Today started with one of the hardest moments I ever had in my life.
I actually was dreading to face this day for the passed two weeks!

My husband was sent off to one the countries where the UAE is part of the Peace Program there.

I used to feel for families with someone defending countries not their own but never did I realize how hard it is until this morning.

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It’s two days early but I won’t be in Dubai then so I would like to with every Muslim an Eid Mubarak!

Everyone seems to be traveling this Eid! I wish I could just grab a flight and take a break!

Sadly I can’t!

This Eid brings some unwanted news with it… My husband will be traveling for work and it will be a long time before he’ll come back!
I don’t want to break into tears while writing more about this matter! I will just have to face it when the day comes!

In the meantime, we’re spending the Eid holidays at the beach house in Diba.

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Many of you might know how diverse the UAE is. It embraces so many nationalities and they melt together until well combined!

If you’re an Emarati you’ll notice a few things… That many expatriate don’t know much about the culture other than their visit to the museum, Mohammed Bin Rashid’s Cultural Understanding Center, the Heritage Village and maybe just maybe from colleagues at work.
A lot of the information they get from these places might not give the full picture.

The Emirati culture isn’t one of the hardest to absorb once you get to know more about it.

There are some expatriates living in the UAE who tend to only mingle with other expatriates. Don’t ask me why! I know we don’t bite!
It’s like a whole other Dubai which we don’t know about!

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I usually am the kind who plans ahead. Not so far ahead but I like to have a somewhat clear vision of where I’m going.

This changes when you have a husband who’s work is unpredictable, two children, a house being built and not going as per scheduled and of course you juggling all that along with the days you want to relax in the kitchen… oh and of course planning all the cookie orders.

Speaking of which, I wanted to take some time off from taking cookie orders. That isn’t working successfully!
A lot of people keep emailing, bbming or sending text asking to order and sometimes, just sometimes… I feel bad for saying no!
This time I was taking off was because I wanted to spend more time with my family and also to work on new recipe ideas I had in mind. Still getting there…I hope.

Back to the unpredictable days…

I believe there should be some kind of balance… between the present and the future… sometimes we plan for the future and forget to live our present… enjoy it a little… one day it will be very late…

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Once again I took an unintended break!
Ramadan got busier towards the end, then the Eid break where we spent at the beach house then of course adjusting to the regular schedule and back to taking Cravings orders. That took me quite a while.

During Ramadan, I try to cook or bake something from different cultures more than I actually during regular days.

I do that mainly because everyone gathers during Futoor and then after that everyone wants two or three kinds of dessert.

My mom makes her famous puddings: Rice Pudding (Rice with Milk), Saffron Custard, Rose Milk Sago (Tapioca Pudding), Mastic Pudding, and of course Rice Farni.
Rice Farni is made using rice flour and the outcome is this rich white custard-like pudding.

Ever since I was a child, this was my favorite!

I quickly remove the raisin-walnut-cinnamon-coconut scattered on the pudding and and enjoy every spoon! I even have it for Suhoor!

The day before I made this version, I was telling my mom that I need to learn her recipe for the rice farni because hers is the best and no cookbook can ever beat it (no offense)!
By the time I’m done with the boys and go to the kitchen, she’s already pouring them in the serving bowls!

But today, I managed to get the recipe from my mother and also have two other ways of doing the rice farni!

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Ramadan Mubarak to all of you who are Muslims!

It is indeed the best month of the year.
Family visits, you feel closer to Allah, and of course lots and lots of scrumptious food!

I love the rituals our family has and have had since forever… daily Hrees making and giving out to family, friends and whoever passes by and knows we make it. Giving out daily Iftar meals to people and of course a busy kitchen all day long until the call of Maghrib Prayer (when we break our fast).

All these rituals make you appreciate what you have and feel empathetic to those who don’t live a life as comfortable as yours.

Of course it is something you should appreciate all year round but Ramadan reminds you of it even more.

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It’s Sha’ban, the month before Ramadan (Islamic Lunar Months). As soon as it starts, the anticipation for Ramadan slowly seeps into our bodies and the excitement rises!

The 14^th of Sha’ban which is also called “El Laileh” or “Lailat El Nes” (which means “The Night” or “The night before the half”. The half as in the half of the month which falls on the 15^th); is a day we celebrate here in the UAE.

Children all dress up in traditional Emirati clothes go from one house to another and are given treats.  The candy given is for El Laileh. To celebrate their happiness that Ramadan is near.

As children we were not allowed to go from one house to another asking for treats. I never knew why.
But family and friends used to send us bags of treats, which will last for months!

This year, I didn’t have time to go buy candy to give out. I was too busy planning my anniversary dinner. Hopefully next year! Inshallah!

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Summer slapped us in the face so hard this year and then apologized and gave us two breezy and immensely humid days… but then slapped us again even harder!

The only things I look forward to in the summer are dates, mangoes and of course berries! (I used to look forward to traveling but we haven’t traveled in a few years)

Berries Berries and more berries… but most importantly raspberries… my all-time favorite!

Raspberries remind me of the summers we spent in France growing up.
Going to the Farmer’s Friday Market and buying punnets of plump juicy raspberries!

That’s what I really miss about traveling to Europe.

ok I also enjoy going to the beach house during the summer and have been enjoying it even more since my boys started overcoming the fear they have from the waves! I admit!

We were there last weekend and that was the first time they actually played in the sand. There were occasional screams from some big waves but then they just made peace!

Sometimes you feel that you get sucked into a tornado of things to do and then suddenly you realize that you have missed something specific… it might not be a big thing… maybe something as simple as making bread!

I have been missing making bread… the patience it brings and the satisfying feeling it brings when you see the outcome!

The kitchen has been invaded by me for the passed week or so… baking cookies and delivering La Mère Culinaire Cravings’ orders…

While I was baking orders, I felt the need of doing something more intense…. like baking bread of course!

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