I admire. That alone was persuasive enough to obtaining all twelve flavours available. 

View the full album HERE !

The shells were crisp, yet only a tad sweet, while the buttercream fillings were substantial in proportion. Creamier than they were sweet, I enjoyed the vast majority my picks.
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• Matcha Nutella

Matcha Nutella served as my entry point to Korean-style macarons. Roughly the height of three stacked fingers, the circular specimen offered more volume than I had anticipated. I reached with minimal expectations, yet was rewarded phenomenal flavour. The shells were, admittedly, a tad sweet, though the filling was unlike the syrupy tack that had scarred me in my late teens. Grassy, velvety, and creamy, the bite was as airy as it was satisfying. Trace amounts of Nutella made their way into the filling, but was barely distinguishable in the cross-section. I quite enjoyed this aspect, for its addition merely serves to amplify the bittersweet qualities of matcha via subtle contrast.

• ​Signature Vanilla

Perhaps I only have myself to blame, but the second sampling of Signature Vanilla was not as formidable as its predecessor. A filling reminiscent of softened butter in both hue and consistency oozed from between the shells, plopping itself onto the plate before me in a perfect pale yellow crescent. The shells were consumed in their entirety, but given its extremely buttery properties, I couldn't bring myself to polish off the ensemble's barely-sweet counterpart.

• Dulce de Leche

Following closely in the steps of Matcha Nutella, Dulce de Lech was another stunner. Obtaining the ideal proportions of caramel and milkiness is no easy feat, yet it is my belief that Stay Sweet has succeeded in doing just that. The decorative pearls contribute a tender crunch, while the dulce de leche centre compensates sweetness where due.

• Mango Crunch

Initially debating on the Box of 9, Mango Crunch had been named the first flavour to be excluded. My fear of artificially-flavoured strawberry snacks is severe, but only to be overwhelmed by a stark distaste towards synthetic mango additives. I found solace upon finding unaltered pieces of diced mango at the centre of this creation, followed by corn flake-like micro-shards along the edges. Also noteworthy is the green-yellow swirl adorning the shells; the pairing makes for an innovative colour scheme, for it is not normally associated with mango.

• Lotus Biscoff

Drawing inspiration from the popular Belgian cookie, a slice of the biscuit adorns the vibrant ruby shell while cookie crumbs dress the circumference. The cookie was inevitably soggy after residing in the box overnight, yet still perfectly edible. I found the shells to be comparatively sweeter than the other concoctions, a factor further highlighted with a sweet, nutty filling with notes of caramel and vanilla. The consensus was that the creation was tasty, but at the sugary end of the spectrum, teetering on the brink of enjoyment and headache-inducing.

• Mocha Crunch

Bearing a similar profile to Dulce de Leche, Mocha Crunch harnessed a semi-viscous centre of chocolate syrup within a beige spirals of coffee-infused buttercream. Although crunchy, potency was lacking: the essence of coffee was present yet only partially potent.

• Black Currant

The first of the three berry-based flavours to be ingested, Black Currant's profile was creamy, tart, and even a little textured. The filling resembled a richer edition of the classic mixed berry smoothies from childhood, complete with crunchy nibbles of berry seeds; in contrast was a thin, slightly damp shell whose sweetness was accentuated by the zestier inner component. Located in the lower third of the macaron was a translucent inclusion of sorts, though the flavour could not be pinpointed.

• Injeolmi Easily one of my top picks of the assortment, Injeolmi featured roasted soybean powder in all facets of the dessert. Given my fondness for the ingredient, it effortlessly slid within the top 5, not far behind Matcha and Dulce de Leche. Those less acquainted with injeolmi may find the specimen too dry and inferior to Stay Sweet's other varieties in terms of appearance. Be not fooled, however, for there lies beauty within its simplistic nature.

• Raspberry Cheesecake

A surefire hit with lady-like lovers of pink, this Barbie-themed creation was as peppy and plush as it seemed. I bore neither affection nor dislike towards this combination, but would choose a toasty houjicha or bitter dark chocolate over it on any given occasion.
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• Earl Grey Javachip

Mint chocolate-like in appearance, Earl Grey Javachip combined the satisfying texture of chocolate chips with the airy properties of tea. Minimal flavour exuded from the shell, though the depth of the buttercream proved sufficient in delivering contentment.

• Berry Berry

Originally the second style to be eliminated from the selection, Berry Berry was an astounding surprise of floral aromas, fresh berries, and a mild hit of tartness at its centre. It easily placed in my top 5, surrendering points only to the white chocolate coating.
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• ​Crème Brûlée

Given the torched sugar surface, this one is likely best eaten on the date of acquisition. Despite the acetate sheet acting as a separator, transfer of the caramelized portions was inevitable. That said, the top remained decidedly crunchy, even after a few days in the fridge. Visual appeal had not been surrendered in the slightest; even the textured swirl of vanilla bean-infused filling had persevered. The profile was sweet, as expected, with faint dots of caramel at its centre, yet quite reminiscent of one of my favourite desserts on the planet.

​And with that said, allow me to declare macarons as a potential contender for future dessert purchases. They are "not sought out" per se, but rather viewed as an option for consideration.