Danderma's Blog, page 40

Dallah Bakery’s Elba and Sukary Cups

Elba’s traditional Kuwaiti bakery brought back their famous Elba with the start of the holy month of Ramadan. I’ve missed their elba, but they only make it in Ramadan and so on the very first week they sent me one cold pot of saffron-y elba, Dallah’s way of a Ramadan greeting.

I opened the pot and the moment I did the smell of cardamom was wafting all over the living room. Mmmm…

I love elba, and if you haven’t tried it before it’s like a milk pudding or Kuwaiti Crème caramel, with plenty of cardamom and saffron and traditionally made with cows milk from a cow that had just given birth but it can be made with any kind of milk.

Dallah’s elba was cold and delicious as always, I enjoyed every bite of that pot. Yes, I finished the pot and scraped it’s bottom b3d but not in one go of course.

With Dallah’s elba came another box, a new product released by Dallah named Sukary Cups. Little biscuit cups filled with walnuts and sweet dates and dusted with icing sugar.

The sukkary cups were, indeed, like little cups of sweet sugar. So delicious and soft, though I’m not a fan of dates I didn’t mind the dates at all.

One thing to look out for is the crumbs of the cups though. The biscuit dough was so soft and sweet, but also can be quite messy if you don’t bite into it slowly.

Thank you Dallah for the lovely Ramadan gift. The sukkary cups are lovely indeed, keep up the good work and mbarak 3lekom el shahar o 3asakom min 3owadah.

Dallah’s elba is available until the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the sukary cups are worth a try. To order from Dallah or for information you can pass by their store in Kaifan Co-op, call them on 99989824, email them on DallahKuwait@yahoo.com, follow them on Twitter on (@Dallah), or follow them and their delicious pictures on Instagram on (@DallahKuwait).

Alnowair’s #iThank Campaign

Alnowair, a local campaign to spread positivity in our community, sent me a couple of post-it stacks a while back. One stack has “Thank you for…” written on it in English and the other stack has the same but in Arabic. Both stacks are part of Alnowair’s #iThank campaign, which starting mid-July would see similar stacks available in different Caribu coffee branches around Kuwait and can be used by everyone who is interested.

The idea is to spread these post-its around Kuwait whenever you encounter something, a service for example, that you are thankful for. You’d write your word of gratitude on the post-it and hand it over, which believe it or not would make a huge difference in the morale of people providing services or working hard. Why not? If you can thank people and make them happy, why would not do it?

I personally plan on using it wherever I can. I will be sharing pictures, but I need to get out of the house or else I’d only be thanking myself. Do please spread the word, and if you are thankful for something give out a post-it, snap a picture, and use the hashtag #iThank.

For more information regarding the #iThank campaign you can contact Alnowair by giving them a call +(965)-25321043, visiting their website (link), following them on Twitter (@al_nowair), or on instagram (@al_nowair).

Scoop a Cone’s Ramadan Gelato Bonbobs

It was a very hot summer afternoon in Ramadan when the door bell rang and a big ice box from Scoop a cone was delivered to our door. If we weren’t fasting we would have torn into it right away, for all you need in this scorching weather is ice cold gelato and water.

Inside the ice box was a collection of Scoop a Cone’s latest flavours of Gelato bonbons. I love these little fellas, they are cold and sweet and finish in one bite and you can have multiple flavours in one go without going over board with calories.

This Ramadan the little gelato bonbons are exceptionally good looking! They are very cute indeed, so cute you wouldn’t really want to bite into them and ruin them.

Which one to bite into first which one which one… the green one?

Or perhaps the one topped with carrot-orange shreds?

The pink?

Or the cappuccino? Which is one of my favourites by the way. The Ferrero Roche is also really good!

Thank you Scoop a Cone for the delicious Ramadan gift. Perfect for a Ramadan in the summer indeed. Mubarak 3lekom el shahar o 3asakom min 3owadah 

You can order these treats from Scoop a Cone by calling 23824093 or 23930607. For more information about Scoop a Cone you can check their website (link), their facebook page (link), follow them on Instagram (@Scoop_a_Cone).

