Out & About #953 | Holiday Smile Cookie, Festive Décor + Earl Grey Madeleines with Orange White Chocolate Coating

Tim Hortons' peculiarly-timed introduction of the Smile Cookie back into its lineup caught many Canadians by surprise. Previously a September exclusive, a holiday-themed version was advertised leading up to its one-week sale period.

Source: Tim Hortons (November 2023)

​The festive rendition features white chocolate chips and red and green sprinkles in a classic cookie base brimming with notes of vanilla, unlike the soft chocolate chunk cookie familiar to us. Swapped out were the pastel pink and baby blue for a sturdy, starkly white icing. Its consistency evoked the essence of gingerbread house adhesive, and was likely just as sugary. The cookie itself was also noticeably thicker, thus more gratifying.

As a consequence of the upgraded icing, runny Joker-esque smiles were kept at bay. These cookies actually smiled!

Each cookie retails at $1.50, of which all proceeds would be donated to local charities.

Following our dining experience at Gol's Lanzhou Noodle, I couldn't help but contemplate the contentment bestowed upon me by a similar noodle in broth dish.

It should come as no surprise that Pho Big Bowl has assumed position of our pho favourite as of late. Besides our go-to picks of No. 18 Well-Done Brisket Pho Noodle Soup and No. 82 Pad Thai Style Stir Fried Noodle w/ Egg, Shrimp, and Chicken, we also explored other aspects of their menu with an order of No. 43 Vermicelli with BBQ Pork.

​The small Pho was requested without onions and hot sauce; the restaurant honoured the first ask, though still included a small container of hoisin-sriracha. Whether a result of the omission of onions or not, my container had been filled with a greater amount of brisket than usual.
Meanwhile, the Pad Thai was requested mild, but emerged lacking in flavour and filled with undercooked onions and red peppers rings. I was insistent in compensating for this loss with a homemade condiment: peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, mirin, turmeric, and trace amounts of salt and sugar were vigorously stirred to form a golden curry-toned paste. Despite being reminiscent of Thai flavours, the formula hadn't exactly succeeded in resembling the pad thai seasoning used.

​The Vermicelli with BBQ Pork came accompanied with a handful of crunchy, pickled veggies and occupied by a generous portion of (regrettably dry) protein.

Other meals of the week included: Tomato Pork + Choy Sum over Short Grain Rice, Minced Pork, Tomato Pork + Choy Sum over Short Grain Rice, and Purple Rice Coconut Dessert Soup.

​Watermain construction persists in our neighbourhood, but has now transitioned to the area immediately beyond my window. Rudely awakened by the sound of asphalt removal, I commenced my work-from-home routine slightly earlier than normal, in a noticeably irritable fashion.

Unthinkable it was to experience just a mere snapshot of the lane reductions and sidewalk chaos endured by residents of the Yonge-Eg area for the past decade and more.

​Seeing as LCBO permitted returns within 30 days, I set out to complete the task before the inevitable arrival of rush hour. While the liquor giant was unable to process the transaction as a refund, I was granted in-store credit for same-day usage.

One bottle of Tamanohikari Omachi Junmai Daiginjo could be obtained in exchange for six cans of beer. Appended to the order were Cave Springs Riesling Dry 2021 (not Icewine) and Hakutsuru Sayuri.

All seemed to be going well until I was informed that beer returns would be automatically subjected to disposal, and would not be re-shelved. What a waste! Despite none of the cans being opened - or even chilled, for that matter - company policy insisted that beer returns be disposed. (Coolers, as I was informed, were excluded from this rule, however.)

My heart dropped at the news, for I would have found alternate options for the products had I known. The beer had done no wrong; my body simply wasn't as resilient with gluten intake as it once was.

​Well warranting its steep price tag, Tamanohikari was impeccable: With an aroma as alluring and addictive as Hakutsuru Sho-Une but a palate doubly - or quadruply - exquisite.

Heading into downtown, I was met with a plethora of festive holiday installations.

Inside First Canadian Place were twinkly snowflakes suspended between luxurious-looking red ribbon.

Meanwhile, Scotia Plaza was home to golden eight-point stars and a large moose at the northerly entrance, with a breathtaking Christmas tree within. The scenery promoted exploration of the shops within, for it provided a sense of solace and warmth, in both metaphorical and physical aspects.

Peculiar to me was the inclusion of a pedestrian signal at the south limit of Grand Opera Lane, an interlock access supporting loading operations of the surrounding businesses and a 7.0-metre external PATH connection between Scotia Plaza and 100 Yonge Street.

