A Habs Fan's Survival Guide: Living in Leafs Nation

The All Habs team is happy to announce another addition to our Habs Tweetup crew! Please join us in welcoming Dayes (@cokeaddict) as an Event Coordinator for Toronto.

She knows how hard living in the land of the Leafs can be - so Dayes has written a series of articles to help Habs fans survive when they find themselves in Tdot. First up? A set of witty comebacks...

written by Dayes, HabsTweetup.com (AllHabs.net)

TORONTO, ON -- Here we are, in the heat of August. The 2010-11 hockey season is long over, and the July summer has melted away the pain of a post-season disappointment. As we gear up for the next season with training camp only a few weeks away, I thought I'd put together a little survival guide to help Habs fans trying to survive in Leafs Nation.

Chapter One - Talking Back
In case you don't already know, I hail from Montreal. My family moved to Toronto when I was very young, so I've spent the greater part of my life living in the big smoke of the Tdot. Hockey aside, I must say that do love the city of Toronto. But, that love does not extend to the Leafs. I am a devoted Habs fan! GO HABS GO!

Here are three scenarios in which you may find yourself when living in Toronto. Below each are phrases you may encounter (all have been real encounters of mine) and rebuttals that I suggest using (one that I have used, and two suggested alternatives).

The Direct Approach

Some Leafs fans have no shame. They don't know you. They don't know if you're a visitor or a resident. But they have no problem just coming up to you and mouthing off if they spot you with Habs swag.

"You have to be pretty brave or pretty stupid to wear that on the streets of Toronto>"

• "No, I'm just pretty."
• "Why do you say that? Are Leafs fans so barbaric that they'd attack random strangers?"
• "But I love hockey. All of May and June I couldn't find a single Leafs game. And I've been checking every year since 2006!"

"Why do you cheer for the Habs? You should cheer for a real team."

• "Clearly, your real team knows where it's at. Longer vacations! Damn, they're so smart!!"
• "But my fake team wins more games than your real team."
• "Hmmm...cheer for a real team that doesn't get into the playoffs, or cheer for a fake team that does...tough choice."

How can you be proud of a team that whines like the Habs?"

• "Because it's harder to be proud of a team that loses like the Leafs."
• "Because I can't bring myself to buy waffles to throw at the Leafs. Wasting food is wrong."
• "It's easy because the Habs actually win once in a while."

The Trash Talk

Inevitably, if you go to the bar to watch a game you will encounter trash talk. Personally, I don't like any sort of trash talk. You want to cheer for the Leafs, go ahead - go nuts! But I'm not going to come over specifically to rub it in your face if you're losing. 

However, not everyone subscribes to my method of watching entertainment sports. So don't go to the bar unarmed (figuratively speaking, I don't endorse weapons). You will need to be prepared with a couple of quips to defend yourself.

"Don't bother wiping the TV screen. It won't change the fact that your team is losing."

• "I'm cleaning it so that bad hockey doesn't look worse."
• "I like seeing the Leafs score fluke goals on TV. It's cheaper than going to see David Copperfield." "But I want to be able to see the Leafs' goals more clearly. They're so rare. I don't know when I might get another chance."

"The Price is Wrong!"

• "Still a better deal than Komisarek."
• "And Riem time is right?" (pronounced "rhyme")
• "And the Leafs had yet another smashing season of stellar goaltending! It was Johnny Bower's last season, but that's a minor detail."

"Your stupid team traded away the person [Halak] that carried them into the playoffs! We would never have done that."

• "But even if you had Halak, your team still wouldn't have gotten into the playoffs."
• "Well thank gawd you didn't trade away the star that got you into the playoffs...oh...wait...what playoffs? *whispers* Do the Leafs have any star players?"
• "That's right. You would've waffled him instead."

The Pickup Line (only applies to female Habs fans) T

his is Toronto. When you and your girlfriends are at the bar, waiting to order drinks, guys will inevitably try to impress with their connections to the Leafs. I'm guessing it works on girls who are Leafs fans.

"Oh, so you like hockey? Well, I have a box at the ACC."

• "When I said I liked hockey, I meant I like to watch professional hockey."
• "Awesome. I'll bring waffles."
• "They play hockey there? It doesn't look like real hockey."

"I don't like to spread it around, but you know [insert Leafs player name here] is my best friend's cousin."

• "You know, it's actually more impressive to name drop with players from teams that actually win." "Too bad my 6-year-old nephew isn't here. He's probably the only one who might care."
• "You're right. You shouldn't spread that around. It's like telling someone you have herpes."

(After buying a round of drinks for a group of seemingly uninterested girls...) "Do you know who I am? I'm Mats Sundin. Captain of the Leafs?"

