How Arab Fashion fares in this tiny Kingdom…

If there is one thing I so loved in this Arab country, it is the versatility and openness, when it comes to Fashion, considering the norms set in the Arab world.  I may not be a Fashion authority, but how fashion gets along here is quite exceptional. The mixed culture in Bahrain brought together various inspirations to the seasoned stylists and budding designers alike.

Just recently, The 2014 Wedding & Fashion Arabia was held at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Center. The exhibition presented a unique opportunity for the visitors to meet face –to-face with couples-to-be suppliers; that includes cosmetics, caterings, venues etc. It was an ultimate venue that has showcased wedding dresses and Abayas from top manufacturers and couture designers. The whole show was under the patronage of H.H. Shaika Hind Bint Salman Al Khalifa and the guest of Honor Ms. Aline Wafta “STYLE” program presenter. 

Wedding & Fashion Arabia 2014 Fashion Show

 Elite Hospitality Group was one of the exhibitors highlighting the AL NOOR TENT- the most luxurious tent on the island which is set in the poolside gardens overlooking the Bay. It offers a luxurious traditional setting for special events, and offers you the exclusivity and privacy you want for your functions.

Our Model Bride

Al Noor Tent at Elite Resort & Spa comfortably host up to 700 guests. It is our endeavor to make each function unique and tailor-made to your needs.

 The Romance of a wedding in a Royal Tent makes all our guests feel like royalty.

There is no limit as to what your wedding dream would be like. Al Noor tent is so versatile that you can easily apply  limitless concepts and setting that befits a Princess.

For the complete solutions and wedding packages, click our previous blog here:

Elite Wedding Packages

Eat in Sync with the Season

Winter is a perfect season for getting together with friends and family around a well prepared hearty shared  meal. Of course when we talk about meal in this kind of season, its not only the heat of the oven that feels so good, or a hot bowl of soup. Warming foods are also a great choice during these times.

While having a tour inside the Elite Resort & Spa kitchen , my eyes focused on fresh vegetables and wondered if there are any particular type of  veggies that suits this current weather condition in Bahrain.As usual, Executive Chef -Sultan enthusiastically shared his expertise! (What he will be sharing with us now is not just food/dish preparations itself, but more on  the healthy benefits one will be getting  from it. )

 Chef Sultan shared some tips to maximize the healthy benefits one may get out  of these Veggies:

I'm Happy to give and recommend the current foodie trend - “Juice it” – one of the best ways to consume benefits without discarding any of the goodness of the Veggies that you use –

You get your fast food – that is actually quick, healthy and give added bonus of giving the missing liquids, removes the compromising fats from the diet and I could go on singing paeans for this trend

Have a Sturdy Blender as one of the Must Haves in your Kitchen – “Experiment”, find and add your favorite taste maker to the Blend – herbs, sea-salt, lemon juice, honey, spices, - Find your reason to get in to this habit and stay with it.

Some Vegetables that you might want to try out this winter.

Carrots – oh yes they also come in variety- black, Country (desi gajar):
First on my list are carrots. Versatile in Salads, addition to stews, a very important part of the all pervasive “Mirepoix” or “Matignons” used for imparting flavours to sauces & stocks, the all time Favorite food “Gajar ka Halwa” for bollywood Moms & Sisters & Sister in laws to cajole their loved ones – as Bugs Bunny says chomping on one; you can literally say “Wassup Doc “ with its health benefits - This root vegetable has more carotene (what the body converts to vitamin-A) than any fruit or vegetable. In addition, carrots are an excellent source of vitamins B, C, D, E and K, as well as calcium pectate (a pectin fibre that has cholesterol-lowering properties).

Peas:
A very Tasty comfort food, Peas, with their excellent mild sweet & Savoury taste, ,and starchy texture come loaded with phytonutrients that provide us with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Further, recent research shows that these legumes can help prevent stomach cancer, a good source of vegetarian Protein, makes a spectacular addition to Mashed potatoes, a very good blend with mint gives you a hearty winter soup, adds colour , texture, and above all interest to stuffings, stews, pilafs, used in almost every cuisine, additive to the dish, Side vegetables, in Stuffings and in many more imaginative ways.

