Out & About #938 | Bronte Creek Provincial Park + Pecan Pie

Thanksgiving long weekend is my personal prompt for outdoor exploration. As much as I relish the vast natural wonders the nation has to offer, the harvest season is, simply put, just wholly more inviting. The breezy, balmy conditions and striking sceneries are arguably enough to coax to any Ontarian out of their pod of mundaneness into the wild, embracing the very essence of "being one with nature".

Leading up to the three-day weekend, I had been researching areas of interest. My coworker (and fellow baking enthusiast) had spoken highly of Sauble Beach, spurring a surge of intrigue. This location was an approximate 2.5h drive northwest; being just south of Tobermory, it was closer to Lake Huron than our usual fall getaway at Lake Simcoe. Devoid of the chauffeur services of the sleepy polar bear, I had to be selective: The extensive round trip ought reward me with breathtaking views. But colour change is a natural phenomenon, uncontrolled by mankind.

I proceeded with what any s̶a̶n̶e̶ critical person would do and resorted to the Fall Colour Report by Ontario Parks. Most of the province was a steady yellow, indicating pending colour change. Alas, there was one spot with a decidedly red indicator: Bronte Creek Provincial Park.

​Hurriedly preparing for a site visit, I checked only the travel time and availability of lavatories, and not the trip's potential economic impacts. Twenty minutes on the QEW later, we turned onto the Burloak Drive off-ramp. The first stop was Tim Hortons, for the obvious need for indoor plumbing facilities. Then, we navigated towards the park's sole access point off Burloak, eventually arriving at a toll house.

Admission fees would be required for all visitors, whether day use or camping. Seasonal and annual passes were also available, though only the Day Use numbers were applicable to us. This permit would enable parking on site and access to all trails and attractions beyond the campgrounds. Adults would be subject to a rate of $18, while Seniors (aged 65 and above) a rate of $14.50. There were no discounts for children under 12 years of age. Fees are taken per vehicle, rather than individual visitors, thus it is advised to carpool for maximum utilization.

​Maneuvering along the perimeter of the site to Parking Lot F, we pulled into the busiest lot - which, frankly, wasn't all that busy - and secured a shaded spot on the gravel terrain.

Past the plethora of picnic tables and Spruce Lane Farm we tread. The Spruce Lane Farmhouse was closed at this time, but presumably served similar heritage value to The Bradley House closer to home. ​The area featured farm activities and animals, haystacks, a tractor, and even playground facilities, rendering it exceptionally family-friendly. It also led into the Trillium Trail, a short 1.1 km loop featuring Harvest Story graphics and rhyming sequences.

​We greeted the cows on the field before heading in the direction of the Half Moon Valley Trail. The quad of brown and spotted species appeared sluggish and somewhat irritable, all opting to remain seated instead of grazing.

The Half Moon Valley Trail was designated as Trail 6, with copper-coloured trail markers visible along its entirety. Numbered checkpoints were also spotted at each fork and after each major elevation change. The extent of the trails were identified with extreme clarity, with closed connection points signed for "trail maintenance" and width clearly defined to prevent tick infestation or cow parsnip burns. As always, staying on the main trail is advised, especially when near steep sections by the ravine.

​Elevation differences along the trail were minimal, making for a relatively easy hike. Furthermore, wooden stairwells and boardwalks were maintained very well, facilitating the trek overall. Rocks and roots along the main path were rare, but usually obvious.

View the full album HERE !

​Along the journey, we observed funghi, greenery, a variety of suburban berries, and even a lone toad. The tips of deciduous trees had begun to take on distinct shades of mustard and orange, though the bulk remained verdant. Some sections featured crunchiness, the signature sound of crisp, fallen leaves. The quantity witnessed aligned with the Fall Colour Report of 10% leaf fall, if not exceeded it.

Descending towards Bronte Creek, we found shallow waters and casual fishermen in the accompaniment of their families. The ladies, utterly disinterested, merely rested on nearby logs and chatted away. Father and son duos handled the rods, while the children took to wading in the water aimlessly. Admittedly, the sheer shallowness of the creek was rather disappointing. Having been accustomed to the grandness of the Credit River, nearly all GTA waterways seem to pale in comparison.

Further along the creek were comparatively deeper waters and a handful of salmon sightings, both dead and alive. The salmon corpses had resulted from the annual salmon run, which had taken place at least two weeks earlier this year compared to last.

