Danderma's Blog, page 83

Review: Juice Factory Almond Juice

Two nights ago our friend 7amad Qalam whose being very generous this Ramadan (post) has sent us two bottles of Ramadan juice from Juice Factory to try. The flavor? We call it in Kuwait “Sharbat Baithan” or better translated to “Almon Sherbet” or “Almond Juice”.

The juices arrived just after futoor time and they were warm so we kept them in the fridge and given that we were invited for suhoor later on that night we were planning to take the bottles with us. The bottles are big and nice, I think they have around 1.5 to 2 ltrs each worth of Almond juice.

Later on that night we opened up a now chilled bottle over suhoor and tried it. I’ve never tried baithan before, so I didn’t know what to expect.

How did it taste? Exactly like drinking a sweet fragrant Muhallabiya! I didn’t expect it to taste that way at all. It was light and cool and sweet with a hint of rosewater. Exactly like drinking a Muhallabiya. Was it good? Absolutely! I wonder why I haven’t tried it before? It was really good.

To try Sharbat Baithan, or Almond juice, you can contact Juice Factory by calling 25344656 or following them on Twitter (@juicefactory_kw) or instagram (@juicefactory_kw). Thank you Juice Factory and 7amad for the sharbat baithan, it was delicious akramkom Allah o 3asakom min 3owadah

Never Forget Thursday the 2nd of August

22 years ago, and on a Thursday, we were in Heathrow airport all packed up and ready to board a plane back to Kuwait. When we went to the Kuwait airways counter, I remember a new English word I’ve heard for the first time and never forgotten: refugees.

We were told that Sadam the Iraqi dictator had invaded Kuwait. We learned that Kuwait was no longer there and that we were now refugees. Should we decide to board a plane to any GCC country we are welcome to. I’ll never forget my father’s face on the cab ride back to London, hand on his cheek, eyes gazing out to no where, devastated and lost.

A new generation has never been through the invasion. Had never known the difference  between Kuwait pre invasion and Kuwait post invasion. And yes, it was an invasion, an Iraqi invasion, there is no changing that. 22 years on and we never forgot, 22 years on and finally a TV series, Saher Al Leil 3,  is showing what happened for all the word to see, including the new Kuwaiti generation.

I wish I was older so I could have done more for my country, the most I did was distribute badges at school. But my father helped and he makes me proud every day (post) (post). Also, I’ve converted and uploaded this documentary of the Kuwiati School in King Fahad Academy in London for all to see, I wish if anyone was in London and in King Fahad’s Academy they would see it and try and spot themselves.

The invasion was the worst disaster that had ever fell upon Kuwait. It changed something fundemental inside every Kuwaiti. It also united us as one, which was the greatest lesson anyone can remember, us being united as Kuwaitis. Never forget that, never forget Kuwait, and never forget that on Thursday, 2 August 1990, Kuwait was invaded by Iraq. Never forget.

Rest in Peace Toto our Cat :(

If you remember my previous post about our stray cats (post) you’d know we’d gotten attached to them and began feeding them and they played with us all the time.

Last week, one of the cats, Toto the cowardy one, was unable to walk. She was dragging her hind legs and mewing in pain. We tried to soothe her by water or food but she refused eating and would mew in pain while panting while trying to run away from us. We found her later, sleeping under my car tire peacfully, and she was dead :’(

I cried a river for Toto. I now realize how people with pets feel all sad over the loss of their pets. I kept remembering her as a naughty scared baby, I kept remembering how she would do whatever it takes to run away from us while watching us interestingly from a far. She loved window sills in this was the last pictures we had of her, sleeping on a window sill before she got sick :’(

Good buy Toto, may you rest in peace. We miss naughty you already, we wish there was more we could have done to save you :’(

Picture of the Week: I Miss You!

Masha2 Allah one third of Ramadan is gone come today! Days do fly fast 7safa 3leeh. Before you know it it will be Eid and we will be pining for Ramadan’s days and its arrival. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize that we are indeed in Ramadan and that we should enjoy everyday of it!

I, however, do miss my coffee terribly in the morning. I can shift breakfast to my suhoor meal without a problem, but I cannot drink coffee during suhoor or else I won’t be able to sleep. I do drink it after futoor but its not the same as drinking it first thing in the morning when you’ve just woken up, bleary eyes and reaching around for that wonderful brown liquid. Coffee is the one thing I miss the most during Ramadan.

What about you, what’s the thing you miss the most during Ramdan?

What’s for Futoor? Mini Pizzas!

Yesterday morning I woke up with the strangest craving for home made mini pizzas! I don’t know where that came from but I remember my excitement in my childhood if we were baking pizzas at home, how I would try and snatch the freshly grated mozzarella cheese off the bowl. Anyways I hit the books looking for a good easy recipe for pizza dough.

I found the perfect recipe in Chef Hanouf’s recipe booklet I had purchased earlier this  Ramadan, you can get it delivered to you if you message this number 94971332. Anyways her recipe was the only one I could find that would produce a pizza dough without using eggs and with olive oil instead of butter. I mixed the dough by hand in 5 minutes and let it rise for two hours while I watched Saher 3, preheated my over to 200 C, and assembled my ingredients.

I had leftover Spaghetti tomato sauce I made a day before, I just gave it a little blitz with the hand held blender and added some more herbs.

I opened and drained a can of mushrooms and corn, I diced a green pepper. I mixed two types of cheese: Mozzarella & Cheddar with some oregano in a bowl, and I was ready to go.

My dough have risen beautifully! I sprinkled some flower on my kitchen top to start kneading the dough.

I had a perfect dough, cool and pliant, waiting for me to play with! I sprinkled some more flower on top…

Spreading and shaping the dough, I have to say it was quite a stress relieving exercise!