• "Oh!! *faux awkward pause* I'm a Habs fan."
• "Leafs? Oh, honey! Let me buy *you* a drink. It must be so hard, losing games so frequently. I can buy you a pity drink."
• "Cool!! Have you ever been to the Hockey Hall of Fame? That might be your only opportunity to see the Stanley Cup in Toronto."

Stay tuned for my next chapter: The Company You Keep!

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Game-Day Meal: Brazilian Treat

MONTREAL, QC. -- Game-day meal. For athletes, the formula for the fuel that propels them to peak performance is often one-third nutritional science and two-thirds superstition or lucky-charm. Fortunately for fans, it's much more rudimentary -- something simple, tasty and manageable without disturbing one's gaze from the action.

At Habs Tweetup, we're all about the social side of the game. That can mean connecting you with other fans who are getting together at one of our All Habs approved venues, or providing tips to improve your viewing experience at home. Our series called Game-day Meal will feature meals and snacks that are easily prepared when you're expecting a few friends for the game or watching alone.

Today's suggestion is truly international originating in Brazil with a touch of old Italy. It comes from one of our South American correspondents. Keep in mind that our sister site AllHabs.net has original content articles written in Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, French and English. 

São Paulo, BR. -- This treat is called Palha Italiana. Despite the name, roughly translating to Italian Straw, the origin of the candy is unknown -- many, however, believe it was created right here in Brazil. It is told that the idea came from the preparation of the chocolate salami, a typical Italian recipe, that is prepared with the mass of Palha Italiana.

It's one of those simple desserts, but everyone loves to eat, and during a game, can't stop eating! The recipe mixes plain biscuits, chocolate, cream and condensed milk. Just looking at the ingredients, we can see that the sweet is a delight, can't we?

Palha Italiana

Ingredients

200ml sweetened condensed milk
100ml heavy cream
30g dark chocolate
50g plain biscuits

Preparation

1. In a saucepan, whisk condensed milk, cream and chocolate. Heat over low heat, always stirring, until is possible to see the bottom of the pan, the mixture won't be sticking to the pan. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes
2. Coarsely chop the biscuits and fold in the warm chocolate mixture. Pour in a greased 15cm square pan. Level with a spoon and let cool completely in room temperature.
3. After the fudge is cooled, cut into squares.


Tip: You can add chopped pecans, hazelnut or Brazil nuts.

(photo credit: Jon Keen)

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Home Cooking with Habs Tweetup: Summertime Sangria

by Amy, HabsTweetup.com (AllHabs.net)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Hello Habs fans! If you're like me you're enjoying beautiful weather, summer sunshine, and BBQs....and missing hockey! (Is it October yet?) Of course our friends at AllHabs.net have been keeping our hunger for hockey satisfied with regular news and updates on trades, free agency and development camp. Be sure to visit them regularly!

The warm weather might leave you a bit reluctant to do any heavy cooking indoors, but we've got the perfect way to beat the heat with a refreshing glass of sangria! These days sangria comes in almost every flavour and variety you can imagine: white sangria, mango sangria, peach sangria, sparkling sangria, strawberry sangria...the list is endless. It's easy to get creative with the ingredients once you've got the basics - which is what today's recipe features.

Traditional Red Sangria can be made with almost any red wine and just a few simple ingredients. Invite a few friends over and mix up a pitcher for your next gathering!

BASIC SANGRIA RECIPE
Recipe courtesy of about.com

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 bottle of red wine (Cabarnet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
1 lemon (cut into wedges)
1 orange (cut into wedges)
2 tbsp sugar
1 oz. brandy
2 cups ginger ale or club soda

1. Pour wine into a glass pitcher and squeeze the juice from the lemon, lime and orange wedges into the wine as well.
2. Add the wedges to the pitcher, being careful to remove any seeds first.
3. Add sugar and brandy, stir well.
4. Chill overnight.
5. Add ginger ale (my preference) or club soda just before serving.


This recipe sounded so tasty I had to try it for myself with a bottle of merlot...the photo above depicts the result. Very tasty, quite refreshing...a guaranteed party pleaser!


Do you have a favourite recipe you'd like to share with Habs Tweetup readers? Email amy@allhabs.net to be featured in a future edition of Home Cooking with Habs Tweetup!

photo credit: Amy Johnson

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Habs Tweetup in Montreal: Rolling Out the Red Carpet

by Erica, AllHabs.net (special to HabsTweetup.com)

MONTREAL, QC -- As a pop culture junkie turned hockey fan, I love awards shows. I still remember how excited I was to watch my first NHL Awards telecast, and how disappointed I was by it. I still watch the Awards every year. As odd as it is to see hockey players act like real celebrities, I love the NHL Awards. And I think it's exactly that - the excitement of seeing NHL players after the season ends, combined with the campy awkwardness of the awards show - that will make a great Habs Tweetup.

