Hi there! I’m back to blogging, folks. I welcome myself back to As it Cooks.
Oh, wait. Wishing you a happier, healthier 2018!
And no, there’s no NYR. And I’m not thinking about getting another furry baby. The wounds of my loss have yet to heal. Ingerwulf was one of a kind. He was more than a friend; he was more than a family.
Anyway, it’s time to catch up. Where’s Part 5?
As you know, in my earlier blog, I talked about my hunt for savory and spicy in B.C. What I didn’t tell you is that I also scouted around for sweet. Not any sweet. Just good sweet. I don’t indulge in sweets like I used to anymore. But when I travel, I find it fun to explore, look-see, and get a taste of what’s different, what’s unique, and what’s interesting out there.
When we woke this morning, the early morning “soft” Canadian sun acted like its counterpart in the sunbelt. That was a good sign. Hey, one less sweater to layer. Steveston was calling our names. Daughter #2 insisted we go there and check it out. But before we hit the road, I garmined Trafiq Café and Bakery.
Like a lost kid in a bakery, I let myself loose. Mr. Chi-Town was hungry for a grande fresh brew. What’s new? The place was cooking! There was a line. Most of the tables were already taken. Sweet, buttery aromas coupled with coffee brewing non-stop and percussive plates filled the air as a treat to the senses of those who had just walked in on that cool, crisp morning. It was a jolly good busy, bustling place. No traffic in the world was going to stop me from sinking my teeth into that one dessert that winks at me.
Before we took a seat, Mr. Chi-Town got a triple espresso. I, a dark-cocoa powder-doused, bone-dry cappuccino. A classy-looking lady seated next to me was making herself comfortable in preparation to devour what seemed like a layered torte. It was tall, dark, and handsomely layered. I walked up to the cakery counter and looked starry-eyed at an array of fancy-looking fifty shades of everything which came either sliced, squared, and dainty. I asked for a tiramisu. The nice, friendly gentleman at the counter pointed at one. It was none other than the “tall, dark, and handsome.”
Happily, I picked up this pick-me-upper 🙂
And this pick-me-upper was a looker. What do you think?
I powdered it. I did do a handful of takeouts. I kicked myself for not taking home another slice of this babe.
But I got this.
Chunky monkey. Swear to God, that’s what it’s called. The name of this thingy speaks for itself. It’s bread-chunky; it’s dense, it’s chocolatey. And it’s DECADENT. Chunks of chocolate chips were scattered randomly all over this bread pudding. As if that’s not enough, chunky monkey is topped with a thick layer of dark chocolate ganache.
I sampled it.
What can I say? If you’re looking for something that will fill you up and fuel you through breakfast, lunch, hi tea, dinner, and supper, look no further. This is the super-duper chocolatey, banana-ey bread pudding , folks. The friendly gentleman proudly claimed that they bake this treat with croissants. How rich is that?
And oh, I got this latticed beauty, too.
Called the raspberry linzer tart, it’s moist, almondy with a sweet fruity, raspberry note. Say the word “raspberry” and Mr. Chi-Town gets wide-eyed.
Want to know the story about these dashing couple below?
“Homage to Earl Grey” is on the left. (I happen to be a fan of the “Earl.”) The Earl Grey flavor was subtle though. And the one on the right? Coconut Mango Cloud. Very melt-in-the-mouth creamy and very coconutey than mango-ey. The latter had a nice crumbly bottom which was a nice surprise.
And this? I was bewitched by the look of this classic beauty. It came seated like a royal on a doily.
Walnut coffee cake. Moist. Fluffy. Sweet. Factor in the streusel, it screamed SWEEEEET.
And the winner?
No offense, I’m a tiramisu girl. Will always be. So this one kinda fit the bill. Espresso-dipped saviordi layered with good mascarpone. The dark chocolate ganache topping was an interesting change from the usual dusting of bitter dark cocoa that I like. I must say that Trafiq is indeed a nice sweetery, especially for ladies of all ages to visit. FYI, they also do have nice breads like sourdough and stuff.
Well caffeined and caked up, we punched in Steveston as our next destination. Little did we realize that another sweet surprise was awaiting us.
I’ll return with Part 6, folks. It feels great to bring life back to As it Cooks. If you have visited Trafiq or if you have any comments, feel free to drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you.
Much love,
Tee