Rounding off the trail where we had started, we returned to find the cows happily grazing. Their backs were turned towards us, with tails swinging in a metronome-like manner.

​The Half Moon Trail suggested 45-60 minutes of walking time. With the inclusion of photo-taking stops, we had successfully completed the former in 52 minutes.
As such, I then took it upon myself to complete the adjacent Trillium Trail, which recommended an allowance of 30-45 minutes.

Within the first few steps, it dawned on me that I had embarked on the route opposite to the intended direction. Storyboards for the Harvest Story Trail had been positioned away from me; similarly, other trail-goers were found walking towards me, rather than in the same direction.

​Nevertheless, I persevered along the trail with undeniable briskness, pausing only to capture bits of the Harvest Story additions. Denoted with magenta-tinted Trail 5 signage and an absence of numbered checkpoints, the Trillium Trail was mostly flat. It assumed a concise expedition ideal for kids, especially when fitted with colourful installations for reading.
​
With purposeful - and slightly perspiration-inducing - steps, the trek was completed in just 17 mins by yours truly, inclusive of photos.

During my leisurely walk back to the gravel lot, the standalone washroom building came into view. Indoor plumbing was available after all! ​

The facilities were on par with those at the Johnston Canyon site, albeit smaller with a lacquered cabin roof; encased within the dispensers was toilet paper as thin as that of McDonald's.

​Evaluating the supposed 50% Colour Change and 10% Leaf Fall on the Ontario Parks website, it was concluded that, while the leaf fall percentage was accurate, colour change seemed to be a 50% combined total of yellow, orange, and red foliage.

Source: Ontario Parks, 2023

Although we hadn't had the opportunity of venturing to the designated ravine lookout on Trail 4 - appropriately termed the Lookout Ravine Trail - the trip was nonetheless enjoyable. Bronte Creek Provincial Park was deemed a splendid place to explore and spend a day in nature, and fairly affordable as well. Bug spray and sunscreen would be considered mandatory from a personal standpoint, as we encountered many flying pests over the course of our two-hour stay.

Source: Bronte Creek Provincial Park / Friends of Bronte Creek

All good hikes end with a well-deserved sweet treat, namely ice cream. In the proximity were few local parlours, though I managed to locate my POI relatively quickly while scrolling through options presented on the map.

​The Flavour Fox was situated  at the intersection of Bronte and Lakeshore, at the foot of a residential complex near a senior home. Two 15-minute parking spots could be found tucked away just east of the storefront, but most patrons resorted to metred street parking without woes.
Despite being hesitant towards its coordinates, I recognized the white panelled exterior of Cove shortly after seeing Bronte Harbour come into view. The waterfront route was a familiar one after all.

Swiftly reversing into one of the many spots along boardwalk, we hopped onto the concrete-and-interlock-lined pathway towards our post-hike destination. Unsurprisingly, it was one of the few establishments open at the hour of 5 PM (beyond restaurants with patios). Also unsurprising was the persistent queue length of patrons within. Clearly, we had come to the right place.

​The menu spanned artisan gelato flavours, ice cream from Kawartha Dairy, as well as espresso-based beverages using Lavazza beans. To the far left was an ice cream refrigerator housing renowned Kawartha flavours such as Moose Tracks, Tiger Tail, and Mocha Almond Fudge. At the centre of the shop were gelato flavours, separated into regular and vegan options. Behind the counter were cones, compostable containers, and the tackiest menu I had ever laid eyes on in recent history.

Disregarding the odd logo choice, humour-inducing font, and poorly photoshopped floating images of blueberries and pistachio, our eyes darted towards the size and price combinations. For such a compact establishment, the interior wasn't nearly as stifling as one would imagine. Three fans at the east edge of the space were observed to preserve circulation.
When our turn finally came, we hesitated not in clarifying the scoop and cup sizes. The staff member behind the counter was more than willing to explain the format, noting that scoop size was merely a metric of volume and not flavour choice. As such, the first Small cup would comprise of Coffee and Hazelnut.