We're all a little disappointed that this year's nominations didn't show any love for Carey Price or the rest of the Canadiens, but we can look forward to cheering on our other favourites. Perhaps local boys Roberto Luongo (Vezina Trophy), Ian Laperriere (Masterton Trophy), and Martin St. Louis (Lady Byng and Hart trophies)? Or former Habs coach and current Jack Adams Trophy nominee Alain Vigneault? I know we might be split on who should win which trophies, but there's one thing I'm betting all Habs fans can agree on: No one is looking forward to hearing "Congratulations to the Boston Bruins on winning the Stanley Cup" over and over again during the telecast.

Watching Canadiens games at Habs Tweetups this season was a blast. Since there are no games of which to speak, we thought we'd try throwing the sports equivalent of an Oscar party. So, Habs fans, get your Awards predictions ready. Dress up if you'd like to, since the dress code is "hockey formal" - interpret those words however you want! And do whatever you like to make this awards show as competitive and entertaining as an NHL game. I personally might make a poster that reads "Not Chara for Norris."

See you at McLeans Pub for the 1st Annual NHL Awards Habs Tweetup! And for you hockey fans in the greater Toronto area, you can also party with the All Habs crew on Friday, June 24th at Kilgour's Bar Meets Grill for the 3rd Annual NHL Draft Habs Tweetup!

Be sure to check out the All Habs article "What Offseason? Attend an All Habs Fan Event!" for more information on these exciting events.

Want to reserve your seat at a Habs Tweetup? Click on the "RSVP for a Habs Tweetup" tab at the top of the page. Sign up today!


photo credit: www.thevegaseye.com

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Why McLean's Pub is THE best place to watch Habs

by Robyn Flynn, AllHabs.net (special to HabsTweetup.com)

MONTREAL, QC -- When you're a Habs fan, you could be watching the game alone in your living room and you'd still be screaming like a lunatic. But it's nice to be in a warm atmosphere, surrounded by other screaming lunatics, er, Habs fans. Such an atmosphere can be found right in the heart of downtown Montreal on Peel.



Now I can go on about the reasonably priced eats, the glorious beer towers (yes, towers), the excellent location, but there are several bars in Montreal which meet that standard. What sets McLean's apart is the experience.

Rapidly becoming the official Montreal location for Habs Tweetups, the warm and inviting ambiance definitely makes you feel right at home, and this is enhanced by the incredible staff that works there, most notably Adrienne and Jay.

Adrienne is a waitress extraordinaire who takes the time to learn your name, remember your favourite drink, find out what you do for a living, etc. She's an absolute sweetheart, be sure to tip her well!


Jay is a manager who makes every single person in the bar feel as though they're an integral part of the good times being had. He's sweet, funny, and completes the experience.

Honourable mentions have to go out to the rest of the staff, including Manon, Helen, and Darcy, and anyone else whose name I've yet to learn.

The food is reasonably priced, and during Habs games the pub offers a menu with meals named after Habs players past and present. I recommend the Guy Lafleur (chicken wings and fries) or the Mike Cammalleri (fish and chips).

McLean's is also a spot where local celebrities like to hang out, such as Chris "Knuckles" Nilan (who was there during Game 1 vs the Bruins signing autographs) and Annakin Slayd, the man who brought us Habs anthems like "Feels Like '93" and "MTL Stand Up". He frequents the bar on a pretty regular basis (and he's also a really, REALLY nice guy, a huge Habs fan, and appreciates ALL kind words from ALL his fans).

Whether the Habs win or lose, McLean's Pub is THE ultimate Habs watering hole.

Follow me on Twitter: @ladyhabs

photo credits: Pablo Ortiz and Robyn Flynn

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Home Cooking with Habs Tweetup: Playoff Pastry Pockets

Now that the playoffs are upon us, it's time to start planning your playoff parties! Snack food is a vital staple at any game day gathering but you don't have to rely on the boring 'same old, same old'...why not try something new?

This week's edition of "Home Cooking with Habs Tweetup" comes courtesy of our Vancouver Habs Tweetup Event Coordinator, Veronica! Her Chilean heritage is highlighted in this recipe for a very tasty pastry called an empanada. Enjoy!

by Veronica, HabsTweetup.com (AllHabs.net)

VANCOUVER, B.C. -- These little pockets of beef heaven are a staple on traditional Chilean holidays, and most every other family gathering, patio party, etc. In Canada these would be suitable for a meal, but in Chile they are merely an appetizer. We do love to eat.

The recipe calls for raisins in the beef mix, but I don't use them. I would NEVER get the kids to eat them with raisins, and I'm not fond of them either. So, you can try the recipe with, or leave them out, and I promise they'll be delicious anyway.

