So – here’s the main reason I haven’t posted for quite a while…. Or at least the flimsy excuse I’m giving!

I’ve been too busy watching episodes of my new favourite TV show – Come Dine With Me. (Yes, I’ll admit it! I’ve been tied up watching the telly!)

If you aren’t familiar with Come Dine With Me, here’s the premise of this British (reality) series.

Five strangers get together to each host a three-course dinner party on successive evenings. At the end of each evening, the guests score the host on his or her hosting/cooking/entertaining skills. The host with the highest score is revealed on the last night and wins £1000, and the title of top dinner party host for the week.

The show is a real life comedy, drama, tragedy, cooking show and sometimes worst nightmare all rolled into one. Things invariably go wrong in the kitchen, personalities clash, and the competitiveness of some ALL of the participants fuel each half hour episode and make for sometimes strange and bizarre, but rather entertaining TV.

Then you mix in the British accents, eccentric characters, the chance to peek into other people’s homes and see how they prep for and host a dinner party in the UK (one of my favourite countries!), and you’ve got a recipe for a show quite unlike others currently available for sampling. And if you really want to sample, often there are some inspired and inspiring menu plans and recipes served up! (And posted online for viewers who saw something that whet their appetite.)

I can’t forget to mention the show’s host/narrator. Dave Lamb (his voice, accent and witty comments!) is a huge reason why I like the show. Throughout each episode he interjects a comical runny commentary about what the participants are doing – or should or shouldn’t be doing!

The show runs in half hour episodes (one dinner party per episode) on W Network on Sundays starting at 1 p.m. There are five hosts per show so if you tape or PVR the show and get a bit behind watching them as I have, you’ll have 2-1/2 hours of Come Dine With Me each week to catch up on!

You can watch full episodes online as well as get the recipes for dishes the participants prepare for their guests. And, there’s more info about the episodes and the show’s guests on the UK’s Channel 4 Come Dine With Me website which airs the show in Britain.

Casting is currently being done for a Canadian version of Come Dine With Me. If you live in the Greater Toronto Area, like to cook and entertain and want to be wined and dined in return, and want to win $1000 as well as the title of best host for the week, apply to be on the show.