Danderma's Blog, page 53

Pizza Hut’s New Crunchy Stuffed Crust Pizza

What are you having for lunch today? Yesterday afternoon I tried the new crunchy stuffed crust. Though I’m not crazy about Kuwait’s Pizza Hut’s pizzas per say but the stuffed crust one I do order from time to time, its ingredients are somehow more balanced with the dough thickness which is just perfect. Not too thin and biscuit like like the thin crust and not too thick like the pan pizza. They have three new varieties of stuffed crust of and we had the one with the cornflakes topped crust!

It arrived steaming hot and I opened it to find the crust covered in flakes of dried corn and not cornflakes like out of the cereal flakes. Interesting, I couldn’t wait to try it.

Since I am trying to watch what I eat since I don’t have the metabolism of a nineteen-years-old anymore I had one slice only with a side of green salad and took my sweet time enjoying every bite.

I never ever eat pizzas without blotting the oil out first. It’s said you can take off as much as 100 calories off the pizza by soaking the unnecessary fat with your napkin which is what I did.

It wasn’t very oily, not as oily as a margarita pizza since there are less cheese and more vegetables on top.

Now ready to dig in!

The flakes of corn on the stuffed crust gave a very nice crunch and contrast to the pizza edges, which is my favourite part of any pizza. Inside, its stuffed with a mixture of cheddar which gave it a sharp cheesy kick and mozzarella which provided the never ending strings of cheese.

I loved the new crust and I will be ordering it again for sure. The downside is with every bite you get a shower of cornflakes all over the place because they are not completely stuck on the crust but a little mess won’t hurt anyone. I wish Pizza hut would change the mozzarella cheese on top of the pizza though, the pizza would taste much better if they used a Mozzarella similar to the one used in Europe for example.

Thank you Pizza Hut and Bibi Al-Qatami from Kout Food Group for sending me the new stuffed crust pizza to try. Pizza Hut’s Stuffed Crust Trio pizzas are now available to order in restaurants, home delivery, and takeaway. There is the Spicy Stuffed Crust stuffed with Mozarella and coated in chilli, The Crunchy Crust I had topped with Cornflakes, and the Volcano Stuffed Crust with two kinds of cheese, cheddar and mozzarella, oozing out of the crust. You can order your favourite by calling from 1815050.

A Lovely Dinner Gathering at Silver Bling Black’s

Dear Silver Bling Black invited us over to a dinner gathering at her house yesterday. Its been a while since I’ve been to a gathering at home, the last gathering I remember was in January. It was good to get dressed up and go have fun with a fun and easygoing group of girls, your bloggerette friends and girls you meet for the first time then end the night with a delicious dinner you feel guilty about the morning after.

Yes a girly gathering means something makeup related is bound to make an appearance and bloggerettes attending means taking pictures of that makeup :p

Since we are in the very last days of the good weather in Kuwait, dinner was buffet style with outdoors seating.

The desserts were especially good, specifically this tiny by mighty delicious cheesecake.

The dinner buffet was from a new catering busines, The Catering Factory (@TheCateringFactoryKw).

As we were staggering to the door with our full stomaches weighing us down, we were each handed the most delicious of giveaways, small chocolate boxes from Chocolates & More.

Don’t they look adorable?

We had the best time, talking and laughing. Good food, good company, excellent weather!Thank you dear Silver Bling Black for throwing the gathering and inviting us, was great meeting your sisters and your friends last night. Hello girls if you are reading this *waving* :)

Why don’t you Ride your Bike to Work?

I saw a man heading to his to workplace today on a motorcycle.

The weather was gorgeous, warm with a cool breeze. Traffic was horrible even as early as 7 A.M. Roadworks didn’t help much in the traffic department. Drowsy car drivers almost slumped on their steering wheels -at least I was- waiting for the traffic sign to go green, and then there was this motorcycle slipping through traffic, not taking much space at all, and he made it to his workplace before I reached mine. I saw him zooming ahead and I thought to myself that I would really be riding a bike right now to work if a) I owned one and b) I knew how.

Why don’t guys in Kuwait ride their bikes to work, or to run their errands, more often? I don’t believe the industrial countries invented the motorcycles so they can use them to cruise the beaches or drive recklessly? A bike is a transportation vehicle and in our current case of deadlock traffic in Kuwait, I think it could be one way of helping ease the traffic by getting that shiny Harley out of the garage and putting it to use. Why not?

If you have to wear a Dishdasha to work, perhaps you can leave one in the office? Or wear a suit? Everyone wears jeans and trousers in Kuwait, why is a suit any different? There are many men who actually wear jeans and Tshirts to work to start with, I don’t think their attire will crumble while riding? We have maybe until the end of May where the weather is OK to ride in the morning so there is still time?

