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A great website to use to get recipes in a hurry: The Dinner Tool
Loads of recipes, search engines and fun eats - Enjoy!

Nibbles and Nails at Hot Tamale's

The sanctity of Girls Night - sassy ladies, crazy cackles, empty glasses of vino around a table at Hot Tamale's that unites us all - nibbly appetizers from wedges of brie, Balderson white cheddar, McEwan crostini (thanks Gourmette Tang!), frozen PC finds of sausage rolls, mini spanikopita and the piece de resistance: the heaping Nacho Platter!  Without men, we seem to let it all spill out - raunchy stories, funny tidbits and cultural queries abounded all while snacking and laughing and eventually doing our nails in the latest fall colours.  Here's a recipe for the nachos we feasted on - a hit at any old party and super easy even Hot Tamale handled it with cool:




Hot Tamale's Easy Nacho Platter (appropriated and "interpreted" from the back of the Tostitos bag):

The goods:
1 bag of Tostitos (Hot Tamale preferred the small round, fits in your mouth in one gulp variety)
1 small jar of salsa
2 green onions chopped
1/2 tomatoes chopped
1bag of Kraft Tex Mex pre-shredded cheese

The demarche:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and put the broiler on

Place one layerof Tostitos on a foil-lined baking pan

Add one layer(two handfuls)of cheese

Add one layer of salsa

Add a sprinkling of green onions

Repeat with multiple layers until Tostitos are finished, leave a handful of green onions to garnish

Place in oven for 10 minutes

When cheese is melted, take out of the oven and top with green onions and tomatoes

Serve with sour cream and guacomole (if you're lucky, the home-made variety)

Enjoy Ladies!

Le Select... la seule choix pour brunch



Inside the front section of Le Select



After a failed non-attempt at homemade brunch, upon Big Red's suggestion we turned our attention to a French gourmet bistro to see how it should be done.  What a fantastic way to start a misty rain-filled weekend!  Nestled on Rue Wellington just west of Spadina Avenue is Le Select Bistro: the closest Parisian-inspired haunt this side of the Atlantic, as quoted on their website. Fresh croissants are served and kind unpretentious servers are at the ready to serve and even explain the menu, its locavore philosophy and of course to refil your cup of joe.  Munching on a Croque Madame (French toast ham and cheese sandwich with extra cheese and fried egg) served with veritable frites and Eggs Benedict with Asparagus Spears inspired the travel-inflected conversation.  Hmmmmm.... don't forget to book a reservation, walk-ins are most welcome however to avoid the wait, telephonez s'il vous plait!  Open for lunch, dinner and even a drink later on (this bistro was once the ending scene of an interesting date once upon a time by yours truly.....)  Enjoy their offerings here: http://www.leselect.com/  I promise, it's parfait!



Croque Madame with frites!!



Got the Menchies? Guuuuud eats awaits you....

So what's the deal with this Guu business?  Hustled into a nondescript restaurant front, there are no windows to peer into what goes on behind the wall.  A gastro hideout of sorts where only those "in the know" venture in to experience the Japanese tapas craze hitting the city.  Chic, modern and surprisingly simple the restaurant is divided into two parts:  a traditional Japanese sitting arrangement in your socks on gleaming light wood or sitting cafeteria-style a la Salad King on various wooden block benches lit by dangling industrial lightbulbs.  The kitchen is open and the servers greet you as you come in, ALL the servers with a hardy welcome.  We downed pints of Sapporo as we tried various and adventurous dishes from wasabi octopus grains spooned on nori, carbonara and kimchi udon, salmon zushi (cream cheese and chive dolopped salmon sushi) and its cousin: ceviched mackerel on the same bed of rice.  Ebi mayo; deep-fried shrimps can be savoured or why not try the tuna tatake, available only on the separate daily specials hand-calligraphied.  To try:: deep-fried brie cheese on a mango reduction... yes, deep-fried BRIE. (Insert sigh here).  Tapas plates are all under $10.  Peppered with rousing birthdays and equally loud cackles amongst new friends.. this is not a place for a calm and quiet dinner.  Adventure foodies welcome to a neat haunt, new drinks to be had: Ramune anyone?  As you leave a raucous good-bye sends you through the door....   Check them out here: http://guu-izakaya.com/


Only to be found at Menchie's a couple doors down!  Weighed yogurt... and all its fixings.  An L.A. based frozen yogurt establishment where you can be part of elite company from Taylor Swift and Lautner to Justin Timberlake.  Feeling like the store has channeled Hello Kitty like colours and vibe... there are many flavours to choose from, some even twirled together ranging from Red Velvet Cupcake, to various fruit sorbets to Cake Batter, Cookie Dough and the traditional Chocolate and Vanilla.  Now here's where the fun begins, add your toppings: a complete fruit bar with tapioca bursting balls of flavour to maple granola, sour keys, dark chocolate chips, coconut (sweetened and toasted) and so much more.  Entranced, I opted to become a card-carrying member to earn smiles for discounts on future yogurt.  Prices range depending on weight, mine was $4.91 of pure frozen goodness.  Check out Menchies here: http://www.menchies.com/about.php

Leaping lizards... I was in Lindsay!

