Puglia 2019

My trip to Puglia did not start out great: my flight was cancelled due to the Lufthansa strike. I received absolutely no notification from the airline and spent seven hours at the airport trying to rebook my trip. Two days and two connecting flights later, I was finally in Italy.

Puglia is filled with charming towns that are begging to be photographed and explored. I based the first part of my trip in Lecce and made a day trip out to Otranto, where for some reason I was the only visitor at the castle and was let in for free. I was also caught in a severe wind and rainstorm and was later told it was the worst storm they've had in years (this was the same storm that flooded Venice).

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Sneak Peak: Puglia

Getting to and from Italy was a total disaster: Cancelled flights! Missed connecting flight even after lots of dramatic running at the airport!

However, Italy itself was fabulous. More soon.

Applesauce Spice Cake

It's that time of the year where it's all apples, all the time. I had an overabundance of applesauce from project canning and was looking for ways to use it up.

This cake is from Deb's second cookbook, which has a party cake builder section to mix and match different types of cakes and frosting. While this cake is similar to another one on Smitten Kitchen, the recipe from her book is a bit more versatile since you can swap out the applesauce for mashed bananas, pumpkin puree or grated carrot to change the type of cake. It's also a one-bowl recipe, which is a bonus.

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Yucatan 2019

Remember when I went to the Yucatan? Me neither. The past several months have been a big blur, but here are some photos from my trip.

Mexico remains as photogenic as ever - I will never stop loving intricate doors against colourful walls.

Swimming in cenotes was a highlight of the trip, though their spectacularness was difficult to capture in photograph. Visiting the ruins of Mayapan was fabulous due to the lack of crowds. Fun fact: I desecrated the ruins by throwing up on the grounds. Good times.

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Discoveries of Summer 2019

Bike rides where you don't feel like you're in the city.

I've done this route multiple times and have yet to get sick of it.

Toasted homemade sourdough bread tossed in a caprese salad made with tomatoes from my dad's garden, olive oil I lugged back from Portugal, and Maldon salt a friend kindly brought back from England.

I was doubtful anything could improve a caprese salad, but I was wrong.

Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry is one of the first fruits to make an appearance in the summer and I kind of went nuts over them this year. So far, I've made preserves, pie, cake, sorbet and ice cream.

I'm slowly getting a better understanding of ice cream making and went with a custard-less base to let the fruit flavour shine through. While alcohol and corn syrup is supposed to make the ice cream less icy and more creamy (an issue with fruit-based ice cream because of the high water content), I went with neither because I don't mind my frozen strawberry slices a little bit icy.

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We The North

June 13, 2019: the day the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Championship.

It's hard being a Toronto sports fan. We're cynics because our hearts have been crushed time and time again. The New Yorker even wrote an article about how we're a bunch of anxious freaks when it comes to our teams.

The last major championship win in the city was in '93 by the Jays. (Sorry, Argos and TFC, but you don't count.) I have very vivid memories of the Joe Carter home run and attending the victory parade, which I'm not sure why my newly immigrant mother who knows nothing about sports would bring her child to, but am thankful for the experience.

The Raptors parade was last week and while it was marred with issues (the planned two-hour parade turned into five, etc.), it was so. much. fun. Champagne was poured on me, new memories were made. Just look at this city:

Don't ever doubt that sports can bring people together.

P.S. The Toronto Raptors mascot is considered the best in the league - this is my favourite write up on the dinosaur.

Hong Kong 2019

When I wrote that it's been a weird couple of weeks, I had no idea of the insanity that was to come. My past month included:

• A family trip to Hong Kong for my grandma's funeral.
• Getting super sick in Hong Kong.
• Being admitted into a hospital in Hong Kong.
• My one week bereavement leave turned into an additional week of sick leave.

To say it's been exhausting is an understatement.

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I did get to try the wonton egg noodle soup at Mak Man Kee and the wonton is definitely better than Mak's Noodle.

I also finally got the appeal of the pineapple bun - you gotta stick a pat of butter into a warm bun to make it delicious.

Sneak Peak: Yucatan

It's been a weird couple of weeks. Merida was crazy hot. More to come.

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

I love peanut butter. I'm one of those people who can eat a spoonful right from the jar, preferably the natural, crunchy kind.

Trader Joe's Valencia crunchy peanut butter is my favourite peanut butter of all time, so it's a damn shame that Trader Joe's does not exists in Canada. The Valencia peanuts lend a sweetness to the nut butter and heighten the peanut flavour. Whenever I'm in the States, I make a Trader Joe's stop to stock up on jars of peanut butter.

I've been on the hunt for the peanut butter cookie of my dreams but it's been a disappointing find; I want the cookie to taste like a spoonful of peanut butter. Is that even possible, aside from eating it straight out of the jar?

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Chicken Noodle Soup

We're deep into soup season.

I made a delicious ribollita a couple of weeks ago, but chicken noodle is the soup I crave for to keep me warm during the many, many snowstorms.

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Oaxaca + Puebla 2018

I spent the second week of my Mexico trip in Oaxaca and Puebla.

As a lover of tiles and intricate doors against colourful walls, the two cities and surrounding areas were a photography haven.

I caught the end of the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations: Oaxaca was dotted with ofrendas and the cemeteries were still overflowing with flowers.

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