If only I had a bike and I knew how to ride, I would’ve gotten parked the car in the garage during the good weather days and driven my bike everywhere. If you had a bike, would you ride it to work, and why?

The Taken for Granted Breakfast

We take too many things in life for granted, never really appreciating their worth until the day we stop having them around. Who would have thought that one day a simple everyday breakfast setting of cereal and milk with some coffee would be something of a reckless luxury for me?

There was a time in the past few months when a simple sip of coffee would make my heartbeat go crazy and I’d be too agitated and scared I had to, reluctuntly, switch to decaf. When decaf didn’t resolve thing, neither did tea, the only thing I could drink with my breakfast is the chamomile.

Coffee for chamomile? Turns out I’m not much of a fan of chamomile, the scent of it alone makes me want to cry. I remembered those coffee-less months while I poured my perfectly brewed cup of strong coffee, the warm brown liquid creating a gorgeous honey coloured froth on the very top of the cup, and I can’t imagine how one day I had to give that up. Thank god I can have coffee again, I’m never going to take my beloved cup of joe for granted again.

And cereal? Cereal makes me fat, period. All kinds of cereal: sugary, chocolatey, fiber laden, low fat, rice based, wheat based, corn based, whole grain cereal. If its cereal, it will make me fat. It always did, ever since I was a teenager I began noticing how cereal made me gain weight like I was feasting on butter sticks dipped in sugar.

Therefore, my days of cereal eating just for the sake of craving it for breakfast are long gone. I have to be really and absolutely craving it and if I do eat it, I  have to arrange all my meals afterwards to accomodate it. How I miss waking up to simple bowl of cereal whenever I felt like it.

To have cereal you must have milk. To have milk means my stomach will make me pay the price. I’m not lactose intolerant per say but my stomach acts up when I drink pure milk for some reason. As a child I adored milk, I loved it in all its forms and flavors especially if it was powder milk. Sometimes, I ate milk powder with a spoon and for a change I’d add a few spoonfuls of Nesquick’s chocolate powder. Sometimes I can get away with milk especially if it was steamed in a cappucino but other days my crazy stomach simply doesn’t want me to drink it.

Therefore, a combniation of coffee, milk, and cereal for breakfast is no longer something I can simply have just off the top of my head. I used to eat that breakfast all the time. Even as a child I have a Nescafe with milk to go with my cereal. I never thought that one day I will be longing for a breakfast of cereal with milk and coffee and that when I have that breakfast, I consider it a treat.

Enjoy what you have been dealt in life, you don’t know how long you can have it for. Don’t take simple mundane things you do everyday for granted. Oh, and enjoy the stomach and metabolism while you still have it, eat up!

Blast from the Past: Kung-Fu on MSX

Long before we met Mortal Combat and Street Fighter, there was a game on MSX, perhaps one of the earliest fighting/martial arts games, by the name of Kung Fu. I almost forgotten all about it then one day it just passed through my memory and I began searching my list of roms for it. The name wasn’t Kung Fu, it was Yie Ar Kung-Fu which is why it took me a while to locate it.

The game is so much fun! With the very distinctive soundtrack playing in the background it was almost too easy to play it. You first go against this guy, Wang, with a stick, . Didn’t take long to knock him off at all.

Next comes the fat Tao which spits fire balls in your direction. He was out cold before he knew what was going on. Poor Tao.

Next is a bonus stage where you practise your fighting skills by hitting pots, vases, bricks, and what looks exactly like an Alladin’s lamp!

After the bonus I was up to this bearded bald fighter who can hit you from a far with a metal chain. Chen was vicious but I won!

Next I was up against little Lang who shot those Ninja thingies. What are they called by the way?

And when she was defeated, she fell down ever so gracefully like the lady she is! Sorry Lang.

And last but not least you come upon this Genie of the lamp look a like! The name is Wu and the guy can fly like a, well, Genie, all the way to where you are standing and hits you over and over until you succemb.

Wu took a very, very, long time to defeat but I did! Wondering what the prize was after defeating all the fighters in the game.

There is not prize. The game just repeats again starting from with the background in blue instead of red. I suppose the game goes on endlessly.

Kung-Fu was one of my favorite fighting games and the very first one I’ve ever played back in the 80′s on my MSX computer. The sountrack is memorable and its probably why the game suddenly popped into my head. I remember the sountrack before I remembered the game!

Do you remember Kung-Fu?

Al Nassma Camel Milk Cafe and Chocolates in the Avenues

I was walking in the souk district in the Avenues when I noticed a new cafe had opened up. When I got closer, I realised it was Al Nassma Cafe. Al Nassma is a well known chocolate brand from Dubai and what makes it special is that their fine chocolates are made with camel milk, which also makes them the first and only chocolatiers that user camel milk to produce their chocolates. 

