Hershey’s S'mores Dream Donut from Tim Hortons

If you've been following my blog (which only my husband and mom does 😅), I try every new Dream Donut from Tim Hortons that I could.

Today, we had S'mores Dream Donut. It's delicious. There's chocolate inside and the graham on top provides some crunch. Overall, one of their best Dream Donut.

S'mores Dream Donut from Tim Hortons
This Dream Donut combines the classic and nostalgic tastes of S'mores in a way that's unique to Tims. The ring donut is packed with rich, delicious chocolate filling, dipped in marshmallow-flavoured fondant and topped with graham cracker crumble, and a drizzle of chocolate fondant.

S'mores Dream Donut

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List of Dream Donuts from Tim Hortons

I arranged it alphabetically instead of chronologically.

Apple Pie Dream Donut Black Forest Filled Ring Dream Donut Chocolate Hazelnut Eclair Dream Dulce de Leche Easter Nest Dream Donut Hershey's S'mores Dream Donut

New York Cheesecake Dream Donut Penguin Dream Donut Sea Salted Caramel Dream Strawberry Shortcake Filled Ring Vanilla Cream Puff Filled Ring

Breakfast from Tim Hortons

Happy Saturday! We're starting our weekend with Steak and Eggs sandwiches from Tim Hortons. I had one sandwich with Homestyle Biscuit and the other with English Muffins.

Homestyle Biscuit Steak and Egg Sandwich

English Muffin Steak and Egg Sandwich

Small Hot Chocolate

Hubby and I agreed that the Homestyle Biscuit was the better option.

Lunch from Jollibee in Vancouver

I want to make this post political, but my husband recommended not to, for fear that I might be targeted; so I'll do my best to keep it at a minimum.

I have been sad, angry, upset, and disappointed since seeing the election results in the Philippines last week. We had plans to take a vacation to visit my in-laws and friends next year, but since the dead dictator's son seems to be winning, we decided to cancel our trip.

We are also going further than cancelling our visit. I have decided to stop supporting all Filipino businesses and products sold here. Why? I saw that Marcos, Jr. is supported by prominent businessmen, and my stomach couldn't handle the idea that I was buying their products. Or the thought that I could be giving my hard-earned cash to businesses that support a thief makes me nauseated.

Lastly, we always donate to organizations that help the Philippines when there's a disaster. We're not going to do that anymore. Canada is home now, and we have decided to help our fellow Canadians who will appreciate it more.

The lunch from Jollibee today is our farewell to Filipino businesses (until something change).

Line inside Jollibee

With that said, here's what happened today. First, we went to Mass and decided to walk across Burrard Bridge to Jollibee while it was raining.

Upon entering the store, there were many people in the queue, and the next thing I noticed was how hot it was. I told my husband that it's warm here, and he said maybe it's part of the experience, so you feel like you're in the Philippines. 😅

We ordered one 1-piece Chicken Joy with Jolly Spaghetti, Cheesy Yumburger, Deluxe Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Large French Fries, and Peach Mango Pie.

Chicken Joy and Jolly Spaghetti

Deluxe Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Cheesy Yumburger

The food is nostalgic. The spaghetti and fried chicken tasted the same way when I was a kid. The Peach Mango Pie is double the size of what you'll find in the Philippines. Lastly, the spicy chicken sandwich can compete with the best ones in North America.

I learned in our Leadership class that "A principle is not a principle until it costs you something." I will miss Filipino food, but I had to make a stand in my own way.

Butter Croissant from Starbucks | BMO Vancouver Marathon Series

Happy Sunday! My husband ran the half-marathon during the BMO Vancouver Marathon today. Congratulations, love!

He left our home at 6:30 AM, walked to the train station, and to Queen Elizabeth Park, where the starting line is.

I left at around 8:30 AM and started my almost 6km walk to the finish line. On the way, I grabbed my free butter croissant and mocha drink from Starbucks.

Free Starbucks

Butter Croissant

I enjoyed my breakfast while walking to Downtown Vancouver across Burrard Bridge.

