Dr. Myriam- The Dental Aesthetic Clinic

Category: Jeddah

  • Beyond burnt cookies,failed macarons and cheese cakes…

    Cheese cake factory recently opened in Le Mall, Jeddah. My friends and I went to see the place, there was a huge crowd outside and once in.., the queue was even longer,we were told to wait 40 minutes! Oh my! This is always the scenario when a new restaurant opens in Saudi Arabia. Wait another two months and this crowd will disappear slowly and other places will be back in business as usual.

    The experienced prompted me to challenge myself that I can make cheese cake at home instead of waiting in this restaurant for 40 minutes or even more. So, here we go, searching for a simple recipe to start with and be acquainted again with Mr. oven!

    Well, I thought, why not start with cookies? Peanut butter chocolate cookies. I remember teaching the kids and teens about primary and secondary colours, fractions and measurements and what is the best way to have fun and learn at the same time?

    i guess eating those cookies are more fun than learning how to make it!
    i guess eating those cookies are more fun than learning how to make it!

    As far as I remember, I stop baking when my youngest son was in High school. Hmmm, let’s try! alright, a broken flour shifter, the rubber spatula is sticky, the baking tin is rusty but I wasn’t discourage, I went ahead and wallah!

    I did let my clinic staff sampled my cookies, they told me it taste nice though it was slightly burnt, I guess they were just polite and kind to their senior dentist!

    Next try!

    cheese cake… not bad for the first attempt. I was lucky, it was our Christmas party and my friends were so kind to their verdict 🙂 well, I was on the phone with my Culinary student (my youngest son) giving me some tips…like beat it manually so as not to incorporate bubbles, add more eggs etc.

    my first attempt to bake cheese cake
    my first attempt to bake cheese cake

    It was exciting to believe, I can still bake! so, I was a bit courageous to make french macarons. hahaha oh well, it was a fluff! ;-( I should have just stayed away from the kitchen and remained in Dentistry department!

    alright, maybe I should try one more time, another cheese cake

    So sweet but delicious!

    and another try with chocolate frosting, I gave to my patient and they couldn’t believe.. I, their Dentist can also make a cheese cake! I even challenge my friends to come and try my cheese cake and promised them, once they tasted it…they will still be breathing and kicking 😉

    and more try outs!!

    fresh strawberry glaze
    fresh strawberry glaze
    fresh kiwi and lemon topping
    fresh kiwi and lemon topping

    and cheese cake bites

    The week was a festival of cheese cakes and more are coming but I have to stop for a while because all my friends are going out of the country. I guess to run away from my cheese cakes! joke! they will be away for two weeks holiday 🙂

    So ladies, beyond burnt cookies, failed macaroons and cheese cakes, it was a delightful week to have all my friends and brothers’ support, remembering my two sons smiling faces, waiting for my cookies (burnt or not, it’s mom’s cookies).. thank you from the bottom of my oven…:-) from the bottom of my heart!

    Kudos to my son Kevin,to theabakescupcake, ciarra and to nympha. It was not an easy kitchen journey but I salute you all for your patience and diligence to your work.

    Jamilamimi

  • 2013 in review: Happy New Year to ALL!

    The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

    Here’s an excerpt:

    The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

     

  • Our Santa is made from China!

    Christmas day in Jeddah is just like an ordinary working day. As an expatriates we tried to make the best we can to celebrate the occasion. My friends and I decided to have some get together last night. Each one of us brought a gift and a dish to share with everyone.

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    My first attempt to make a cheese cake was a success! (I believed so 🙂 ).

    Our little angels sang a carol for us and even did some fun dress up and posed with our very own sir chief! 🙂 My friend looks like Chinese and so the night was full of fun with our very own Santa (made in China).

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    And so there goes another Christmas in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. God blessed.

    I also wish everyone to have a Prosperous New Year!!!

    Jamilamimi

  • I planted my Christmas tree ;-)

    This will be my 26th Christmas in Saudi Arabia, way back then, it was hard to find a Christmas tree and decor and its even a taboo to greet each other  a “Merry Christmas ” in public. But now a days and these past few years,Shops are on festive decorations, people (whatever religion) greet us “Merry Christmas” or “Happy holidays”. Shops freely sell artificial  Christmas trees and decor, gift wrapping and discount sale too.

    Hence, we couldn’t celebrate freely in public, we always  make sure we have Christmas decor at home and celebrate it with our love ones too! Obviously, not everyone is around ,so a group of friends just come together and tried to mimic the ambience of holiday season in the Philippines.

    My children are not coming home this Christmas so I was hesitant to put up my Christmas tree but I have my brothers and my friends to celebrate with so what’s the heck! bring it on….shall i say, get it out from the box!! Yes, it’s a fake Christmas tree!