I’ve seen Al Nassma before in Dubai and I’ve heard that they’ve opened up in Kuwait in Muhallab Center a while back as well. When I saw it in Dubai I didn’t even dare go into the store. The idea of camel milk made me squeamish and milk in general isn’t really my best friend anymore.

However, when I saw Al Nassma in the Avenues I realised my reluctance to try it is a bit childish. How bad can it taste, really? After all, camel milk is highly appreciated in the region for its health benefit.

Al Nassma cafe provides all types of beverages, all of which use camel milk and only camel milk. They also stock the Camelicious bottled camel milk that comes in different flavours like chocolate and strawberry. I’ve seen that brand of milk before in Dubai and I was told the milk was fresh and brought in from Dubai. 

Don’t want to try the milk? How about some Arabian coffee then? They also serve Arabian coffee dallah with chocolates if you are brave enough to try.

The chocolates are made in Vienna from the finest ingredients and come in different shapes, sizes, and fillings. The fillings of the ones below are Arabic coffee cream, pistachio marzipan, and hazelnut nougat. You also comes in gift boxes in a 9 or 18 pieces of chocolates size.

The little camels chocolates in a tall elegant wooden box are filled with macadamia nut and honey filling. These would make a perfect gift or souvenir from the land of Arabia!

When I asked if it was OK to take pictures of the store, the sellers leapt into action with a big smile and brought products out for me to photograph. They were extremely friendly. So friendly I was actually taken by surprise. I’m used to rude and paranoid salespersons hovering over your head while you try to take a picture and eyeing you skeptically as if you’re trying to shoplift then grilling you on why exactly are you taking these pictures and who are you working for. Anyway, the sales ladies kindly prepared the display of chocolate boxes for me to photograph. The ones closed ones with the ribbons are the gift boxes of 9 or 18 pieces. Notice the big and small camels? They are made from chocolates as well. Very cute!

This plate decorated with an Arabic poem is lovely as well. A perfect gift to someone who loves exotic things.

I was also given a Camelicious milk pamphlet explaining the benefits of camels milk. Its rich in vitamins especially calcium and vitamin C. It contains half the fat usually found in cow’s milk. It also contains something called Lanolin and Elastin that, along with Vitamin C, are beneficial anti-aging ingredients.

I also met the owner of Al Nassma who generously offered me some Arabian coffee while he explained to me about his store and the benefits of camel milk. I have to say the Arabian coffee was delicious and even if you don’t want to try the milk or still hesitant regarding the chocolates, you should pass by for some Arabian coffee while you build up the courage to try a piece of chocolate. Speaking about that courage, would you be willing to try the chocolates, or the milk? Some of the people who tried it liked it, others didn’t, others said it wasn’t much different that regular chocolates only it was a bit on the sweet side. What about you? Would you try either the chocolates or the milk? And why?

Al Nassma is located in the souk district of the Avenues Mall. For more information you can check their website (link) or their instagram (@Alnassma).

The One Hundred Days Countdown for Ramadan

This morning I woke up to a very exciting piece of news: today, Sunday the 31 March 2013, means it’s only 100 more days till the first of day of the Holy month of Ramadan! I read that on instagram and I suddenly could smell the aroma of incense mixed with Arabian coffee and crushed cardamom, I could hear the sound of prayers from the nearby mosques and the wise words of the Holy Quran being recited. I could see the traditional dresses radiating with bling and the children clapping in  the street going from door to door singing and asking for qerqaian candy. In one second all that reminds me of ramadan came crashing and I realised, with the fondest pang, that I miss Ramadan so so much.

Only a hundred more days, and tomorrow 99! You can already notice the Ramadan preparations: traditional dara’a exhibitions popping up everywhere, traditional gifts and qergaian ideas and orders being placed, and reservations to visit holy Mecca are being made. This Ramadan is extra special for me, you see I was born in Ramadan, on the fifth of Ramadan to be exact and this year my two birthdays (17th of July and 5th of Ramadan) will be in the very same day for the first time! That happens once every 33 years by the way

I love Ramadan. I love everything about it. I love its food, its drowsy mornings we spend at work wondering what are we doing up so early and why didn’t we schedule our vacations in Ramadan. I love its afternoons when you return home, hungry but feeling calm and serene especially if you sit on your prayers mat with a copy of the Holy Quran. I love its evenings when you are famished, but you are trying to prepare something delicious for futoor and tweeting with your friends on twitter, discussing the latest advances in the ridiculous shows that are on TV.

I love its futoor time, when you have just finished your Maghrib prayers and you sit down on the table, laden with all you wanted to eat and couldn’t during the day. I love the after-futoor couch and tea time, having quality time with your loved ones. I love the night time, the prayers, the shopping for eid, the ghabgas and visitations with friends and family. I love the Suhoor time, when you eat something light with a few too many cups of water and then spend the time till the morning prayers in silence, praying.