Flowers near the Seaforth Armory

View from Burrard Bridge

It's a cloudy and cool day. I will continue with what happened today in the next post.

Blossom Bento by Private Sushi Catering at The Big Picnic

I'm always grateful to God when my prayers are answered. According to the weather forecast, rain (or drizzle) is expected on Saturday starting at 11:00 AM. I prayed the night before that it would be a beautiful sunny or at least partly cloudy day so we could enjoy the day in David Lam Park. I woke up at 10:00 AM and could hear the birds chirping and the bright sunlight peeking through our window. Thank God!

We hurriedly prepared for the day, grabbed a couple breakfast sandwiches and walked across Granville Bridge to David Lam Park. There were many people all picnicking with their packed lunch - hearing children running around and laughing, seeing family hugs reuniting under the pink tree, and watching friends exchange stories. I love it!

After walking around and admiring the cherry blossom trees, we grabbed our Blossom Bento prepared by Private Sushi Catering. I ordered it in advance. Having a sushi bento box and eating it under a sakura tree is an excellent beginning to the spring season.

Itadakimasu!

Blossom Bento Box from Private Sushi Catering

The Bento Box includes:

• Sakura Roll (Salmon & Cucumber roll)
• Spring Salad with Yuzu Dressing
• Signatures Nigiri (Cajun Albacore and Salmon)
• Torch Salmon Pressed (Aburi Salmon pressed with spicy mayo) - my favourite from the box!
• Seasoned sushi rice in Inari tofu pocket with various ingredients on top (sweet corn salad and crab meat & wakame)

Two Blossom Beno Boxes

Lunch under a cherry blossom tree

Families and friends picnicking under a cherry blossom tree in David Lam Park when we arrived

It was starting to get cloudy and cold when we left.

After a couple of hours in the park, we decided to leave because it was getting cold and dark clouds had slowly started coming in. Thank God for a beautiful Saturday morning.

Breakfast and Afternoon Snacks from Starbucks

Happy Saturday! Today, we went to David Lam Park to enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms tree and participate in the Big Picnic organized by The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.

Before walking across Granville Bridge, we grabbed a couple breakfast sandwiches from Starbucks and ate them while walking.

Beyond Meat, Cheddar, & Egg Sandwich

Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap

After enjoying a couple hours at David Lam Park, we went to the Starbucks location in Davie because it was getting a little chilly. I ordered a butter croissant and their cheese danish.

Butter Croissant

Cheese Danish

Yay for free Starbucks. 

Filipino Birthday Lunch Celebration | Family Day Weekend

We celebrated hubby's birthday today with the family on Family Day weekend.

My husband moved to Canada to be with me. He left his own family behind, and I always do my best to make sure he feels loved here in Canada.

I asked my mom to cook her Filipino-style spaghetti to celebrate his birthday. My mom (as always) went beyond and even purchased a cassava cake slice from Aling Mary's. Cassava cake is one of hubby's requests for his birthday.

Filipino Birthday Lunch

A Filipino birthday won't be complete without lumpiang shanghai (Filipino spring roll) and fried chicken, so we ordered from Little Ongpin and LA Chicken, respectively.

Best lumpiang shanghai in Vancouver from Little Ongpin

Best fried chicken in Richmond - LA Chicken

My mom also purchased Black Forest Cake from Saint Germain Bakery with hubby's name.

Black Forest Cake
Light chocolate sponge cake, Kirsch sauteed bing cherries, 36% real whipping cream, and 64% dark chocolate shaving.

After food coma lunch, I introduced my younger sister and our only brother to The Sound of your Heart and how hilarious it was. For dinner, I ordered more fried chicken from Hi-Five (I forgot to take a photo!), then we played Overcooked 2, which made me extremely happy, and we also played Smash Bros (I didn't fall and die! Haha!).

It's lovely to celebrate hubby's birthday and Family Day weekend with the family.

Christmas Eve Dinner from H-Mart at Home

Every year my sister picks a place on what we'll have for Christmas Eve dinner. This year we had Korean cuisine, specifically Korean BBQ, at home. We purchased a grill, marinated meat, and side dishes.

