Danderma's Blog, page 71

Things 2 Do in London: The Tea House

One of the places I enjoy shopping at in London is a small creaky shop in Covent Garden called “The Tea House”.

The Tea House as its name suggest sells everything tea! Inside its always busy with shoppers and you have to wait patiently and make your way betwen the shelves slowly for fear of knocking down the endless tea pots and cups that come in all shapes and sizes. Be it modern or Victorian, Moroccan or Japanese, its all there.

All kinds of tea accessories can be found there as well like tea infusers for example. I’ve got a duck tea infuser and a house like tea infuser from them.

And tea of course. All kinds of tea: loose leaf, tinned, herbal, black, green, etc.

There is a second storey in the tiny space chock full of merchandise as well.

 

I could spend hours inside this little shop and not be done. I have to pass by at least once whenever I’m in London. You can get great souveniers to take back home from there as well.

The Tea Shop is located in 15 Neal Street, Covent Garden. For more information and directions you can check their website (link).

Book Review: Astray by Emma Donoghue

Another book by Emma Donoghue that I had the pleasure of reading. Astray is a collection of fourteen short stories all revolving around one theme: immigration. The charachters in these stories are either heading to somewhere or are trying to settle in. There are theives, goldminders, slaves, souldiers, lovers, politicians, and one elephant who did immigrate.

Each and every story is fact-inspired which makes it more interesting than the next. I’m not really sure which one is my favorite but I could tell you that after many of the stories I was on Wikipedia trying to learn more. Especially with the story about Bejnamin Franklin! Its the perfect bed time read as you can get immersed in a story and be done wanting more but you still didn’t stay up too late lost in the book -you must allow some Wikipedia browsing time though-.

The Afterword by the author set the books theme in perspective once and for all. The writer Emma Donoghue explains that she had immigrated twice and that explains the fourteen immigration themed stories. Perhaps when someone decides to leave a place behind, something always linger wanting more. More time, more opportunities, more memories. I’ve never immigrated myself but astray did give me a glimpse on how it might feel for someone who did.

Highly recommended and going on my shelf for sure.

New: Gelato Italiano’s Red Velvet Gelato Cake

One of the first Italian gelato makers in Kuwait, Gelato Italiano, has released their latest gelato product and this time its a gelato cake! The owner of Gelato Italiano my dear Um 3zooz was kind enough to send a gelato cake my way to try.

There are many different flavors of the gelato cake and the one I got to tyr was the Red Velvet & Cream Cheese Gelato cake.

I know its winter time and the weather is cold but I don’t really mind having ice cream in the winter at all. When the gelato comes in the form of cake, its even more suitable for winter because there is less gelato involved and it will take much longer to melt in the low temperatures.

 The cake is very cute with Gelato Italiano written on top and I’m guessing you can customize it for your own occasions.

After yesterday’s lunch we decided to have the cake as a tea time treat. To cut it without making a very big mess I’d recommend you use a big knife dunked in hot water to heat up the blade a bit.

One layer after another of vibrant red velvet cake and smooth cream gelato. Doesn’t it look good?

Yummy?

The cake is very delicious indeed. My husband in particular loved the cake and if I hadn’t stopped him he would have eaten half of it.

May I offer you a little tip? I found out that if you allow the gelato to melt just a bit so it would soak up the cake, it would taste so soft and velvety, creating the perfect bite.

Thank you Um 3zooz and Gelato Italiano, akramkom Allah. To order Gelato Italiano’s Gelato Cakes or try any of their feel good gelatos you can contact them on 22434434, like their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@GelatoItaliano_) or on instagram (@GelatoItaliano).

Lunch at The Olive Garden in Kuwait

 

I’ve been waiting for The Olive Garden to open up in the Grand Avenues for a long time now. Last week I saw people on instagram dining there and I couldn’t wait for us to go try it and a few days ago I had the chance to have lunch there and check it out.

 

The Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant, or to be more specific, American Italian restaurant. They are well-known for their bottomless salad and garlic bread that gets refilled every now and then throughout your meal.

 

For appetizers we ordered the sample platter with two appetizers: fried mozzarella cheese and the breaded mushrooms.

 

We had so much fun with the stringy mozzarella.

My husband also ordered the beans and beef soup which is the perfect meal for cold winter weather.

