There are several restaurants I like to visit regularly close to where I live. One of them is a Middle Eastern restaurant located in an obscure street but the food there is a delight. For a long time, I’m a big fan of their amazing Kazandibi which I always order after a big serving of Izgara Kofte (Grilled Meat Balls). Kazandibi is a Turkish caramelized milk pudding dessert. A reminiscent of Crรจme Brรปlรฉe. It is so delicious and super addicting. The taste of burnt sugar added with the soft creamy texture of milk plus a hint of cinnamon is just so heavenly.
This Kazandibi recipe is inspired by that favorite Middle Eastern restaurant of mine, and though I will never be able to recreate their perfect Kazandibi dessert, at least I know that I can actually do it at home and hopefully master it as I keep practicing. To my Middle Eastern friends and readers, please be aware that this recipe is nowhere near perfect as what you guys have at home. Mine is definitely a beginner’s attempt, so feel free to give me your preparation tips and techniques.
There are different ways, measurements, and even ingredients on how to make Kazandibi. My recipe is somewhat tailored to my own personal preferences. Here’s how I made mine.
Ingredients
For the Pudding
4 & 1/2 cup Whole Milk (I use Lactaid because it’s Lactose-free) 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour 1/2 cup Cornstarch 1 cup Sugar a pinch of Mastic (aromatic gum)
This season, there are several foundations that really impressed me. I’ve been loving them a lot and they’re definitely at the top of my holy grail list. You’ve probably heard about these foundations or own them since a lot of folks seem to really love them as well.
Ideally, for me, a foundation should be lightweight, non-sticky, has very good coverage, non-cakey, and should adhere to the skin for hours and hours, even if you sweat. It should have a good SPF number, but it should not oxidize. Yes, I’m quite picky that way, although that’s a lot to ask for a foundation. I also prefer foundations that don’t need to be applied with a primer, because there are days when I’m so in a hurry to go somewhere and applying primer is an extra step that I may not be able to afford putting on when I’m time-constrained.
Anyway, as much as I want that perfect foundation, there are only a few that I could count that seems to satisfy my criteria. Nowadays, I tend to use foundations that almost met and satisfy these criteria. They are almost, if not, perfect for me, or are the next best thing.
Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation in 4 Neutral (44 USD) – This skincare-foundation is my most favorite from Charlotte Tilbury. It has a very pretty and elegant packaging and on my skin, this feels light. The coverage is full and it has a natural matte finish that doesn’t look dry or cakey. A little bit goes a long way with this and it lasts several hours on me. This blurs my pores, blemishes, and post-acne marks. Also, this evens my skintone well and it kind of makes me look glowy. I love that this doesn’t budge or slide on my oily skin, and it doesn’t transfer. I can wear this alone or with any primer.
Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder in 1 Fair (0.28 oz: 45 USD) – This very fine setting powder packed in a luxurious golden compact looks impeccably elegant. I love how natural this goes on the skin and it not only reduces shine and sets makeup/foundation, it doesn’t have any flashback and it can work as a standalone powder foundation as well. I love that this doesn’t cake and this does not settle on my pores. However, this powder tends to oxidize and it doesn’t have a good shade range (only three, so far), so, I suggest picking up a lighter shade than your normal tone. Overall, this product blends and applies on my skin and foundation seamlessly and it’s one of the most wonderful setting powders I’ve ever tried.
Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation in 2 Neutral (1.6 oz: 40 USD) – I didn’t realize how good this foundation was until I tried a sample of it. Texture-wise, this is perfect. I love how light and fluid this feel and this applies like a second skin on me. The finish is matte but not drying and this actually looks more natural. I would say that the coverage of this foundation is medium yet it’s good enough for me since it completely covers my sins and imperfections, lol. I also love that you can use this not only for the face, but also for the body, and it doesn’t slide nor cake for any skin type, not even for my oily skin. The packaging of this is cute too. Now, if only this has an added SPF.
