The Map of Marriage

Any intelligent person undertaking a very long journey – through a route which he has not travelled before – will ensure that he makes adequate preparations before he departs. He will seek advice and directions and will make enquiries regarding the road and what to expect. After making all the appropriate preparations and taking all the necessary advice and directions, he will most likely carry a GPS to guide him along the way and prevent him from taking any wrong turns.

Marriage is also a journey. However, the journey of marriage is meant to last a lifetime. It takes one through different terrains and past various sceneries. While it may generally be smooth sailing, like a luxury car on an open freeway, there are sometimes the odd and unexpected gravel patches. While the route may mainly usher one past gardens, rivers, waterfalls and rolling seas, it does also sometimes lead one through dry and quiet deserts. If the traveller keeps his eye on the road and focuses on his destination, he will insha-Allah safely pass through all the hills and valleys as well as gardens and deserts.

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“Game Over”

Playing is a natural activity for a child and is even important for the correct, healthy development of a child. For a child, playing is not merely a pastime. Rather, it is a developmental and educational process through which the child learns many basic principles such as cause and effect, effort and reward, etc. It is due to the process of playing being such an effective medium of education that teachers seek to capitalize on playing and use it to engage the students in games through which they will be educated in a subtle yet definite and enjoyable manner.

However, since the world has taken the route of technology, the nature of ‘the game’ has changed. Now, games are seldom played on fields and in backyards. Rather, the computer, tablet and phone screen has become the new field of play, and once the game begins, players become glued to the screen.

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Macarons

Yes, it is possible to make these at home!

Whisk 60g of egg whites (from 2 eggs) till soft peaks form.

Gradually add 75g of castor sugar. Whisk till firm peaks form.

Sift 100g of icing sugar and 75g of almond flour.

Fold the sifted icing sugar and almond flour into your egg whites together with a few drops of colouring.

Remember that the macarons will be lighter in colour after baking.

Continue folding until the batter falls off your spatula in a thick ribbon.

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Harmful Foods

Foods can generally be termed as those edibles which nourish the body. There are, however, certain foods that adversely affect the body. These can be termed as “harmful foods”.

Harmful foods can be divided into two categories:

1. Foods that are not beneficial to anybody.

2. Foods that do not agree with certain people.

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‘Mise en Place’

In the world of food preparation, there is a concept that is greatly emphasized– the concept of mise en place. Actually a French term, it means ‘putting everything into place’. Thus, mise en place is where before preparing a dish, a person first takes out the necessary ingredients in the required amounts, finds the utensils that will be used and ensures that everything is in a state of preparedness before commencing. Once ‘all the ducks are in a row’, it becomes easy for a person to prepare even a complex dish.

On the converse, imagine that just as the onions begin to brown, the cook realizes that the meat still hasn’t been washed and cut. As he rushes to wash and cut the meat, he realizes that he doesn’t have some of the necessary ingredients for the dish he wanted to prepare. As he rushes out the door to buy the missing ingredients, he realizes that one of the utensils that he will need has been lent to someone. Obviously, the result will be nothing short of a disaster!

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