At nearing the glass doors, a gargantuan pedestrian stop signal could be seen. Though, it quickly vanished once the path cleared.

Source: Google Maps (Oct 2020)

​A lofty pine tree was also spotted being erected outside City Hall, along with ongoing preparations to ready the public skating rink.

Pre-Black Friday deals were spotted at the Eaton Centre, but paled in comparison to the grand reductions online. Consequently, interest levels were shifted towards the LED decorations affixed to the ceiling and varied red-and-green products lining the shelves. I was most curious as to whether Läderach would be offering any seasonal specials, however observed only regular-priced advent calendars - unthinkably costly ones of course.

Observed on the basement-level food court was the foreshadowing of a new Bingz location, much to my delight.

​Striding past the unintentionally chpper red-white signage, I queued for Tim Hortons. Yet another Holiday Smile Cookie would be obtained, along with a small Cold Brew with Baileys Syrup. The drink was customized with milk instead of cream and stripped of the cold foam topping, making for a price tag of $3.49.

In contrast to the absolutely revolting Vanilla Cold Brew, the Baileys edition was surprisingly passable - not overly sugary, and even decently good! That said, I did perceive the concoction a tad too acidic and devoid of coffee essence.

The Holiday Smile Cookie was, again, smiley with its thick, white strokes of icing.

Leading up to my second in-office day, I was presented - at least twice - with information regarding The Body Shop's pop-up space at Union Station. Frankly, the installation was comparatively less intriguing than Haribo, for being advertised heavily was the fair trade beauty retailer's various scented creams and advent calendars. Given that I've only ever found their lavender and tea tree essential oils to be useful, I hadn't considered planning an exclusive excursion.

That said, when faced with meet-up needs with an acquaintance near the major transit hub, I hesitated not in maximizing the opportunity to partake in the limited-time event.

A queue had formed outside the shop upon my arrival. From the beanstalk-like member of staff, I obtained event details as well as an approximate wait time of fifteen minutes. Having to wait in the area anyways, I joined the curving lineup. True to his words, about ten minutes would pass before I'd enter under the door frame and into the luminous red-and-green space.
​
Advent calendars, gift bundles, and a handful of foreign creams and scrubs lined the shelves. The pop-up featured small, gift-able items, rather than the full-sized containers found in the standard retail store.

At the back of the space were two LED screens and a big red button. One by one, visitors would take turns pressing the button and observe a small box make its way across the conveyor belt. Within the box was a sample-sized product; most visitors that day received a miniature Vitamin C serum, though we had been informed that a total of forty full-sized products were randomly distributed. Consistent with the advent calendar theme, a new "mystery" sample would be revealed each day, enabling variety with multiple visits.

The boxes would be refilled by staff behind the display, confirming the initiative to be, largely, a marketing scheme to generate public interest. I would also anticipate the queue to regulate the number of samples distributed each day.

Once the deed had been done, my acquaintance and I parted ways. New openings at the concourse level were perused.

The Nespresso boutique had opened next to Decathlon.

Meanwhile, Wetzel's Pretzels had commenced operations last week, occupying the stall across from Hazukido.

Before departing, I learned of Starbucks' Red Cup promotion. Unfortunately, the reusable cup would require purchase of a seasonal beverage - either the festive holiday drinks or fall signature of pumpkin spice.

​Browsing the east end of Union led me to discover a City of Toronto office.

​Previously, I had only known of Metrolinx's longstanding occupancy at the east end, at 97 Front Street. The new CreateTO office would be found within a similar heritage building layout, but its insides mostly obscured from public view.

Retracing my path, I passed by Commerce Court's towering, dazzling Christmas tree. Its peak grazed the ceiling, while its trunk was fitted with twinkling lights and beautiful, shimmery bulb ornaments.

Just prior to returning, a last-minute stop to Timmies was made for the redemption of a baked item of my choice. Although the Chocolate Hazelnut Muffin was visually appealing, the franchise's Chocolate Chip Muffin remains my go-to.

I had re-entered the premises just in time for at 2 PM meeting, and spotted a cup of Thai Tea on my desk. A chunk of the team had ventured along Dundas Street for Nene Chicken and NaiNai. One member had been gracious enough to bring back an additional cup for me! While striding by the desks, I was overwhelmed with joy, for I had been included in the Thai Tea adventure despite not having accompanied the group personally.