I got this from About.com, because the recipe is exactly right, and the recipes I have are a) in Spanish, and would take forever to translate, and b) not precise about measurements; it is just taken for granted that of course you would know how much flour and shortening goes into the dough, for example - like any good Chilean.

Empanadas Chilenas de Pino (Chilean beef empanadas)

In Chile, the most traditional empanada filling is called "pino". Pino is a seasoned mixture of ground beef, onions, raisins, black olives, and hard boiled eggs. The dough is quick and easy to make, and can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The pino tastes best if made the day before and allowed to rest overnight before filling the empanandas.

Empanada Dough

4 cups flour
1-2 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp butter, chilled
12 tbsp lard or vegetable shortening, chilled
3/4 - 1 cup water
2 egg yolks

1. Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the salt and the sugar.
2. Blend the butter and shortening (or lard) into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or with two knives, until fairly well blended.
3. Whisk the egg yolks with 3/4 cups water. Stir in the 1/2 cup of water/egg mixture, a little at a time until the dough starts to come together smoothly. Keep kneading the dough, adding more water/egg a little bit at a time as necessary (you made need a few tablespoons extra of water), until the dough is smooth.
4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. (Dough can also be kept overnight or a couple of days in the refrigerator.) Dough should be soft and smooth, and not elastic - if you poke a hole in it with your finger, the indentation should remain.
5. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and roll into desired thickness.

Makes enough dough for 10-12 large empanadas


Empanada Filling

3 large onions, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chile powder 1 tbsp paprika
1 beef bouillon cube, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped olives 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced 1 egg yolk
2 tbsp milk

1. Cook the onions and garlic in the vegetable oil and butter until softened. Add the ground beef, cumin, chile powder, paprika, beef bouillon, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add the beef, stirring and crumbling the meat, until browned. Add the flour and continue to cook for 5 or 10 minutes more.
3. Remove the meat mixture and let cool. The beef mixture will keep up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
4. Shape the empanadas: Separate the dough into golf ball size pieces, and roll into smooth balls. Let rest for 5 minutes. On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough into a 6 inch diameter circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Add 1 tablespoon of the beef filling, a few raisins and some chopped olives, and a slice of hard boiled egg to the middle of the circle.
5. Brush the edges with water and fold the pastry in half over the filling, to make a semi-circle.
6. Seal the edges by pressing down with your fingers. Brush the sealed edge lightly with water, then turn the edge toward the middle and press with your fingers to seal.
7. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons milk, and brush the empanadas with the mixture.
8. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut them in half for the steam to escape, and EAT.


Do you have a favourite recipe that you'd like to share? Whether it's traditional or something a tad unique, send it our way! Email your recipes (and a photo of the finished product!) to amy@allhabs.net and you could see your recipe featured here on HabsTweetup.com!

photo credit: www.minuevohogar.cl

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Home Cooking with Habs Tweetup: Better with Bacon

by Amy, HabsTweetup.com (AllHabs.net)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- If you don't agree with the title of this week's column, you should probably just lay down your right to ever eat anything tasty again and run away. It's BACON people!!

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks...you name it, bacon makes everything better. Even you vegetarians have your own soy-based versions of crispy pork fat. Dessert? That's covered too. I recently got to sample maple ice cream topped with candied bacon pieces. That's right, candied bacon! Deeee-lish!

So it should come to no surprise that bacon can be used to make one of the most common dinner foods into something a little more spectacular. Chicken is a staple in kitchens everywhere and this week's recipe is sure to please.

Not only does this dish feature bacon (YUM!) but it also allows one of my favourite beverages to take center stage: cider! The recipe calls for regular apple cider, but you could use an alcoholic version too. These ingredients create a smoky, rustic flavour that pairs well with a side of rice and broccoli...and a freshly poured cider!

CHICKEN WITH CIDER AND BACON SAUCE
adapted from "Cooking Light" (Jan/Feb 2005)

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bacon slices, chopped
1/4 cup onion, minced
3/4 cup unsweetened apple cider
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness after placing them in between two sheets of plastic wrap. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
2. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet until crisp. Remove bacon, set aside. Add chicken to pan and cook in bacon drippings for 6 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside; keep warm.
3. Add onion to pan; cook until tender, stirring often. Add cider and chicken broth to pan and bring to a boil. Gently scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits of onion and bacon. Cook until liquid is reduced then stir in cooked bacon. Pour sauce over chicken breasts and serve immediately.


Do you have a favourite recipe that uses bacon? Whether it's traditional or something a tad unique, send it our way! Email your recipes to amy@allhabs.net and you could see your recipe featured here on HabsTweetup.com - Enjoy!


photo credit: http://miamidish.net/2008/07/08/miami-dish-loves-bacon/

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