Summer Baking--- yuuummmm

So I had a bit of a mishap with my tiny digi camera and it somehow re-set the memory card so that only my camera could read my memory card.
So my photos from the last three months were sort of stuck on there.
BUT my I.T. Support father worked some computer magic and luckily got my 435 photos off of my camera.

What that means for this blog is that I can finally post my summer baking adventures!

My first attempt at baking was Dark Chocolate Mousse with Salted Caramel Sauce.

It was absolutely delicious, easy to do, but greatly in need of constant attention (which is definitely not my forte in any kind of baking or cooking).
But I'd say it turned out rather well.
I had to improvise for a couple things- I ran out of milk chocolate and didn't actually have any baking chocolate. So instead I used some cocoa powder mixed in with the crushed milk chocolate that I did have on hand.Also, I ended up pouring in too much butter milk into the heated butter while making the caramel sauce, so it was pretty runny.
Aaanndd because of these two blunders, the mousse wasn't quite as light and fluffy as mousse typically is. The mousse was a little heavier, and the sauce a little runnier, ergo the sauce actually sunk to the bottom shortly after I took these photos.

But it was delicious just the same!

And now, for the best Banana Bread I've ever made in my life.
Best looking.
Best tasting.
Best texture.
Just The Best.
I think I've finally got the trick. And I think this because I actually replicated the same Best outcome a few weeks later!

New Shirt

I was at the beloved V.V. with Tay Tay last week, and we saw these WONDERFUL shirts.


So we got four. This way, Sarowitz, TayDick, Leah and moi may all have matching ones.
So... back-to-school outfit, anyone?

The Hogtown Project

Toronto has two sides: Tourist Toronto and Torontonian Toronto.

Tourist Toronto involves big, busy places, bland, average North American culture, and it usually requires a lot more money than the average person has.

But the other side of the city, the Torontonian view, is what residents of the city see every day. There are small shops, well-loved neighbourhood niches and extensive cultural activities, festivals and experiences. Most of it doesn't require any money, but it all expands your mind.


This is why Kristie Macor and Nadine Dolly have created The Hogtown Project, a new coffee-table book devoted to showing the world the Toronto that is known and loved by Torontonians.


Many people have tried to create Toronto books, but this one is definitely different. Every other Toronto coffee table book has at least one photo of the CN Tower. But Macor and Dolly focus on the parts of Toronto that actually give the city its life.

For the past three years, Macor and Dolly have photographed over 180 locations in Toronto.
They've captured the Junction, small shops on the east end of the Danforth, laundry mats in quiet areas, and restaurants closing up after a busy day of work. They've photographed festivals and attractions with the eye of a true Torontonian.

The book also includes interviews with Toronto residents like city councillor Adam Vaughan and spoken word artist Dwayne Morgan.

The creation of this book cost the pair $20,000 to produce, and their advertising is 100 per cent word-of-mouth, as they say on their site. So check out The Hogtown Project website and if you like the look of the book, pass on the info.


* Photo Credits: The Hogtown Project website

I think I might need these...

Not to wear.

Just to look at.

Just because.

Boys and cars

"Boys are like cars. You sort of just have to steer them away from a bad situation and wait until they slow down."

- Sam

Croissant

"Sam, did you eat that croissant?"
"No."
"You know the cat was eating that croissant."
"....."
"You ate it didn't you?"
"Yes."

Yay

My review of The City Man was posted on TEACH Mag's Summer Book Bag.
It was then posted on the Coach House website!

Go me! Go my career! Go journalism!