Sticky Coconut Cake and a Spaghetti Picnic
Sorry, I’ll fess up right off the bat that I don’t have an actual recipe for this one. But I’ll tell you where you can pick some up – for $1.90. That’s right. They’re a little smaller than a standard 8″x4″ loaf – about the size of two large muffins. A steal for under two dollars. I imagine the leftovers will make some mighty fine French toast in the morning.
We went park hopping today. I had both boys and sorely needed to be exposed to actual sunlight. What we typically do when packing impromptu picnics is not make sandwiches or coleslaw or potato salad, but walk through the kitchen with our picnic bag (made of a recycled nylon rice bag) and toss whatever we find that’s transportable into it. After I had tucked in apples, cheese buns, water and pink popcorn (made for an upcoming Easter story) I noticed W had been helping, by adding a ziploc baggie of spaghetti. Which is, of course, ideal picnic fare, is it not?
It turned out to be, as both devoured it by hand at the picnic table after an hour or so of running and climbing, downing each piece with their heads tilted back, like baby birds feeding themselves worms.
After three parks and much tree climbing and stick collecting came the sudden realization that we hadn’t in fact packed enough for all of us (and Mike and I weren’t in the mood for pasta) so we detoured to Logos Cakehouse, which is immediately inside the back door of that red brick Asian mall on the corner of Centre St and 16th Avenue in the north. You park in the back (there’s a lot) and walk in, grab a tray and some tongs, and choose from rows of plexiglass display boxes filled with all things doughy – sweets like sugar donuts, jelly rolls and pineapple buns and savouries like green onion buns and buns topped with dried pork; along the side, ovens are stacked with warm savouries like pork buns, curried chicken buns and round, glossy buns with thin hot dogs poking out each end (which the boys adore) to which you help yourself. An ideal destination if you happen to be running a marathon and need to carb load. All but the coconut cake were $1.10.
This box – and it’s a full-sized cake box – came to $8.50.
We bought two of the aforementioned hot dog buns, two pork-filled buns, a garlic, ham & cheese bun (below), raisin twist and coconut cake. We didn’t eat it all.
And then I went to Seedy Saturday and attempted to absorb some of the gardening knowledge in the room through osmosis – I feel more Urban Homesteader-ish by virtue of having spent three hours there, helping to man the Slow Food booth. I came home with seeds and tomato plants and got all jazzed about my garden again, as if I might actually not kill most of it this year. It’s important to have achievable goals.
My cold had me pummelled by the time that was packed up and done, and I spent the rest of the evening in bed (!) playing with W and watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. WHY is it the moms always die in kids’ movies?
March 20 2010 11:03 pm | leftovers
Carolyn on 21 Mar 2010 at 8:11 am #
Julie – could you point me in the direction of your Fig Newton recipe? I should have printed it when you posted it (under the Eyeopener section, I think) last year. Many thanks!
JulieVR on 21 Mar 2010 at 9:20 am #
Sure thing – here it is! http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2009/11/05/fig-slab-cookies-2/ – I also emailed the recipe to you. Enjoy!
Dianne Cecconi on 21 Mar 2010 at 9:35 am #
Colds are nasty, our grandaugther has one awful one too. My 87 yr old Moms receipe for phelgm, cough and blahs is half teaspoon cinnamon mixed into honey to suit your taste then add boiling water to your cup sip away, bed rest and voila. Worth a try hope you are feeling better soon!!!
ladyloo on 21 Mar 2010 at 11:19 am #
My list of places to visit on my next trip home just keeps growing and growing.
Barb on 21 Mar 2010 at 12:03 pm #
I wish I knew how to stumble upon places like this one!
Laurie in Burnaby BC on 21 Mar 2010 at 12:17 pm #
That garlic, cheese, and ham bun looks incredible! I’ll have to try that.
Sorry you’re still feeling rough. I hope you can shake it off soon. Lots of garlic and ginger helps fight colds, since both are natural anti-virals. Also vitamins C and E, and extra zinc.
All the best.
Laurie
tricia on 21 Mar 2010 at 1:16 pm #
thanks for the tip! We went there today for a portable lunch!
Jan (Family Bites) on 21 Mar 2010 at 2:09 pm #
I just can’t believe the prices of those goodies you bought – and they look so good. Here in T.O. I walk to my local bakery and buy a hello dolly, a brownie and two other squares and it costs $11. I think I need to move!
Ali on 21 Mar 2010 at 4:50 pm #
Hi Jan, I live in Toronto too. I just thought I’d mention the bakeries in Chinatown as Julie bought these goodies in an Asian market. They are always cheaper than other types of bakeries. Lots of yummy things like in the picture here for great prices!
Avery on 21 Mar 2010 at 5:15 pm #
This reminds me of when Mike and I used to take regular trips to the T&T and would always stop at the bakery for “Mango Toast”… which was a mango-coloured, soft, fluffy, slightly-sweet egg bread that did indeed make the best toast. It also made the best snack on its own, which would lead us to eat a loaf a day between the two of us. So… no more Mango Toast for us!!
Jan (Family Bites) on 21 Mar 2010 at 6:07 pm #
Hi Ali – You are so right about the prices in Chinatown. If only I lived a little closer!
DJ on 21 Mar 2010 at 8:45 pm #
Sounds like the yummy treats from the Hong Kong bakery in Edmonton – my favorite place to go for an inexpensive, tasty, quick lunch!
Katherine on 21 Mar 2010 at 11:59 pm #
I absolutely love your site and refer to it on a near-daily basis for inspiration and recipes. Today, I am intrigued as to where the picture is with the amazing trees for climbing – I went to Eau Claire today with some young ones and couldn’t find any trees suitable for climbing, it’s so sad the City trims them up so much.
Evelyn in Canada on 22 Mar 2010 at 11:29 am #
I came home from Seedy Sunday (in Edmonton) planning an urban farm and full of excitement. I won’t really have a “farm”, but I was losing my enthusiasm for gardening and it’s totally ramped up again. Now I can’t wait to get all my seeds and start seriously planning how to feed my family from my land. AND I may have another yard to garden too!
That tree looks just like our favourite climbing tree in our own river valley. A great place for a picnic.