Gourmet Gourmantra and vino
Matching Indian Food with Local Wine

I realize I am a Canadian Italian at heart so yes I truly love my pizza, pasta's, breads and wine. I love Terroni, One of a Kind Pasta and of course anything that is Italian. But I can also say that international cuisine has always held a great place in my heart, not quite in my kitchen, but definitely when it comes delivery or a in a buffet style. My friend Samyukta says she makes the best Butter Chicken known to man, and I believe her, even though I have never ever tasted it. Even though I have never made it to India, or Italy for that matter, I can honestly say that I have never tried their food within their own geographical space. However, I can say that I have eaten my fair share of Indian food (and Italian for that matter). Give me Butter chicken 2 pieces of Nan and don't forget a glass of wine and then I am heaven...

When we were at the Wine and Cheese show this year our booth was across the way from the Gourmantra booth, and they were giving out free food all weekend at the show. Naturally because I love my Indian food, I had been in line a few times to score some cheap eats during our 12 hour shifts at the booth. They were giving way samples to everyone of different Indian boxed dinners, that they themselves created, that you could make in under 30 minutes in your own home. Now truly, I didn't really believe that an amazing Indian meal could come from a box. I ended up getting given one box of ahhhhh butter chicken (said like Homer says "ahhhh beer") and I finally got some time to whip it up. And I can honestly say I was wrong (which happens a lot, I am just not the first one who likes to admit it!) great food can come in a do it yourself box. Can I say OH MY GOD...not only was it fairly easy to make but and it tasted better than delivery! I'm sorry Little India I don't know if I will be ordering from you anymore.

The only weird thing about the do it yourself instructions was that they called for you to drain your rice... now I don't know about you but I don't usually drain rice, in fact do they even make such a thing as a rice drainer? Thank God one skill of mine is improvisation! Oh wait... what about tea strainer that is designed to fit inside a a tea pot, yeah that works...haha.

Anyway it was super easy to make and it tasted delicious. It will feed a good 3 hungry people or enough for a couple then one persons lunch the next day at work - to talk about how you made amazing Butter Chicken last night and you have leftovers to prove it. I ended up drinking a glass of 2006 Trius Red with it, and it matched nicely, however, a great match would have been a spicy and footy local Cab Franc so that the spicyness of the Butter Chicken could be combated with the spicy in the wine or another nice match would have been an acidic Riesling, such as a Henry of Pelham Riesling Reserve which would have cut the butter and fat, and would provide a refreshing mouth feel to the spicy, anise and cinnamon flavoured dish.

I have seen Gourmantra available to buy at the Local Fresh and Wild grocery store down at King and Spadina and you can also find it at Sobey's, Dominion and A&P. There are around 5 bucks to buy and all you just have to buy the meat that you cook and put inside the dish - with all the secret flavours (check out their cool spice part of their website) and of course the wine to complete the meal. Also, Gourmantra was started by a family of women, and are local to boot! So that should give you even more reason to support and try them.

They also have a really cool website so check it out at www.Gourmantra.com

Cheers and enjoy your next international cuisine!