I love Ramadan. Everything about Ramadan. I can’t wait for Ramadan to be here and insah2 Allah by god’s will we will live long enough to witness its arrival and enjoy its holy days again. Allah y3oodna insha2 Allah

The GCC Bloggers Blogs Aggregator

There is a new blogs aggregator in town and this time it’s dedicated for all the blogs from the GCC countries. If you reside in the GCC and have your own blog, you can add it by simply registering in a few simple steps and voila your blog feed will join that of other individuals blogging from around the GCC. I have to say I’m quite intrigued, I want to see how blogs are progressing around the gulf region

The URL is www.GccBloggers.com and wether you own a blog or just read blog, you should check it out. I think it needs a bit of lines and colors since there are a lot of white around but for a starting aggregator it does the inteded job very well. Good luck Gcc Bloggers, keep up the good work

Review: Chiquita Fruit Bar

New stores and restaurants keep opening in the different new districts of the Avenues and one of the latest ones to open is the Chiquita Fruit Bar. It’s located in the Souk district of the avenues mall. When I first saw their sign a few weeks back before their opening I thought to myself how different would this be from any other juice bar scattered around Kuwait? So I had to find out for myself.

The fruit bar is not very big and can get crowded easily, sporting the Chiquita brand on its wooden fixtures and crates as well as the fruit of course. Personally I believe that Chiquita bananas are the best bananas in the world, any other banana brand taste like glue to me for some reason.

What do they serve? They have ice creams. Fresh natural ice creams made daily with fresh fruit and sweetened with organic agave, whatever that ingredient is but I’m guessing its a healthy one sweetener. I can’t remember where I read the name before.

They also have ready sandwiches and salads displayed on ice.

I had my eye on this salad, I love salads with fruits mixed with vegetables as ingredients and this colourful one looked yummy! Next time insha2 Allah.

They also have freshly cut fruit cups on ice. I love those! They are very convenient for a quick snack especially when you are shopping and don’t want something heavy and fat laden.

They also have freshly baked muffins.

What I wanted to try, however, is their juices and cocktails. They have plenty to choose from plus a make your own option on the menu.

We chose to go with the power smoothies and we selected the small size Flower power. It was papaya with pineapple, mango, and oranges with some green leaves and Acai berry power all blended in. I think the green leaves were rocket leaves.

Blending away…

When the juice was done we paid and headed outside at once, it was getting a bit crowded. Chiquita fruit bar seating is in the souk walkway with plenty of lighting from the ceiling. The tables are white and the chairs are bright and colourful. We chose to sit for a minute to taste the juice. I was skeptic regarding its taste to be frank.

The How was it? For a booster juice with something green blended in, it tasted very very good! It might not look like it but it was quite good indeed: fresh, sweet, light, and cold. I would have it again for sure for a light dinner or a power booster while I’m shopping around the Avenues mall. Now I want to go back and try the rest of their juice concoctions and their ice cream.

Chiquita fruit bar is located in the Souk district of the Avenues, right beside the entrance from Soku district and at the very end of the corridor where Cafe Bazza is (post) and opposite Capital District store (post).

The Pastry Shop’s Strawberry Tarts

One of the desserts I’m very fond of is the strawberry tart. I’ve loved it ever since I can remember, we used to buy it from a bakery we used to call The French Oven that’s long closed by now. I usually only eat the strawberries with the custard filling and discard of the bottom pie, it’s always too thick, dry, and filled with unnecessary fat.

Last week I received a big blue box from the owner of The Pastry Shop filled with strawberry tarts. If you follow my blog you might remember my review of the pastry shop when they first started last Ramadan (post). Their Banana Toffee Cream Pie is lip-smacking!

The strawberry tarts I received from The Pastry Shop are the recent addition to their menu. I noticed that, unlike other strawberry tarts, the pastry shop’s tart base is not a hard biscuit, rather flaky and more puff pastry like which made it very light and quite different and absorbed the strawberry and custard juices rather nicely so it wasn’t very hard. Now that I would eat gladly! The tarts looked so good, I couldn’t stop taking pictures of them and had an even harder time choosing a few for this post.

If you are a fan of strawberry tart, you wouldn’t want to miss The Pastry Shop’s one. It comes in a full-sized tart or smaller dozen of tarts which I personally prefer since they are easier to eat and less messy to distribute. I still highly recommend their Apple pie, their pecan pie, and their killer Banana toffee cream pie. Thank you The Pastry Shop and keep up the good work!

For more information you can contact The Pastry Shop on 97305858 or you can email them on thepastryshopkw@gmail.com, like their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@ThePastryShopKw), or on Instagram (@ThePastryShopKw).