The drink rang in at a supposed three dollars, yet ought not be undermined by its price tag. Astoundingly better than Banh Haus, NaiNai's rendition was fragrant, with prominent notes of cane sugar. Despite residing on the sweeter end of the spectrum, it was quite good - and, arguably, on par with some of Toronto's renowned eateries.

​I returned home feeling haggard, then promptly scratched myself from lack of coordination. The previous evening's fifty-three-minute treadmill session hadn't helped my case

When Friday afternoon's Zumba class was cancelled with no notice whatsoever, I turned to the Ladies' Only Fitness Room for an attempted, headphone-devoid exercise session. Thankfully, the space was quite empty (read: judgement-free mirror and free weight access) and had upbeat tracks playing above.

After roughly thirteen minutes of brisk walking on a ten-degree incline, I navigated over to the Stairmaster. Just five minutes of steady climbing was sufficient in yielding sore quads, for I had already engaged the all sides of the thighs several times over the course of the week.

Summoning my favourite Well+Good standing exercises from memory, I successfully executed Standing Core and Standing Mobility exercises, fitted with a few weighted arms. Perhaps the sole downsides were being mat-less (no planks) and the lightest free weight constituting five pounds (twice as heavy as my normal weights!). ​It would be an understatement to declare my mid-back as merely being "tender" afterwards.

Creations of the week included:

1) Cinnamon Swirl Crumb Cake from Krusteaz

Technically, I had requested a box of Trader Joe's Ube Mochi Pancake and Waffle Mix as a souvenir from the States, or nothing at all. Unfortunately, an item of lesser (nonexistent?) desire was obtained and bestowed upon me. That said, I wasn't about to refuse an exclusive souvenir.

The Cinnamon Swirl Crumb Cake was constructed as per the directions on the box. Water, oil, and one egg would be added to the flour mix, while a premade cinnamon topping was included in a separate pouch and labelled clearly to avoid confusion. The format was akin to Hoddeok Mixes, in which minor additions would be required of the flour mix.

Crafted between review of development applications, the cake base came together easily and quickly. Speaking personally, I'm not sure why a box mix would be required for such a simple formula. Then again, a portion of the population may be unwilling to invest in full-sized containers or packages of baking soda, baking powder, and flour for a one-time baking occasion. Besides the packaging, there were, essentially, no "leftover" ingredients - not that it would matter to me, of course.

Adhering to the exceptionally clear instructions, the batter came together with incredible ease, adopting a thick texture akin to Sunday Baking's crumble cake. It was equally difficult to spread evenly throughout the pan, yet regrettably did not yield the same amount of rise and textural satisfaction. Furthermore, the cake was crumbly - a stark difference from my preferred formula, which is sturdy yet light, and still easy to spread.

​The cinnamon component was far sweeter than I would have desired, despite emanating phenomenal, cozy aromas throughout the baking process. There was a sharp sandiness about it, likely from granulated sugar, but minimal crumb and crunch.

My household's taste-tester expressed similar commentary regarding the cloying sweetness, and also remarked on the cake's lack of depth. In contrast to my own creations, the Cinnamon Swirl Crumb Cake had proven one-dimensional. In its defense, the box mix is likely the most cost- and time-efficient investment for non-bakers for potlucks and festive gatherings. (But I just wouldn't be eating it, or missing it whatsoever.)

2) Earl Grey Madeleines

Seeing as how honey is often incorporated into madeleine recipes to ensure moistness, I began to contemplate the inclusion of yuzu jam, specifically the variation accentuated with passionfruit seeds. Alas, I had forgotten that our eclectic edition had yet to be opened, and an older jar resided in the fridge. Dismissing the possibility for another day, I instead turned towards Paragon's Baking Earl Grey. The packet had been purchased for upwards of one year and direly required usage.

Sunday Baking's 1 Madeleine, 4 Ways recipe was halved and adapted towards an Earl Grey rendition. While she also has an Earl Grey-specific recipe, I did not wish to invest additional time in creating brown butter or infusing tea leaves.

The three grams of matcha was substituted with twice as much Earl Grey powder, lending a distinctive profile to the finished product. Even after an accidental dumping of 12 grams, there was still about a teaspoon-ish or so remaining of the ingredient. Nonetheless, the madeleines did not emerge dry or dense.
Baked in three batches to prevent overfilling of the pan, the formula made for a total of 27 exceptionally porous, shell-shaped specimens. Interestingly, minimal rise was observed, nixing the French pastry's signature hump. It was uncertain whether the cause allude to too great a quantity of tea powder (or melted butter).