Christmas Eve Dinner

Below is a list of our past "cuisines":

• 2020 - Chinese Food
• 2019 - French Food
• 2018 - Spanish Food
• 2017 - Japanese Food
• 2016 and 2015 - "Italian" Food (really it's Pizza and my mom's Spaghetti)

After dinner, we played some games then did Karaoke while waiting for midnight. Finally, at midnight, we had our annual tradition of exchanging gifts. It's so much fun to be with everybody. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Black Forest Filled Ring Dream Donut from Tim Hortons

Happy Thursday! I had to pick up a package at the nearby FedEx location and decided to order any new dream donut at Tim Hortons.

Black Forest Filled Ring Dream Donut

I am glad that the donut itself is not dry. The inside is filled with what I presume to be cherry, and the other half is chocolate-filled. Is it something I'll order again? Not really.

Dinner from Tim Hortons

We also ordered dinner of large chilli with whole wheat homestyle bun, grilled cheese melt, and Old Fashioned Plain Donut. The Old Fashioned Donut from Lee's Donuts is so much better, but they don't sell it anymore.

Today is the last workday for the week for me and the last workday for the year for hubby.

For references, below are the previous dream donuts we've tried.

• Dulce de Leche Dream Donut from early 2020
• Chocolate Hazelnut Éclair Dream
• Sea Salted Caramel Dream
• New York Cheesecake Dream Donut
• Strawberry Shortcake Filled Ring
• Vanilla Cream Puff Filled Ring
• Apple Pie Dream Donut
• Penguin Dream Donut

Silvanas from The Khaykery | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

Where to get Silvanas in Metro Vancouver?

Happy Wednesday! I opened our fridge today and realized we still have a box of assorted Silvanas from The Khaykery which we got from "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!".

Six Silvanas in a beautiful pink box.

Ta-da!

Taking my first bite. Yum!

10 minutes later - it's gone.

We surprisingly enjoyed the Silvanas. Yay!

Kwek-Kwek from Plato Filipino | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going with my husband, mom, and younger sister this year.

Where to get Kwek-Kwek in Vancouver?

Plato Filipino is such a happy store. My mom, sister, and I ordered a lot of dishes. I had to stop myself at three while my mom just kept pointing at everything. 🤣

I ordered turon. It's my favourite Filipino dessert and I got lumpiang shanghai as well because why not and right before we leave their booth outside has kwek-kwek and barbecue. My sister was excitedly saying, "Ate, kwek-kwek! Kwek-kwek!" 🤣

Kwek-Kwek and Lumpiang Shanghai

Turon

I placed all items we purchased in the air fryer. It came out perfect as expected.

Taho from O! Taho | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going with my husband, mom, and younger sister this year.

Where to get taho in Vancouver?

Last week, we enjoyed taho from Sago Togo, and today we ordered some from O! Taho. Today's taho is closer in taste and smell than what you will get from the Philippines. The syrup is sweeter than the one from Sago Togo, and the tofu itself is also silkier, but the pearls are not the small ones you expect.

Taho from O! Taho

A perfect taho would be tofu and syrup from O! Taho, but sago pearls from Sago Togo.

Caldereta and Lechong Paksiw from Pampanga's Cuisine | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going with my husband, mom, and younger sister this year.

On the right of Mr. Siopao de Langley is Pampanga's Cuisine. 

They have a combo of one rice and a choice of available viand. I selected calderetang baka while the hubby chose the lechong paksiw. 

Lechon Paksiw
Roasted pork cooked in Lechon sauce.

Caldereta
A mild spicy beef stew is cooked in herbs, tomato sauce, potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.

Both are delicious, but the best part is that they sell balut. We haven't had it in a long time. Balut is a Philippine delicacy that we don't seek out, but when available, you occasionally have. 

Bola Bola Siopao from Mr. Siopao de Langley | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going with my husband, mom, and younger sister this year.

After going through the temperature and vaccine card check, the first food booth to welcome you is Mr. Siopao de Langley. I ordered five (one bag) of bola-bola siopao.