Treated to a fun day frolicking on the farm, fantastic friends witnessed a trail-blazing tractor ride by yours truly (FYI: Paco was rough through the deep snow patches).  The House and Home magazine worthy farmhouse has been renovated into a charming and cheerful abode of wit and sarcastic good cheer.  On the menu was a beet, orange and red onion salad, goat cheese, bread and Fakes, a rich and textured lentil soup by our host.  Deeply delish!  Here's a link to one version of the Lentil Soup and cheers to Prosecco and good friends!  Thanks for a great day.  http://greekfood.about.com/od/soupsstews/r/fakessoupa.htm

Old friends and Oysters at The Auld Spot

I'm currently typing this review to Arcade Fire in the background as they just won the Grammy for Album of the Year... vas-y Montreal!  Give it up Lauren!  My conoisseur of all things oyster, we met at The Auld Spot for a few pints to rehash romance gone awry ironically over one of the world's greatest aphrodisiacs: oysters.  Lauren picked the east coast Raspberry points as we soaked them in lemon and freshly grated horseradish with a dash of tabasco of course.  The aftertaste is sweet and fresh and lent itself nicely to the contrast of our next order of heavily seasoned hand-cut fries.  At $2.50 an oyster, for a dozen we ended up grazing gourmet a la neighbourhood gastro pub.  Many other shmancy offerings include musself in white wine sauce and specials of sweet potato croquettes.  Cheers to a great girls night as  We're Ready To Start the week....

Raspberry Point Oysters.. mmmmmmm

Hand-cut Fries... mmmmmm

Gandhi goodness.,...




Inside the Butter Chicken Roti

"BUTTER CHICKEN IN A ROTI?!"  These were the words that escaped my lips as Bella Regazza and Hot Tamale explained Gandhi's concept.  We passed it along the way to Bella's house along Queen West between Bathurst and Portland.  A small diner-should-be take-out place that can house 15 people at its maximum, Gandhi is reminiscent of the many ethnic gems in Scarborough with a twist.  The hipster crowd is in full force and its owner should install a revolving door into the simple fluorescent-lit dining space warmed by a portable heater with the consistent flow of people trickling in and out.  Don't let the surroundings fool you: the roti's are a nod to naan brimming full of familiar Indian vegetarian and flavourful and familiar Indian meat dishes  Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka, etc...   This is as authentic as it comes, these are no "blue menu"-sauced dishes, with your choice of medium or hot flavour with accompanying desserts: gulab jamun being my favourite.  We feasted on the Buter Chicken (11.95) and the Saag Paneer (9.95) with gulab jamun (2.95) ordered at the counter and then served to our table.  Wash it down with some Frooty Mango drink ($5.00 for a container that drinks 2) in styrofoam cups and you can't go wrong!  We couldn't finish and had enough to last for lunch the next day.  One roti is enough to share between two, although if you're hungry and craving Indian food... eat it up!  Just like a friend said, "The food is just as good when heated in the microwave the next day..." Gandhi, I'm a believer!



Our Gandhian Feast





Inside the Saag Paneer Roti





In the Gandhi realm





Thirst-Quenching Frooti Mango Drink



The Main Man

IT'S WINTERLICIOUS TIME BABYYYYYY!

In response to the SARS outbreak back in November 2002 that lasted its way to June of 2003, the City of Toronto launched Summerlicious, an inviting appeal to tourists to try out the city's finest restaurants for a cheap prix fixe rate.  With roaring success, Winterlicious was added towards the end of January and the beginning of February to continue its appeal.  Let's face it, Torontonians love their food, spoiled as we are to have a world cuisine at our doorsteps (or the street corner).  So, ladies and gentlemen and food lovers itching to see what goes on in those coat and tie-laden covens, gear up and make your reservations for this year's Winterlicious which runs January 28-February 10.  Check out the link here: City of Toronto Winterlicious  Bon Appetit!