Armies of Crickets are Everywhere!

We noticed one yesterday, a lone greyish brown thing walking right past my couch as I was lounging in peace. In an instant the invading cricket was crushed underneath a pair of nearby crocs. I was astonished, where on earth did he come from exactly? Before I had the time to process that thought, another cricket appeared right in the spot where the first dead one was. He too was crushed with the crocs. Now scared, I decided we must have an infestation of cockroaches somewhere and before I scanned the room to decide on the ideal placement of the nest, a third cricket appeared!

The last of three musketeers was just standing there, quietly, idly, doing nothing. As I looked closely at him, he seemed dazed and clearly wasn’t a cockroach. He was more of a grasshopper than a roach and thankfully when he at last met his fate, no other comrades appeared. Now in all my three decades of living in Kuwait, I’ve never seen a cricket inside a living room before, let alone three of them appearing within a minute of each other. I’ve heard them on in the bushes, yes. They’ve been more annoying and much louder recently, yes. I knew we had to spray the entire house with whatever poison they use to kill pests.

Then today I noticed everyone complaining on instagram! People have been seeing them everywhere where they shouldn’t be and killing them on daily basis! Apparently they all look a bit dazed for some reason and they actually do fly! How gross! My husband says they are also can get inside your ears and needless to say my body have been itching all over since I’ve realised the swarms of crickets are advancing on us. I’m itching right now, imagining a throng of crickets lurking beneath my couch waiting to fly and attack me, ugh!

Have you seen these crickets? Do you have any idea how they are slipping inside the houses, offices, or cars? What happened? Is it a change in the eco system that’s causing them to spread? Is there anything we can do to stop them coming inside?

The Diet Center’s Ramadan Gift

At the start of the holy month of Ramadan I received a gift box from The Diet Center tied with a ribbon to a small booklet.

The booklet was a about fasting correctly and making the most out of the 30 days of Ramadan plus some recipes for healthy alternatives to some Ramdan cooking stables such as the sheera, or sugar syrup.

Inside the box was a small mubkhar -incense burner-, some good smelling bukhoor -incense wood-, and a box of saffron.

Thank you The Diet Center for the lovely gift. Mubarak 3lekom el shahar o 3asakom min 3owadah.

For more information regarding The Diet Center you can check their website (link), like their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@DietCenterKW), or on instagram (@DietCenterKW).

Cake Story’s Ali Baba Dessert

One of the local home businesses that I truly admire is Cake Story. Their desserts are amazing, their packaging is gorgeous, and their service is friendly and reliable. Last week I received a box of their special edition Ramadan desserts, and the box itself was telling an Arabian love story!

Inside the box were four dozens of their newest Ramadan dessert they call Ali Baba. Rolls of filo pastry sheets, rolled around a mix of ground nuts, friend and topped with pistachios and comes with a side of sheera -saffron sugar syrup-.

The Ali Baba pieces are crunchy, the mix of ground nuts is unusual and tastes like rahash or peanut butter, a tad salty and goes very well against the sweetness of the sheera.

One more detail, and the attention to details is what sets Cake Story apart from the other local home businesses, the inside of the lid of the Ali Baba box is printed with an Arabian poem from one thousands and one nights! How thoughtful.

Thank you Cake Story for the Ali Baba box! Keep up the good work, mbarak 3lekom el shahar o 3asakom min 3owadah.

Ali Baba will be available during the month of Ramadan. To order the Ali Baba or to view the rest of Cake Story’s goodies and to order you can call them on  +(965)-99004349, follow them on twitter (@CakeStory2012) or on instagram (@CakeStory).

Cafe Bazza Ramadan Gift

Cafe Bazza sent me a different and quite useful Ramadan gift a few months ago. I love everything about Cafe Bazza, from the branding to the traditional Kuwaiti food with a modern twist, and their gift is no different.