Mr. Siopao de Langley

I will update this post once we enjoy the siopao.

Bola-Bola Siopao Update

The Bola-Bola Siopao from Mr. Siopao de Langley tasted like something you will get from the Philippines. I wish I had some sauce to go with it though.

Bola-Bola Siopao

If you're in Langley, then this is definitely a good siopao place, but since I am in Vancouver I still love the Bola-Bola siopao from Bao Bakery.

Though, I did find The Bao Place in Burnaby near Metrotown. I'll definitely check them out and compare if they are any better than the Bao Bakery.

Puto Bumbong from Max's Restaurant | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going this year, with my husband, mom, and younger sister.

The first food truck we saw outside was Max's Restaurant. You should see how giddy my sister was at the thought of Max's fried chicken.

Max's Restaurant Food Truck

Perusing the menu, I knew I would order the pork barbecue and palabok, then at the bottom of the menu was puto bumbong. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find puto bumbong in Vancouver? I ordered two of the purple rice cake.

It was delicious and nostalgic for Christmas back in the Philippines.

Puto Bumbong

Pork barbecue and palabok

The barbecue was thicker cut, and the palabok was okay as well. However, I prefer both dishes from elsewhere.

We had our Max's food-to-go and enjoyed it in our home with Mama and my younger sister.

Where to buy Puto Bumbong in Metro Vancouver?

Honestly, I have no idea. I am reviewing the Max's Restaurant menu in Vancouver and it seems like the puto bumbong we had is a one-time thing. I will update this post once I found a vendor.

Update:

I found a Facebook vendor selling Filipino snacks and rice cakes: KakaNinz! Her menu includes puto bumbong. I'll order from her, but she's pick-up only. I'll see what I can do.

Dinner from Salmon n' Bannock

As I continued my food coma day and first day as a Canadian Citizen, we ordered dinner from Salmon n' Bannock. I thought of using UberEats, but after our food coma lunch, I took a nap and woke up at 6:00 PM. I checked the app, and it says that Salmon n' Bannock has temporarily closed the store for delivery.

I called the restaurant to check if they were available for takeout orders. The wonderful person I spoke with said yes. I told her that we'd check the menu and call back with our choices for pick-up.

I looked at the Mains section of the takeout menu and realized we tried two of the five possible options last Canada Day, so I ordered the remaining three for tonight.

Salmon n' Bannock Dinner

Fiss n' Barley
Our Wild Sockeye Salmon is served on our barley. Served with Seasonal Vegetables and Signature Bannock.

The Fiss n' Barley was delicious. I love the grilled Brussels sprouts, perfectly cooked salmon, and flavourful rice (they didn't have barley). However, it didn't come with the signature bannock.

Bannock Tacos
Our signature bannock is covered in house chilli and topped with organic greens, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese.

The person who took our order over the phone recommended we add bacon on top of the tacos, and oh boy, was that a fantastic suggestion. The flavour of tacos is all here, but it's on top of delicious Bannock instead of a tortilla.

Signature Bannock with House Chili (Vegetarian)

The chilli is excellent, and I wondered why I thought the one they serve at Tim Hortons is even close. Freshly cut tomatoes, black beans, melted cheese, and a bit of heat. It's perfect for this rainy evening.

We enjoyed our dinner while watching the Vancouver Canucks win over the Winnipeg Jets.

Filipino Spaghetti from Shameless Buns | Magkasama Christmas Market 2021

There are three things you should know about Filipino households.

1. All Filipino households have a rice cooker. When my younger sister moved out, my housewarming gift was a rice cooker and rice. 🤣
2. All Filipino households have their own variation of the adobo. The only thing consistent with an adobo recipe is it has chicken and/or pork, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic, and whatever version you have at home is the best. Well, at least, that's how my siblings and I think with our dad's adobo. 💓
3. The same can be said about Filipino-style spaghetti. It's sweet and savoury with cut-up hotdogs, and any Italian will get upset with our culture's rendition of the spaghetti. Every household has its own version of their mom's (or grandma's) spaghetti, and we think our mom's spaghetti is the best. 🍝

All this introduction just to introduce the Filipino Spaghetti from Shameless Buns. Of course, I'll be biased and think that my mom's spaghetti is still the best. However, enjoying the Filipino Spaghetti from Shameless Buns is like that scene in Ratatouille when Anton Ego (food critic) was transported back to his childhood.