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Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation in Light Medium 9 (1.18 oz: 68 USD) – An ultra-expensive foundation from PMG that does not disappoint. This truly is a very good foundation and is almost perfect in every way, with or without any use of a primer. The coverage of this can go from light to medium, and even to full, and the finish is very natural. It feels very light and fluid like the Dior Backstage Foundation above and is also very similar to the Chanel Vitalumiรจre Aqua and Perfection Lumiรจre Velvet Foundations. I love that this looks and feels like a second skin, so, this is very light. This does not settle on the pores and fine lines and looks very very natural. Still, I wish this has an SPF.
Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation SPF 30 in 220 Linen (1 oz: 47 USD) – An Allure Best of Beauty Winner, I feel like this could be the foundation I’ve been looking for. It seems to meet all my criteria and standards for a foundation, except that I couldn’t find the right shade match for me. Thank goodness I got a sample to try it first. Hopefully soon, I will be able to find the exact color for my skintone because this foundation is truly amazing. I love how you don’t need to put a lot of this and still has that perfect medium to full coverage with a natural finish on the skin. This feels fluid but not too fluid and not overly creamy either. Also, this covers imperfections very well and it can last for several hours without sliding, no matter what the humidity level and temperature may be, and it stays on even when you sweat. Something about this foundation reminded me of the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in terms of performance and lasting power.
Overall, I love love these foundations. They serve my needs at any activity level and they helped me put on my best face forward, rain or shine, sweat or dry, and whatever the situation may call.
Do you have any holy grail foundations? What are they? Have you tried these already? What do you think of them?
Happy New Year everyone! It’s finally 2020! I can’t wait to see what this year will bring for us. I hope this year will be a year filled with happiness, excitement, and of course, beauty stuff, lol. So, to start the year, let’s talk about two of the latest Dior lip releases this Fall/Winter – The Rouge Dior Ultra Care line of Lipsticks and Liquid Lipsticks.
I almost overlooked this release thinking it would be quite the same as the Rouge Dior Ultra Rouge Lipsticks last year (reviewed HERE in the blog). But actually, it’s not, this latest line of Dior lipsticks may have the same packaging style and color as last year’s Dior Ultra Rouge, but these lipsticks have a different texture, and the liquid ones are totally different as well.
Some of the shades/numbers in this release may be available in both lipstick and liquid lipstick form, and they may slightly vary in color depth and tone. The shades of the Rouge Dior Ultra Care Lipsticks are all matte in finish, while the Rouge Dior Ultra Liquid ones are in matte and satin.
This type of lipstick has camelina oil and jojoba. It feels really light and super comfortable. It does have the signature Dior floral lipstick scent, and the packaging is a beautiful standout red. The center/core of the lipstick contains a white CD, like a cute embossing that contains the camelina oil and jojoba for hydration. It adds a bit of pearlescent sheen to the lipstick’s main shade. Additionally, the texture of this lipstick is comfortable matte and it can last for hours without reapplication. The shades are also mostly very beautiful and very pigmented.
480 Fleur Bleue (dusty pink matte) – on my skin, it looks like a light coral pink
750 Blossom (intense pink matte) – looks more like a medium pink on me
This liquid lipstick is infused with camelina and almond oil, and also with shea butter. It feels so light and it also has the signature Dior floral scent, but a bit more subtle than the lipstick version above. It comes in both matte and satin finish, and both are very comfortable on the lips. The pigment is amazing and also very long-lasting. The matte finish tends to have a soft-focus diffuse effect on the lips, while the satin one adds more depth and dimension. Personally, I love both finishes because the satin shades don’t look too shimmery. The only thing I don’t like about this lipstick is the weak brush applicator. Though the packaging is cute and pretty in red, and the brush’s shape is quite precise to apply, but it bends too much and it feels weak and too soft upon application. Still, that didn’t stop me from collecting another shade, which is the 966 Desire below. It’s such a beautiful color.
786 Rosewood (matte, rosewood) – a diffused matte brick rose
966 Desire (satin, ruby red) – burgundy with a subtle sheen
Bottom line, these are the best lipsticks I’ve tried this season and I highly recommend them. I may have a slight preference for the liquid version, but that’s because I like their diffused natural effect on my lips, however, both lipsticks’ form and the finishes are totally worth trying for their lasting powder and bold pigments.