My inquiry towards samples was met with willingness and enthusiasm. I took towards small spoonfuls of the Apple Pie and Passion Fruit Cheesecake. The former was laced with cozy cinnamon and luscious bits of apple, while the latter was, remarkably refreshing, in spite of its "cheesecake" constituents. I relayed my order of a Small cup with these exact flavours, then proceeded to confirm whether Apple Pie would be a seasonal exclusive. The staff member responded with glee, "It was supposed to be, and we were testing it a few weeks ago, but I think it's going to stay." He glanced towards the tub, then back at us, eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's actually one of my favourites, along with the Passion Fruit Cheesecake, so I'm quite happy!"

Sliding ourselves along the length of the gelato bar, our orders would be fulfilled by a different member of staff. In response to our "thank yous" came an even more gracious "My pleasure!". The weekend team had consisted of just two young staff members, yet their service was splendid and operations were fluid.

The Hazelnut Gelato was the unanimous item of affection, possessing exemplary qualities of smoothness, nuttiness, and delectability without excessive richness. Coffee, on the other hand, was a tad lacking in comparison given its milder profile, but nevertheless enjoyable when consumed in conjunction with Hazelnut.
The contents of my own cup emerged rather rigid, as far as gelato goes. It mattered minimally though, for rapid dissolution was the aspect I feared most. The full-sized scoop of Apple Pie was sublime, not only embracing the opulent apple-y goodness of the coveted autumn dessert, but also its signature crumble. As stated earlier, the Passion Fruit Cheesecake was neither too rich nor milky, and even contained crunchy bits of passionfruit seeds!

Moreover, the portions were perfect for a pre-supper pick-me-up.

Pecan Pie is a quintessential element of every autumnal arrival. Frankly, I was quite excited to delve into this year's iteration, as I was absolutely convinced that the process had been perfected last fall.
Unfortunately, a distracted mind and poor timing can interfere with outcomes once thought to be unchangeable.

I allowed my one-week-old pie dough to gradually come to room temperature before rolling. With the exception of some peculiar, vanilla bean speck-like dots gracing the surface, the disc spread with ease. Taking heed to prevent over-rolling, I immediately halted when the dough had reached its desired diameter.
Instead of the non-stick, loose bottom tart part from years past, the same glass dish used to contain last week's highly successful apple pie was retrieved. As SK had advised, the dough resided in the freezer for some duration of time while the custard was prepared. Although a non-stick tart pan makes for visually appealing edges, this choice of baking vessel risks edges sliding down the side of the pan. (That said, it is uncertain whether freezing the crust, as SK suggests, will prevent such degree of shrinkage.)

In hindsight, I ought to have timed creation of the components better. The custard had cooled significantly before the incorporation of eggs, causing noticeable separation. It would then remain on the stovetop for at least twenty minutes in wait for the par-baking procedure to terminate. The ideal circumstances would be for the custard to be compiled and poured into the par-baked crust within five minutes of completion.
SK had noted a par-baking time of 20 mins at 400 F and baking time of 40-45 minutes at 350 F. Perhaps it was a consequence of my oven's constantly fluctuating temperature, but I found the centre of the pie to be slightly underdone. The crust was on the paler side, while the custard a tad runny for my liking. Despite having removed the pie from the oven when the centre was still jiggly and the surface had attained a uniform, golden hue, I personally would have allowed the pie to remain within for at least 5-10 minutes longer for improved depth and consistency.

The blunder likely wouldn't be apparent to inexperienced pie samplers, however it was obvious enough that a sense of defeat washed over me. This crippling sensation would be amplified as I cut into the pie before it was completely cooled, exposing a somewhat pale crust and causing the centremost section to ooze. "Did I underbake it?" I wondered initially. "No. The centre was jiggly and the surface shimmering and golden - what could possibly have gone wrong?"

As I would soon learn, warm pecan pies were frowned upon, especially if the surface and crust possessed stark temperature differences. Cooling was mandatory.

Results were far tastier once patience had been exercised. Furthermore, the crust was, as anticipated, flaky as ever - and not too thin this time!

In summary,

• Freshly made pie crust is best (always!), as chilling causes the edges to become dry, even after 20 mins of gentle thawing at room temperature.
• A glass dish works well to prevent shrinkage (and spillage of custard), though a tart pan yields perfectly uniform crimped edges (ie. effortless visuals).
• Aim to align the preparation of the filling with the baking time of the pie, such that the filling does not sit idle for too long before baking.
• It is mandatory to allow the pie to cool completely before cutting. This ensures that the pecans do not tear away from the rest of the custard, and further prevents delving into a warm, clumpy centre instead of a nutty, caramel-y gooeyness.