Out & About #757 | Week #84 Quarantine Update Feat. Isaan Der, Baking + Misc. Fall Eats

I realize I had spoken too soon of Mother Nature. In contempt of my scarce departures from the house (and home office), I learned of her resoluteness, evidenced by our steep swoop into single-digit temperatures.

The week hadn't commenced chilly though, for I found myself wishing - then manifesting - a Mint Chocolate Smoothie as icy and refreshing as Palgong's. Even with bountiful scoops of Baskin Robbin's Mint Chocolate Chip and a few drops of peppermint extract, the effects weren't entirely cooling enough.

Meals of the week comprised of Thin Crust Pizza Funghi, a trio of Garlic Bread, Ribs, and a totally-not-mild Mix Platter from Sizzlo's Flame Grilled Chicken, Ribs, and, my favourite of all, homemade Braised Daikon and Pork. It brings me some shame to affirm my lack of presence in the kitchen, for work responsibilities are seldom predictable and even rarer to be accommodating of the duties of reality.

Creations of the week included:

1) Apple Cider

Building upon knowledge sustained from last year's accidentally mulled concoction. I proceeded with converting the remainder of our Cortland apples into a ginger- and nutmeg-free cider. Roughly eight standard-sized apples and one decidedly unripe one were peeled and cored, totalling 885 g of flesh. In consideration of time, the wedges were tossed into the rice cooker. The compartment was filled with water enough to cover the segments, then slowly simmered on the Congee setting alongside two cinnamon sticks and a heavy dash of pumpkin pie spice.

An umeasured quantity of brown sugar had been added to the compartment as well, though ultimately proved insufficient for the quantity and sweetness of apples used. When the emulsion emerged with soft yet intact segments of apple floating within, the formula was transferred to a blender for homogenization. Raw honey was incorporated at this point for body, while filtration of solids was undertaken the next day for a clearer fluid. The concentrated brew was fantastic consumed cold, yet even more enjoyable when paired with Perrier.

Enjoyed alongside the creation process were Vietnamese coffee and seasonal exclusives from Purdy's. Significantly better results were seen using Café du Monde grinds as opposed to the Trung Nguyen blend. An initial hypothesis is that the grind size of the latter lacks uniformity, causing blockage of the phin's filter and awkward extraction time.

2) Dalgona Glaze Scones

With an odd penchant for Dalgona Scones, I set out to construct the precise item of interest from the ever-amazing Sunday Baking's guideline. I resisted the urge to scale the recipe, for orangecane's words echoed in my head; one ought to adhere to the control methodology at least once prior to adjusting for personal preference.

I craved the crunchy, caramel-y qualities of the Korean sweet paired with the moist crumbliness of a scone. Achieving 80% of my desired scone profile with minimal effort, I proceeded with the tricky top layer. A first attempt with baking powder induced failure, reasonably so, while a second with baking soda yielded a thin, lightly tan crust. More of a sturdy glaze than a friable honeycomb toffee, I opted to halt further trials until adequate research was acquired.

Consulting the original creator herself and a handful of other video tutorials, it appears that the fault may lie with temperature control or insufficient reagent.

Early in the week, an impromptu task was posed toward me. Perhaps it wasn't my responsibility to perform, yet I eagerly undertook the assignment in the face of comparatively light administrative work. It involved a painstaking drive through the downtown core, then northbound on the heavily congested Don Valley Parkway. Ensuing from the congestion and last-minute arranges was chaos: nearly getting slammed by a parking gate and endless twisting turns on municipal roadways.

Naturally, post-work plans had been arranged to maximize the fuel expended. Not too far was the Thai ahgase's workplace, where we would join heads to narrow down a suitable supper destination. My fear for lack of parking originally sent us in the direction of North York, by Uncle Tetsu's Orfus Road location. Travelling south on Yonge though, a colourful storefront caught our attention. Our eyes met, and a conclusion was confirmed.

Northeastern cuisine being the name of the game, I was delighted to find familiar names of Khao Soi, Tom Kha, and Som Tam, dishes originating from the northern region bordering Laos. Spotted on the drink menu was the country's signature name of Singha as well as a few local craft varieties. There were no symbols or pictographs to be found in regards to spice levels; it was later learned that degrees of fieriness could be adjusted as desired, from wholly mild to blazing wildfire.

​I had proposed taking to the patio at first, as weather conditions seemed permissible. Rowdy gusts and diminishing daylight prompted our migration indoors, where vaccination records were visually inspected against ID cards.

Around the 6:30 PM mark, we were the only patrons within the eatery. A few groups began to occupy the outdoor seating at this point, though majority of entrants were food delivery staff or patrons picking up takeout orders personally.