Filipino Spaghetti from Shameless Buns

I felt that way. It's like eating the spaghetti served by our neighbour during a children's party (the child in my memory is that kid I played with all the time outside our home before I became a tween). It was delicious and nostalgic. While devouring the pasta (with perfect noodle-sauce ratio), I could hear the laughter and visualize the balloons and party hats in my head. Then, of course, there's also pabitin and my mom's panic voice that I should wipe my face covered in spaghetti sauce. 

Reheated the Shameless Spaghetti on the pan. This is half of the container.

I hope all food can make you feel like this. The only thing missing is a piece of Tasty (it's what we called a sliced loaf bread when I was a child because it's a famous brand we were familiar with where we lived).

I will absolutely rebuy this, and if Shameless Buns can make a combo with toasted pandesal (and butter) on the side, that'll be genuinely nostalgic. The thought is making me smile ear-to-ear already.

All-Cheese Ensaimada Box and Sweet & Savory Sampler Ensaimada Box from Ensaimada Moment | Magkasama Christmas Market 2021

I have a confession to make. I am not a fan of ensaimada, in general. I remember growing up; I just find it too sweet. So if I am in front of a bakery with lots of Filipino bread options, there are two bread I won't order (sorry, bread!) ensaimada and pan de coco.

With this premise, you might be thinking about why I ordered 8 ensaimada during Magkasama Christmas Market this year. Well, the description said there are savoury ensaimada and cheese ensaimada - who says no to cheese?

I am hoping Ensaimada Moment can change my general aversion to ensaimada.

Let's get started. We had all 8 ensaimada for breakfast today. 

All-Cheese Ensaimada Box from Ensaimada Moment

I reheated the All-Cheese Ensaimada Box for 30 seconds in the microwave, which melted some cheese on top.

All-Cheese Ensaimada from Ensaimada Moments

Because all the ensaimada looks the same, I couldn't identify which flavour is which (update: I found a flavor guide in Instagram, so I'll do my best to properly caption each ensaimada), but this is the first one I tried, and it's what I think is the Classic Ensaimada. It's the sweet one that made me dislike ensaimada, to begin with, but it's as good as it can go.

I am sure ensaimada lovers will absolutely go crazy with how delicious the ensaimada was.

The one above is the second one I tried. It's not as sweet as the first, but I am unsure of its flavours since the sweetness was still overpowering my tongue.

This is my favourite from the All-Cheese Ensaimada Box. There's still sweetness, but whatever cheese was used above counterbalances the sweetness with a bit of saltness. I surprisingly enjoyed it.

Salted Egg Ensaimada

The salted egg was shockingly my least favourite of the four. Because ensaimada is generally sweet, the salted egg became overpoweringly salty. I love it in bibingka, but not ensaimada.

Our breakfast would have ended here, but I felt hungry, so we decided to eat the remaining four ensaimada.

Sweet & Savory Sampler Ensaimada Box from Ensaimada Moments

I enjoyed the four ensaimada in this box more than the All-Cheese one, which is surprising. I reheated this one for 20 seconds to avoid the melted mess of the first one.

Sweet & Savoury Sampler Ensaimada Box

Pork Floss Ensaimada

I think this is pork floss, and I absolutely love it. It works well on top of the fluffy pastry.

Ube Halaya Ensaimada

I think this is ube, but I base it on the colour. It's a bit sweet but not overpowering, and I surprisingly enjoyed it.

I thought the ensaimada below and above would be as sweet as the one in the All-Cheese Box, but unexpectedly not. It's possible that the flavours just work better together, and one is not overpowering the other.

Overall, I'll order the Sweet & Savory Sampler Ensaimada Box again.