Cutting the pizza dough into small circles using the edge of a tiny glass bowl.

Voila!

I placed my pizza dough on baking trays lined with baking sheets so they don’t stick and burn. Then I topped them with the ingredients…

Into the oven they go, for 6 minutes, and they will bake beautifully! The aroma of the pizzas is maddening!

And they are READY!

They looked so good and smelled even better! I believe a house never fully becomes a home until you bake in it and yesterday with the baking I felt as snug as a cocoon in my new home.

My cravings were satisfied over futoor with one big glass of diet coke and lime slices drenched in ice… heaven!

The best futoor is when you devour something you’ve been craving all day. The feeling is so rewarding. Shino fotoorkom elyoom?

Pledge: Donate & Provide Insulin Pumps for Diabetic Children in Kuwait

There are beautiful innocent children in this world who suffer from Diabetes type I. In their case, their diet must be closely monitored and insulin must be injected into their bodies in regular intervals. Modern science has provided those children with something called “insulin pumps” which is a device that is attached to the child at all times and pumps insulin into their bodies, kinda like an artificial pancreas outside the body if you think about it.

Insulin pumps saves children and their families a lot of pain and effort. Sadly, not everyone can afford an insulin pump. Each pump costs up to 2500 KD for the device and 500 KD a year for consumables. Only 10% of diabetic Kuwaiti kids have access to such pumps and we have a rate of 22.3% type 1 diabetic kids percentage, ranking us the 7th in such illness occurrance worldwide.

I was always under the belief that the health care system would provide such advanced pumps for the diabetic kids, free of charge. Apparently I am mistaken. How can you help those kids get an insulin pump that would change their lives? By donating!

This donation campaign is organized with Businesses Supporting Charities (BSC), a non-profit organization that aims to bridge the gap between businesses and charities that has teamed up with the Kuwaiti Red Crescent and the Dasman Diabetes Institute and its first project is raising the funds to provide insulin pumps for children with type 1 diabetes in Kuwait. For more information you can email BSC on  OrgBSC@gmail.com , check their facebook page (link) or follow them on Twitter (@BSCorg).

Hayoni’s Kitchen Nuttella Ramadan Treats

 

Yesterday we were invited to a Ramadan ghabga and I was thinking what to take with us. Then as I was browsing instagram I saw some Nuttella Muhalabiya and Nuttella Kanafa and Nuttella Basboosa by Hayoni’s Kitchen. I’ve tried them before (post) and I loved what I ordered so I didn’t hesitate and ordered a dozen mix Nuttella Muhalabiya and Kanafa which come in individual portions.

The box comes white and simple with a clear top cover that enables you to see what’s inside. What’s inside looked good

What about the taste? Well, I didn’t try the Kanafa to be frank but I tried the Muhallabiya and it was delicious!

The thing about the Muhallabiya is that it is, on its own, is very tasty. Its also light, cold, and very refreshing with a hint of Orange Blossom water in every spoonful. The Nuttella taste which I’m personally is not a fan of wasn’t dominant and it gave a nice touch to the Muhallabiya, turning a traditional dish into a hip on the trend of the Kuwaiti Nuttella-with-everything habba.

The Muhallabiya is highly recommended especially if you have a ghabga coming up and want to take something yummy with you. To order from Hayouni’s Kitchen you can sms them on 50590456, check their website (link), follow them on Twitter (@HayonisKitchen) or Instagram (@HayonisKitchen).

Review: The Hamad Cake from The Chocolate Bar

My dear friend and fellow blogger M3a 7amad Qalam sent me a big fat gooey chocolate cake named after him from the Chocolate Bar.

This must be the fastest review I’ve ever done in my life but I couldn’t wait! I am salivating waiting for the Fu6oor time to come already!!!

Wanna see what’s inside? Something whose aroma has spread to the entire neighborhood!

Taking it out of the box…

Zooming in on all that frosting…

So its a chocolate fudge cake, what’s so special? The layer of those crunchy flake, giving the cake a texture and a crunch!

I CANNOT wait for futoor time!!! What a great collaboration effort between The Chocoalate Bar and Hamad, it produced this yummy thing

How does it taste? Well, will have to wait a few minutes to tell but I know, from the crazy chocolaty aroma and the tantalizing flakes over the gooey frosting, that its going to taste divine! Thank you Hamad for sending this cake my way

Hamad’s cake is available in The Chocolate Bar for 9 KD.

Al-Fouz Kitchen Ramadan Gift

A few days back a knock came on the door and a huge heavy tray was delivered to us. This time its from Al-Fouz Kitchen.

This tray is amazing! So many little things to look at all at once!

What I liked the most about the gift was the little burner dowwa! Perfect for winter nights and making charcoal tea

And different yummy traditional desserts, each one more delicious than the other! The Samsamiya bel that exceptionally good!!!

Thank you Al-Fouz kitchen for the amazing huge Ramadan noq9a, it really made my day! Thank you and Mbarak 3lekom El Shahar

To order from Al-Fouz Kitchens lipsmacking traditional food selection or to have their catering service, you can call them on 94039097 of visit their instagram page (link).

Zafaf Magazine Ramadan Gift

A few days ago I came home to find a big white bag from Al-Ostura waiting for me.

Inside was the latest copy of Zafaf Magazine with my blogs name on it plus something I really, really, really adore!

A big white box of chocolate pieces!

Each chocolate was yummier than the next! I almost polished off the entire box in one go! They are -well, err, were- so good!

Thank you Zafaf Magazine for your delicious box of chocolates, you really made my day!  greeting. Mbarak 3lekom el Shahar

You can know more about Zafaf magazine from their website (link).