Some salad for me…

Next came our main dishes. My husband ordered a stuffed chicken with a mushroom sauce and a side of mashed potatoes that he was very happy with and enjoyed every bite.

I ordered Linguine Marinara.

How was it? Well, you’ll have a good and fun meal that feels like you are dining in the USA especially if you sit outside overlooking Victoria’s Secret. You will have to be patient with the waiters though because they won’t stop coming to your table asking if you want refills as you are trying to eat. One of the waiters whisked my unfinished plate away after my husband said he was done -I was sipping my coke- but they’ve just opened so its too soon to say how their service really is. If you are a fan of Olive Garden, you must go.

A Scrumptious Saffron Cheesecake from Neq9a

 

Last week I had a randevous with a cake,  so delicious, I couldn’t stop thinking about it days after my first tasting. Its a cheesecake, something I’m not very interested it, but its a saffron cheesecake with a topping that tastes exactly like Elba (Kuwaiti Crème Caramel) and a crust so thin and crumbly its almost not there. I nicknamed it the Elba Cake and because we had a picnic yesterday I decided to order it from its seller “Neq9a”.

Neqsa is a home business in Kuwait that is very popular and that apparently every body knew about except yours truly. I compensated for that fact by ordering half the menu! I loved the design of their boxes! So elegant and sleek with the word Neqsa written on it in beige Arabian caligraphy.

Neq9a, or Neqsa, literally translates as a “taster or a small gift” and its something Kuwaiti people send each other or take with them when they arrive at gatherings. The business’s name says it all, its perfect and to the point. The box is also gorgeous and therefore you know it would look good in your hands as you carry it to the gathering.

The first item I ordered yesterday was their Sweet and Sour Stuffed Vine Leaves. My pictures of us devouring it were shot in the dark and therefore not very presentable but the taste? Lipsmacking good! If you like a distinguished sweet taste in your vine leaves, you must try neq9a’s!

The second item I ordered was their box of mix fatayer. They smelled delicious

They are not also your usual old and boring fatayer. The one below for example had a stuffing of something very delicious, like caramalized onions and cheese! We enjoyed every single bite

Next was the Arabian Coffee Cheesecake. Yes you read that right. Arabian coffee cheesecake.

 Swirls of creamy Arabian coffee flavored cream with swirls of caramel going all around it. I must have take one hundred pictures of it and I could barely bring myself to choosing just two for this post. It looked so, so, good! Taste wise? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Last but not least, the cake that started it all, the Saffron Cheesecake

So fragrant, so creamy, with oozing rich caramel on top. Its not very big in size which is a blessing to be honest so you don’t eat a lot of it. Its the kind of cake you’d want seconds and thirds if there were any left.  This cake wasn’t made to have leftovers.

There is a third cake, the Turkish coffee cake, the I didn’t get to try yet. I am planning to order it for the next gathering I’m invited to insha2 Allah as my “neqsa”. I might as well go through the rest of their menu.

Congratulations Ne9qa on a job well done! The branding is good, the food is excellent, and the delivery was speedy and on time. I do wish you the best of luck and hopefully one day you will have your own bakery/cafe! To order from Neq9a you can contact them by calling 25227069 or 97713809 but be patient when you call for their lines tend to be very busy. You can also view their dishes and contact them for more information by following them on Twitter (@Neq9a_) or instagram (@Neq9a).

How Do You Eat Your Cereal?

I love cereal. Growing up, I can’t remember my childhood mornings without remembering a bowl of cereal. In the 80′s I believe we only had Kellogg’s, at least I don’t remember the Nestle ones, so Kellogg’s cereal in particular are my absolute favorite till this day.

 

When we were children I loved Rice Krispies. The bubbling sound it made as the cereal soaked the milk was like music to my ears. We would add lots of sugar on top though and mostly it would reside at the bottom of the bowl so instead of using cold milk we’d  use the hot milk infused with cardamom Kuwaiti style at the breakfast table. Believe it or not, it tasted goooooood.

 

I haven’t eaten my rice krispies with hot cardamom milk in a long time. But now I barely have it because I try to avoid adding sugar to cereal and if I do, I would sweeten it up with some juicy ruby like raspberries.

 

Only fresh raspberries would do. Of course they cost a fortune here in Kuwait for a little box but it won’t hurt to splurge a little every now and then or if you are abroad where raspberries are more available and less expensive.

I like to smash my raspberries in with the spoon and watch the milk get infused with the crushed raspberrie’s juice. Yum!