    Am I excited? Sigh! I wish I can say that but as I was assembling it, the memories of my children, their excited faces asking if Santa is coming to Saudi Arabia huh! if he got an entry visa maybe! Kidding aside,having kids at home is like Christmas everyday. I really miss them so much.

    Oh well, let met continue my story, I was already on the third top to complete the Christmas tree when I  heard a sound, Crackkkk!

    Your guess is right! The stand broke down, I called my elder brother to help me fixed it but no matter what we do like, tied it…, glue it…it just doesn’t work!

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    Last option? I planted it! 🙂 literally, I used to have a  plant in a big pot but it didn’t grow up,the soil was still intact..why not?

    So here you go.. Christmas tree in the pot!!

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    Merry Christmas to all! :-)

    Jamilamimi

  • What we do on weekend to earn extra?

    My friends professionally speaking are all successful in their career, but what are they doing on off days? You might find this surprising but please keep on reading till the end.

    Did you think they earned a lot of extra income working at fish market? I doubt it! but I know, even if they didn’t , certainly,  they don’t mind doing it again 🙂

    You know why? Because what they earned here is… Friendship…Fun…free smile…free laugh and stress free!

    ” Friends and good manners will carry you where money won’t go “- Margaret Walker 

    We walked for an hour (4.57 miles) along the corniche, cool breezy morning, then we decided to have breakfast together continued to chat what happened for the last week, followed by more exercises, time passes by quickly, so we decided to go to fish market, cleaned the fishes, grilled and made tamarind soup, ate lunch/dinner and wallah before we knew it, it was time to go home again. Satisfied and heavy after devouring all the dish… tummy said goodbye!

    We are all in the middle-aged, soon we will be senior citizens and retired, I wonder if “home for the aged” is a good business to think about, hmm what do you think?

    jamilamimi

  • Weekly Photo Challenge : HABIT

    When passion becomes your profession..making people smile becomes your habit! here’s my recent case of cosmetic dentistry:

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  • Bab al yemen – eat or else…

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    How true is this? I have no idea… We went to a restaurant called “Bab al Yemen” (gateway to Yemen) at Al Zahra district.From the outside building to the interior, it seems the authenticity is ethnic, though I haven’t been  to Yemen 🙂 , I presumed it is presented as it is.

    The interior is decorated with miniature Yemen houses, traditional utensils and wood doors.

    We ordered Malawah bread, a Yemeni flat bread, sprinkled with cumin seeds, hot and freshly out from tandoori oven. We also tried plain and with cheese, which are both equally crispy and delicious!

    We asked what specialty or the most popular menu on the list, the smiling waiter suggested to order” Salta” a meat stew in tomato sauce prepared and serve in a black stone pot made from mountain soil. But I am not meat eater so as my friends, so we opted for okra,chicken,potatoes and shrimps.

    potato maghash
    shrimp maghash
    chicken maghash
    okra and side dishes

    Previously, we also tried some Yemeni dishes in Thalia mall, also serve in hot stone, tuna and liver maghash.

    ladies, you see how exciting to be beyond fifty, we took the risk and survived being shoot over the head.. so get in before it’s too late ….just kidding 🙂

    Jamilamimi

  • Sand dune – Jeddah Saudi Arabia

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    The most visited place in Jeddah – Sand dune!

    We left our home as early as 5:30 am, to catch the sunrise, unfortunately we didn’t reach on time.

    We stop along the area, to buy tamis ( a big round bread)and foul (made of fava beans) for breakfast, we ate it as fast as the sun rises above us.

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    As soon as we arrived, I got ready with my camera, there’s not much to shoot anyway, it’s all sands but I tried to make it more interesting ( I hope so 🙂 )

    and some of our actions shoot!

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  • The Karate dive and the so…so…

    After the purpura episodes, I have resigned to being just the group photographer but don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying it, I love taking photos. Beautybeyondfifty won’t be at the corner just because she can’t take part, life is too short…Enjoy!

    So here’s our friday fun!

  • The Tent City – Rabigh Saudi Arabia

    Eid holiday, the last official holiday for this year (2013). We decided just to drive around and let our mood take us to to wherever …whenever…oh well, Rabigh, an ancient area west of Saudi arabia is not a bad choice after all. We have found the “tent city” owned privately by the locals. We have gathered , some of the tent are also for rent, if the owner are out of the city.

    I was able to get a few shots of how the tents looks like inside.

    A portable bathroom was also installed in each of the tent, a satellite and their own generator to pump electricity.

    The night was cool, wind blowing and the group enjoyed the night.