Inside the bag are three different bags, one with ground cinnamon, one with sugar, and one with jereesh grains plus a long wodden spoon we call methraba. All ingredients can be used to make a traditional Ramadan dish, harees. I don’t personally eat hares and I’m not sure if the jereesh grains are used in the harees making but I can tell you I might experiment with the spoon and the grains soon.

Thank you Cafe Bazza for your Ramadan gift, mbarak 3lekom el shahar o 3asakom min 3owada.

For more information about Cafe Bazza you can follow them on Twitter (@CafeBazza) or instagram (@CafeBazza).

Versus Caffé Date & Cardamom Cheesecake

Since we are in the holy month of Ramadan many restaurants and cafes have produced their own limited edition Ramadan menu items. Versus Caffé have a new dessert on the menu for Ramadan, a cardamom and dates cheesecake that is very rich and smooth. The cake arrived at my door in a huge and eye-catching hexagonal red and white box. Very modern indeed.

The cake’s aroma waftes from the box as you open it, very Ramadan-eque and feels just like home with after-iftar tea! If you are a fan of dates and cheesecakes, you would want to try this one before Ramdan is over.

Thank you Versus Versace Caffé for the lovely cheesecake. Mbarak 3lekom el shahar o 3asakom min 3owadah.

The dates and cardamom cheesecake is available during the holy month of Ramadan. To order the cheesecake or for more information you can contact Versus Caffé by calling +(965)-22270330, visiting their cafe in Al-Hamra mall, Kuwait City, or following them on Twitter (@VersusCaffe) or instagram (@VersusCaffe).

Fiji Water Ramadan Gift

One thing I miss most during fasting the holy month of Ramadan during the 50 C summer is water, I’m parched all day long and so tired I began to envy camels. Even when we finally break fast, I cannot get enough water, preferably cold and with a hint of leqqah water in it. As a Ramadan gift I received two cartons of bottled Fiji Water, one of the best gifts I’ve gotten this Ramadan as I keep running out of bottled water which means I need to go to the co-op to replenish my supply.

Fiji water is well know for it’s gorgeous bottle deign and smooth water taste. Many of my friends are Fiji water fans, personally it’s in my list of five favourite bottled water brands. Thank you Fiji for your Ramadan gift, mbarak 3lekom el shahar o 3asakom min 3owadah

For more information about Fiji water you can contact their distributor in Kuwait by calling +(965)-99221186 or follow them on Twitter (@FijiWater_Kw) or on instagram (@FijiWater_Kw).

Happy Birthday to Me… My 30 Things List

I was born in Ramadan 1430 in the hijri, or lunar calendar. The lunar year is now 1434 and today is my birthday again and the first birthday to coincide with my Lunar birth month as well, which is something that occurs once every 33 years only! Happy birthday to me, I’m 19 once more and forever and I have to say being in your 30′s is not bad at all. If anything, somehow it feels better than being in your 20′s. You are much wiser, more accomplished, more confident, less awkward, and people take you more seriously plus you don’t look that old.

Happy birthday to me and happy birthday to my birthday twin fellow blogger Standy whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in Kuwait this year! Happy birthday to us, dear Standy, and happy birthday to all my readers who are born today, or in July, or whose star sign is cancer

Now for the list…

1- Speak French,German, and Italian. –> I learned two French words but with my deteriorating memory I’ve forgotten them. Oh well, C’est La Vie!

2- Learn how to play the piano. –> The piano learning device on the iPad I bought last year is gathering dust! I have to find some free me time.

3- Weigh 45 Kilos. –> I did lose a bit of weight this past year but I need to concentrate a bit more and really get into it. There is nothing I want more than to be skinny again.

4- Lead a healthy life style –> Starting tomorrow I’m going to make some changes and start watching what I eat for real and try and be healthy, not for the sake of losing weight, for the sake of prolonging my health and evading ageing illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.