Nonetheless, they were scrumptious - neither with dense nor dull. A rich chestnut hue gave off the illusion of a pinecone when arranged into the storage container.

​Tempering operations would commence the following morning.
Into an unmeasured portion of Blancor, I would drizzle in (another unmeasured amount of) orange extract. The addition would serve to deepen the predictable properties of white chocolate, while using up the remnants of my extract bottle from 2021.

Using my trusty candy thermometer, the couverture was tempered in accordance with the colour-coded table on the back of the packaging. At first, I wasn't convinced that I had succeeded, for the madeleines resisted movement, as if welded onto the pan. I hastily began to pipe and smear the rapidly cooling tempered chocolate onto the rest of the batch.

Some twenty minutes later, I returned to find some degree of success! About half of the madeleines accepted the tempered chocolate coating, detaching from the pan with a crisp, delectable coating resilient against fingerprints and room temperature storage.
Naturally, this favourable outcome would transcend into the gustatory experience, boasting a mildly sweet, crunchy exterior and moist madeleine brimming with the essence of earl grey.

Errands had me Square One-bound in the latter half of the day. The parking situation was, shockingly, nowhere near as treacherous as I had feared.

​Once in the mall, it was also apparent that visitor volumes were on the low end. A number of Pre-Black Friday sales had commenced, though most shoppers were presumed to be readying themselves for splurging the following week, whether online or in-person.

kiokii and ... featured a number of promotions, ranging from Buy 2 Get 1 deals on hair accessories, 10%-20% off select skincare and cosmetic items, and even a whopping 50% off previous season merchandise. The innisfree promotions were relatively tame, spurring a sigh of relief from having replenished my inventory at M Brand last Saturday.

Along my swift trek about the shopping centre, I encountered:

• Elmo at The Rec Room
• Laughter-inducing fashion trends (moss bucket hat and jacket)
• The return of 2010s sweaters at Simons
• Various styles of plush and knit stockings
• Lindt's countless storewide promotions, plus a giant gold teddy in the shop window

Nearing the Holt Renfrew rotunda, the Square One x Fifty exhibit was spotted. The tenant-less relaxation space had been transformed into a vibrant, interactive display with a golden "50" arc and image-filled timeline depicting the evolution of Mississauga's most expansive retail centre (and largest transit hub) over the years.

​A number of Christmas trees and twinkly décor were positioned throughout the mall corridors. The first sighting adopted a similar appearance to that of Commerce Court, though wasn't illuminated during the daylight hours.

The second, stationed just outside REDS/Simons, was comparatively smaller in scale and featured geometric panes of LED lights to give the illusion of needle-bearing pine.
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When most stores had been browsed sufficiently, I returned to The Food District for a late lunch. Mango Like Desserts was observed to have replaced Tsujiri/Hattendo, offering a menu lineup identical to that of their PATH location in the Richmond-Adelaide Centre.

​An Iced Gingerbread Oat Chai Latte from Starbucks was requested in person, for standalone orders of water were not supported on the mobile app. Despite the lengthy queue and atrocious pick-up customer volumes, my wait time did not span beyond ten minutes.

To facilitate the creation of my beverage, the staff had employed Vitamix's wireless Portable Cold Foamer. The device yielded a smooth foam devoid of chunky, satiating creaminess (think Cold Foam Cold Brew). It was a solid addition to the assembly line of equipment, but desperately needed some TLC and scrubbing for grime removal.

​The latte was paired with a trio of Inarizushi from Kibo Market - quite the odd combination, indeed.

Where Starbucks' customer service was impeccable, the same could not be said about the part-timer behind the Kibo counter. She did not inquire of whether chopsticks, soy sauce, or sauce trays were required, in spite of asking about paper bags. The handle-less carrying contraption was a travesty, especially when attempting to balance two drinks simultaneously.

Ringing in at $10.50 plus tax, the selection was successful in incorporating variety, though dismal as far as quality and complexity. The chopped salmon sashimi was bland, the crab salad excessively creamy, and the spicy crab - well - spicy. A queasy stomach was experienced shortly after ingesting the trio.

