style is life

2 Mangoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 small sweet red pepper, diced
1 tablespoon grated or finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped scallions, white and green parts
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons lemon, Meyer lemon, or fresh lime juice
Pinch salt, or to taste
Dash hot pepper sauce

In amedium bowl, gentle mix all the ingredients together. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or hot pepper sauce as needed. The salsa can be made several hours ahead of time; cover and refridgerate as need.

One evening in late June, I had the unexpected pleasure of being invited to a dinner party masked as a BBQ. Although I was not feeling my brass, overly vocal self, I thought the opportunity good to meet new people and to attempt a shot at my old self. Things not being what they were normally, I was gently prompted by a good friend to join, and things being more normal than I noticed at the time, I couldn’t say no to her. Best friends are indeed that for a reason. They know what cards to play at the right time. I think this is referred to as good Poker skills or is it Black Jack? I was never good at cards. In any event, I mustered up the strength to build excitement about the party and with the G20 on it would take much courage to leave the Apartment. Luckily I managed to evade much of the spectacle despite my many walks up and down Yonge Street. After much discussion with my friend about the location, I said that I had an idea of where I was heading, which I did but still stopped at my favourite internet café, iklick on Yonge to use Google maps just to make sure. The route to Walmer took me past the ROM, the University of Toronto’s attempt at a Philosopher’s path and in the direction of the Annex, a charming neighbouhood home to the Alliance Française where I studied French last summer and home to the wonderfully creative Dandi Maestre. Along the way I couldn’t help but wonder what the night ahead would bring. I’m not saying that obsessing about simple things like dinner parties is normal, but I tend to tread towards the extreme. Can you say OCD?

The walk down to Walmer was pleasant. A contrast of the harsh nature of big city architecture and the warmth of Oak and Maple trees, a sense of quiet, even silence. In a good way. Toronto is an odd city like that; contradictions are only ten minutes away. The radius from highly popularizes Dundas Square and the once dreaded Regent’s Park are mere minutes away. One populated by Tourists, the other by families living under the poverty line or just at par. Even so, the one great strength of the city relies greatly on the resilience of the people who busk, hustle and work themselves into something that they are, but not quite yet. A former boyfriend once told me that famed author and professor Richard Florida penned a piece about those very people. I believe it was something called the “creative class”, something that I understand as I am a proud member of such a class. From my neighbourhood, the Church/Wellesley Village, a charming old but trend making machine, the walk is about 20 minutes if you stroll. Not being in sound self, I made the trek in the direction of what Google map said and that I already knew but couldn’t confirm and marveled at the fact that I was lucky enough to miss all the G20 madness except for what seemed like a small pod of Environmentalist at the corner of Bloor and Avenue. I arrived at Walmer thankful, for the differences in the city. I’m just now starting to appreciate it after reentering it almost 3 years ago. I slopped down Walmer, admiring it’s quite nature and the old town vibe it gave. As is custom, I arrived at my destination with time to spare, a lot was not usual but at least I had that. I’m big on punctuality. I scooped out the old Victorian, a lovely reminder of my many years spent in good old Guelph, a place near and dear to my heart. I find the structure eerie yet inviting, a common trait, in my experience with this type of house. Also common was a lovely Hostess, her go to girl and a cat or 3, this was not exception. After about 2 or 3 glances, I accepted the fact that I was struggling to find the entrance. I finally gave in; having had a rough week I just did not have the usual gusto to hunt. My friend answered her iphone quickly, it’s never too far from her side and trumped down the stairs to rescue me from my hunt from the entrance. “You’re the first to arrive” she says; a phrase we’ve both uttered often. We smirked at the inside joke although we were the only ones there and made our way up the stairs to a second floor apartment with an at home feel.

I was greeted by a cat as expected then introduced to the Hostess; I raven haired beauty, clearly a nurturer with a passion for cooking. By her side was a picture perfect, statue-like figure trying to balance 2 medium sized chickens on Guinness tall boys. Later during the evening I found out that she was a well travelled Ballet dancer visiting from Norway. This I gathered from her mentioning her “Principle”. The proper introductions made, like something out of a Thanksgiving scene from TV the 4 of us busied ourselves in the kitchen. On the menu, the aforementioned beer chicken, roasted belle peppers, mushrooms, asparagus and corn on the cob. All carefully cooked on the barbeque. Just off the kitchen was a terrace with a lovely spread of pre dinner eats and a punch bowl of Sangria, a summer favourite. It was like I planned the party myself. While we prepped I was invited to a glass of Sangria and to sample the Apps. On the table was hummus accompanied by an array of crips and crusty bread to dip and along that most delicious Mango salsa I’ve ever tasted with Tostito scoops to dip. My first taste brought back memories of now my former favorite Salsa moment, experienced years prior at the Salsateria, a tiny theme restaurant in Guelph Ontario. The flavour combination of ginger, cilantro and lemon were so intense and yet you could enjoy them separately if needed. I ate so much of it that I barely made it through Dinner and had no room for dessert, barbequed skewers of pineapples, strawberries and figs among other fruits. We were joined for dinner by the Hostesses brother, an Engineer evident from the trusty ring on his pinky. We were later joined by his girlfriend and a lovely couple, he some sort of internet genius, she a member of the film industry. The conversation was lively, intelligent, and humorous and spanned from Religion to what if games. I did something that was not usual, I listened, sipped on loose leaf tea, a concoction from the Tea Emporium, Rooibos I believe (delish). Although the weather was temperamental and couldn’t decide what to do it eventually settled on rain and much like patio days at ONE we moved inside. It was close to midnight or a little past when I decided to depart, I said my thank yous and nice to meet yous before making my exit; but not before I got that salsa recipe.

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