5- Get the perfect blonde hair dye. Well I’m bored from my last year’s hair colour and I think I want to go look for a new lovely shade of blonde, any ideas?

6- Visit Japan. -> Still waiting  I really, really, REALLY want to visit especially during April.

7- Go to the original Disney Land. -> Still waiting  I need to travel more but I cannot afford to do so now a days. I need a change of scenery.

8- Get rid of Acne and Black heads for good.-> I got the most awesome facial washing device, I will post about it for soon. Nothing will be gone for good of course but my complexion should improve.

9- Finish fixing up my current apartment -> I’ve moved a year and a half ago but I still have some boxes that are unopened. I need to either unbox and arrange them or get rid of them once and for all. It’s time to declutter.

10- Learn how to fly with the Aviation Simulator thing. -> Although I live nearby I’ve never been to the Aviation thing, I really need to find more me time to do what I want.

11- Publish my writings in a book. –> Published two books to date! Alf el 7amd le Allah, working on the third.

12- Have the perfect Hollywood smile. –> Still waiting to get lumineers but I really don’t feel like visiting another dentist for the next year or so!

13- Prevent aging, wrinkles, and gray hair. –> Well there are some measures a person can take once the facial creams stop having any effects, perhaps its time to visit a dermatologist!

14- Join and actually commit to a gym. –> Err I made it inside a gym this year, I’m contemplating joining.

15- Go to hajj.–> There some construction work being done in Mecca right now, it’s advisable to go next year.

16- Grow a thicker skin–> As time goes by I find myself caring less about what people think about me or say behind my back. I’m proud of myself actually but sometimes something slips by and makes me sad. I managed to filter 80% of bad things before, I’m aiming to 100% this year.

17- Build my dream house… Tiny white small modern with French doors opening to the garden. –> Eeeh… still waiting.

18- Program a video game. –> Might do so soon!

19- Program my first Apple application. –> I know what I want to program, an application for my blog. All I need now is time!

20- Organize all my photos into albums… All neat and dated.–> Half way through there! Yes I don’t have enough time.

21- Learn Arabian calligraphy. –> Looking for classes, perhaps I might take some art lessons too! Explore my potential.

22- See my books displayed in Waterstones, UK. –> I now know exactly what I need to do for that to happen. Just waiting for my first book to finish editing.

23- Plant my own vegetable garden. –> I bought myself a device that might help, still unboxed it though, will post about it once I have the time.

24- Learn karate or any other form of martial arts. –> Still can’t find a suitable gym/trainer.

25- Relax, relax, relax –> I managed to fix my sleeping patterns by managing to relax a bit. However, now that I’m approaching my mid-thirties I find myself needing to relax more often. My peace of mind is what I value most in life.

26- Stop biting my nails and growing them out like other normal girls. –> Sadly they are now chewed beyond the point of being presentable. I need to grow them again.

27- Stop eating chocolate, candy, and soft drinks plus sticking to a healthy eating diet plan. –>  I realized that stop eating something is not the way to go. If I want to eat a piece of chocolate I will eat a piece of chocolate, only I will incorporate it into my daily eating plan.

28- Become a better photographer. –> I might not be able to draw, or paint, but I’ve been told over and over that my photographs are different and who knows? I might be really good indeed.

29- Less time on the couch, more time with my friends. –> I have some ten pending coffee dates that I’ve made with friends but never found the time to go with them. I miss having some quality time with friends, chatting and laughing over a cup of coffee or a light dinner. All I need is time, and god knows where my time goes!

30- Smile more, be less shy. –> I might come off to people as a stuck up snob but the truth is that I’m extremely shy and really cannot remember faces so I don’t intend to ignore people, I just live in a little shy forgetful bubble of my own. I need to start smiling more.

Now let the celebrations begin, I’m going to spoil myself rotten today! Happy birthday to me and thanks be to Allah for letting me live another year with my health, security, and loved ones