So this is the way I eat my rice krispies cereal. How do you eat your cereal?

Winter in Kuwait Means: Dowwa and Chai Faham

 

When the desert winter arrives in Kuwait, it seems to seep inside the very core of your bones. The cold becomes unbearable and you know its time to bring out the dowwa “coal burner” and the munchies.

The munchies were black tea in a pot, a plate of  chestnuts, and wrapped up corn on the cob. The heat from the burning coals filled our little apartment with warmth.

Tea goes on top of the dowwa to make Chai Faham or what literally translates to “Tea on the Coals”. The method produces the best tasting tea ever.

 

As the tea cooks slowly I breaksome of the chestnuts in half before snugly placing them between the glowing coals.

Burn baby burn…

I also place the corn cobs all wrapped up in foil paper on top of the coals and wait for it to cook slowly as I nibble on my appetizer of chestnuts and chai faham.

The chestnuts are done. I adore grilled chestnuts, one of my favorite winter comfort food of all times.

The tea, chai faham, is here

Soon after, the corn cob is done and looks absolutely lipsmacking.

By the time we make our way through the winter munchies and the pot of tea, half the coal on the dowwa was reduced to ashes. There are still some more coals to last us through the evening providing warmth though.

So we end the night with burning incense on what remains of the coals.

By the way a tiny dowwa with a pot and winter dowwa supplies would make a great winter gift for your loved ones. I got mine at Mubarkiya. I love winter time  in Kuwait. Its the best, most amazing, cosiest time of year

Photographing Air Bubbles in Liquids

I’m not sure why I’m fixated on photographing bubbles! The other day I noticed the amount of bubbles produced in my cup as I was pouring tea inside and suddenly I forgot about the tea and grabbed my camera. I knew then I wanted to take a good shot of air bubbles of liquids being poured inside a glass. Why, I don’t know, I just do.

You know the commercial like photographs of some fruit being dropped into a tank of water, or some liquid being splashed everywhere? Though it looks very messy I’ve always been fasicnated by them and now I want to photograph air bubbles too. I’m guessing the technique used is the same by adjusting the shutter speed but what I don’t seem to handle well is the sharpness of the images. There is always a slight blurring that I cannot get rid off.

Anyways that’s my next project, maybe I will get good photographs maybe not. If I do, I will share them on my blog. If you have any pointers or tips please do share.

What I Got from Kuwait’s Book Fair 2012

I didn’t get the chance to go to the book fair until last Thursday night. Big mistake as it was very crowded and swarming with people. If I wanted to look at a book I’d have to shove my way past people who seem to be glued at the book displays and wouldn’t budge.

I had a few book in my mind, one of them is the highly acclaimed novel The Bamboo Stick for Saud Al-Sanousi. I looked all over the fair for it and finally found it, finished it over the weekend and would recommend it to anyone who would listen.

I noticed a new trend this year, or maybe its been there since last year but I hadn’t noticed it: whenever I find a new book by a young writer, I would find the writer sitting behind its display waiting to sign it! I even complained about a book to a book seller only for the book seller to turn out to be the writer himself. I’m not saying its a bad thing, but its just different having so many writers sitting behind the book displays and people mistaking them for book sellers. They do have quite an audience though.

In the end I got out with one cookbook by Hanouf Al-Balhan, two novels by Saud Al-Sanousi, and a bunch of other books all by young Kuwaiti writers. I think I’d have gotten more books had I chosen to go on Saturday morning instead of Thursday night like I did last year (post) but I have a feeling I wouldn’t have gotten much out of it anyway.

Did you go to the book fair? What did you get and what do you think?

The New Al-Marai Lemon Ginger & Honey Juice

In Keifan Co-op the other day I found this new limited edition juice by Al-Marai. New Lemon, ginger, and honey juice which in theory is the perfect protection against the flu and common cold. Perfect timing from Al-Marai to have this product out just in time for the flu season because of the change in weather, most of the people I know are either sick or falling sick.

Would it really help? God knows. In my case if I get sick nothing really helps and if I drink lemon, or honey, or tea, or anything else I just throw up. I didn’t try it myself for I’m not a fan of honey but my husband did and he loved it. He says the honey taste is very strong and the combination is very nice and well balanced. So if you are interested in a little protection before the flu attacks, keep an eye out for this new and limited edition juice.