We took to orders of Gaeng Massaman and Pad Si Ew to share. The proposal of Coconut Rice, at an additional charge, was put forth to pair alongside the Gaeng Massaman, as we were under the impression that carby complements were to be requested separately.
Our orders arrived in under ten minutes - a record account in review of the takeout packages being prepare simultaneously. Along with the Gaeng Massaman was a plate of steamed white rice, and beside it our "add-on" portion of Coconut Rice. Contrary to our assumption, rice was included as part of the meal; moreover, protein choice did not incur extra costs unless shrimp was selected.

​Depicted by the Thai ahgase as a sweet, mild curry with potatoes, the Gaeng Massaman surprised both of us by offering an extremely tangy profile and the substitution of sweet potatoes. Sprinkled at its peak was handful of crispy fried shallots - a close relative of the onions referenced in the menu description. Fork-tender chunks of beef were nestled within the bowl, then devoured enthusiastically between spoonfuls of fragrant Coconut Rice and the refreshing curry base. The flavours were a subtle departure from tradition, I was informed, yet nonetheless marvelous for stimulating the appetite and appeasing the soul.

The Pad Si Ew with Chicken again bore slight variations from the supposed classic roster of components: green beans infiltrated their way into the noodle dish alongside "Chinese broccoli". It wasn't clear to me if the ingredient was rapini, but there were some undeniable differences with the choy sum or gai lan customarily adopting that title. ​Its foundation were chewy flat rice noodles cooked in soy to a flavourful state without introduction of overwhelming levels of sodium. It was, perhaps, still a tad greasy for my liking, but delicious all the same.

​Washrooms were located on the upper level of the restaurant, at the top of a fairly steep stairwell. An absence of illumination and signage inflicted confusion on us, yet the stalls were ultimately located at the end of the C-shaped corridor. Peaking out the window, a quaint view of Midtown Toronto could be observed.

​With budding urges for bingsoo, or dessert in general, a rapid scan of nearby options took place. With The Cups being too far and Milkcow utterly unappealing, we strode to the next intersection to find Punto Gelato.

​A vast array of drool-worthy specimens greeted our entrance. On top of the gelato bar were cones of various styles: sugar, waffle, and even chocolate waffle.
The Thai ahgase pointed towards a baby pink mixture with a "Novita" sign perched on top. It was a recent addition to the lineup and possessed properties evoking grapefruit and other citrus elements. I too pointed towards the flavour, with the creamier Pistachio as my second choice.

​Delectable in their own respect, it was noticed that the grapefruit-based exhibit was less resilient to dissolution. Meanwhile, the Pistachio was luscious, sturdy, and absolutely enticing - covetable, even.

​The weekend arrived with feelings of anxiety and annoyance, for I was sleep-deprived after a late night of chores and vivid nightmare of work-related pandemonium. Yet another forty-minute commute awaited me. At the other end was an appointment intended to relieve such worries, but one wrong movement and I proceeded with the rest of my day with a strained neck.

Lunch at ochungg's was filled with Sliced Fish Congee, fried dough sticks toasted to order, and a Small order of Makchang Soondae from Hansin Gamjatang.

ochungg's weeknight excursion had made me aware of the specialty offering, which was in essence soondae encased within a lining of cow stomach. The "chang" series are most notably known as anju - soju pairings to be exact​, thus instilling delight in response to its local sighting.

The portion came accompanied with kimchi (tortuously tear-provoking), chives, dipping salt, sewoojeot, one sliced garlic clove, and two containers of gochujang-based (and presumably spicy) sauce. Contentment was attained through consumption of the dish in its purest form, nixing the need for condiments altogether. The exterior was chewy like cuttlefish, while the soondae was supple and satisfying - a disparity from the tough, tightly-packed rounds of most other establishments.

​Constructing a Japanese Cheesecake was the next order of business. Working strategically, I managed to assemble a decent-looking batter despite initial setbacks. Additional steps of thawing of frozen cream cheese and butter had not been taken into consideration in the planning stages. The same applied towards meticulous washing of culinary equipment to prevent cross-contamination. That said, I witnessed inadequate volume in the whipped egg whites and seizing of the cream cheese in the face of frozen butter addition.

​Thankfully, these kinks were resolved in a matter of thirty minutes, leading the final product to emerge somewhat similar to the image in mind. Remarks cannot be extended towards its taste, for I will not be sampling any segment of it.

​Later commentary disclosed feedback more favourable than Uncle Tetsu, though it is uncertain whether the evaluation was fact or flattery.

​Hunger prevailed on the route home, to an extent that could not be satiated with the sugary Reese Puffs Cereal Bar bestowed upon me. Congestion between the 404 and 401 led to an early exit off the Sheppard ramp. McDonald's fries were contemplated, then forgoed given the proximity to Wooffles' new location on Don Mills Road.

A Pumpkin & Spice Wooffle was acquired for the dreary, collision-filled trip back. Despite departing Markham with ample illumination, obstructions along the highway resulted in my eventual arrival past dusk.
On the bright side, the limited time fall Wooffle was scrumptious, with just enough cinnamon to evoke to a sense of fall fuzziness and pockets of plush pumpkin puree for substance.