The Food District's communal seating area was packed as per usual. Spotting a standing vacancy next to a solo eater, I approached her to request permission of assuming use of the opposite end of the table. She nodded silently while continuing to munch on her own box of MyMy Chicken. To my surprise, she initiated conversation after witnessing the unveil of my Kibo purchase: "Would you be surprised if I told you I've never had sushi?"
"Not at all!" I responded.
"And why's that?"
"I get that it's not for everyone, and some people just don't like raw fish."
"But see, the thing is, I've never actually had it."

Several more exchanges were made, ranging from sushi and the texture of raw fish to weather conditions to my favourite MyMy Chicken picks. We eventually parted ways with a smile, with me encouraging a taste of sushi whenever impulse should strike. "I'd suggest ordering something cooked on the side." I advised, "Just in case you don't like it, you still have something to eat!"

My final stop of the day was the Purple Oven's pop-up in The District Kitchen. Having visited their compact storefront on Burnhamthorpe, I was curious to see whether their product lineup would be broadened for the two-day event. It was, notably so.

​The presence of ube was unmistakable, for it appeared in nearly every pie, dessert bar, and loaf to grace the display table. Other items of intrigue included Cassava Cake with Macapuno, a Calamansi Lime Loaf, and of course, Filipino Kakanin. Enraptured by the vivid violet concoctions, I hovered about the space for a solid five minutes, if not longer. Samples of Cassava Cake with Langka (Jackfruit) and Ube Loaf were graciously supplied by the staff. That said, neither were particularly delightful, for they leaned towards a satiating, one-dimensional gustatory experience.

My final picks took the form of an Ube Dessert Bar, Assorted Kakanin, and Halo Halo. The latter was requested to be wrapped extra securely, in fear that it may topple - or worse, spill - while navigating back home.

​Stupidity was witnessed at the roundabout and parking aisles. The same could be uttered about a van switching lanes while I drove nearly parallel. Weekend driving is truly not for the faint of heart.

All purchases were revealed upon reaching home. Miraculously, the Halo Halo had resisted dissolution! Creamy ube ice cream and vanilla-laced flan topped the creation. Digging deeper into the cup, one would discover chunky shards of ice (as opposed to fine flakes of kakigori or fluffy spoonfuls of bingsoo), ube halaya, and a balanced portion of colourful beans, jellies, and young coconut threads. Albeit sweet, the components worked in harmony to yield contentment.

Meanwhile, the Assorted Kakanin Box proved disappointing, and the Ube Dessert Bar even more so. Textural variances between the Kutsinta, Sapin Sapin, and Pichi-pichi were blurred. The glutinous rice-based treats were essentially bland: not even a hint of coconut could be perceived! Alminz was automatically deemed the superior Kakanin creator - and more economic too!

Alas, the three-piece package of Ube Dessert Bars was the worst specimen to stomach. The surface bore a cream cheese swirl, which ought to be delicious, but was, in fact, strangely dry and sour. The ube portion of the loaf was visually appealing with prominent purple saturation, but otherwise just as dry and depressing as its swirled topping. Had I not invested seven dollars for the box, I'd likely have disposed it on short notice. It is often a grave feeling to deduce purchased products inferior to my failed experimental creations.

Perhaps I had spoken too soon, for in less than forty-eight hours, the constituents of the Kakanin box were observed to spot mouldy spores. On the second day, oil seepage had been witnessed on the Kutsinta. I hadn't equated the observation with a slow progression to decomposition, and even downed two pieces. Later that evening, I would suffer incredible nausea - an inkling of wanting to vomit, just as I had on the first day, but dismissed it on the account that I had consumed too many foreign items to track.

In spite of amicable customer service and their logo sporting a shade of purple that spoke to my soul, Purple Oven was blacklisted forever.

Hardly a wine connoisseur, I'm still gradually learning of the nuanced profile variations of white wine. Between Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris, I've yet to conclude my preference. In a way, it is similar to sampling coffee, and would likely entail a decent degree of investment to refine the pertinent receptors.

​A while back, I secured my first bottle of VQA Vintage: Quail's Gate 2021 Chardonnay. The bottle was summoned on a random Saturday evening, post-cardio, and enjoyed at room temperature.

"Is it good?" inquired an acquaintance.

I replied with some uncertainty, fully aware that I may not have attained an adequate knowledge base to provide a fair, objective evaluation on its taste. The formula was relayed to be exceptionally smooth - velvety even! (Even the bottle was smooth!) Aromas were noticeably subdued in contrast to other wines (and sake), though there was an abundance of body. This wine was definitely on the drier side, without being drying. It was a promising bottle.