Peanuts

Not a vegetable though - A good source of Vegetarian Protein, vitamins, potassium, protein, carbohydrates, calcium and fat – peanuts are good for you in so many ways. Roast or boil some peanuts and have them with your tea this chilly evening or make some peanut Butter Sandwiches because they freshly arrive in the winter

Turnips:
The best turnips come to the market in the winter season. A root vegetable about the size of an apple, turnips pack in insoluble fibre, folates, vitamins and minerals. This root vegetable has a rather pungent taste, which becomes mild after cooking complements Lamb dishes very nicely , can go raw in salads, excellent accompaniment as a stewed puree to add zing to your Grilled Meats

Spinach:
One of the most celebrated , publicized and well known; A super Vegetable by any standard, It’s counted among the world’s healthiest veggies, thanks to its nutrient richness. Vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and a host of flavonoids that offer antioxidant protection – this leafy vegetable – has them all. Whether you choose to make some salad,, a plain sautés, Puree, soup or just stir fry it, make sure you’re eating this one!.

(photo from www.haldimirch.net)

Fenugreek leaves:

Known to Indians methi, loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytonutrients. It can lower cholesterol, help keep your diabetes under check and more. Adds the prized sixth Taste – “Pleasant Bitterness” to your palate – introduce or if already introduced – savour the taste with this beneficial Herb/Vegetable

(Photo from www.gardeningKnowHow.com)

Mustard leaves (sarson):
Bit pungent & Bitter and acquired taste, A winter crop, the mustard plant’s leaves are highly nutritious, very earthy & pervasive. The young tender leaves of the plant are flavourful and very popular in the state of Punjab, India.

Fresh mustard greens are an excellent source of several vital antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and carotenes. Include the goodness of these leaves in your diet this winter season.

Radishes – Mooli or Daikon:
Radish, a root crop that is pungent or sweet in taste is available in plenty during winter. This root vegetable has a lot of roughage and is a powerhouse of potassium, folic acid and ascorbic acid. Eat it raw in salads, make puree, - however be careful as your burps may smell quite offensive

There you have it, the "warming vegetables" as recommended by Executive Chef Sultan. You may try any one or a combination of those and include that in your  most peaceful and lasting experiences of winter- The Food Sharing experience. :)

Elite Pre-Christmas Cake Mixing

 October 21^st marks the official start of Christmas Season this year  as far as Elite Hospitality Group is concerned, with the annual Pre-Christmas cake mixing event held at the famous Al Noor Tent –Elite Resort & Spa.  It was such a fun activity for our invited quests from the members of the  Media Professionals in the Kingdom, the Church and community.

COO Mr. Sarosh Aibara (Center) with the Elite Staff

The mixing of these dried ingredients of the Christmas Plum cake or the “Elite Christmas Cake” has become a tradition within the Elite Hospitality Group.

This practice is being done in Elite for the last decade.  It started out as an in house activity with mixing the non alcoholic mix with the then Elite Suites Property which was one of the Pioneering Non- alcoholic Hotel operations in Bahrain. Initially only the Department heads from Elite Suites were involved in the process.

Thereafter with more properties joining the Elite Group more Department heads from the other units were invited and joined the process of mixing.

With Elite Resort & Spa opening in 2007 the traditional alcohol marinated cake mix started to be prepared at Elite. Hotel resident guests & patrons of Elite were invited to join in starting the Seasons festivities.

From then on, Elite Resort & Spa become a name to be reckoned within  Food & Beverage offerings at the Group. In 2009 onwards the scale of the activity was upped,  and since 2011 Media was invited to participate and announce the start of Festivities at Elite Hospitality with a string of Seasons activities planned across the Units.

Non-Alcoholic Mix (With Pastor Jim & Chef Sultan)

In order to ensure that teetotaler Patron /Guests do not miss out on our offering, the non – alcoholic mix and the cake & puddings made with it are definitely planned for, prepared and offered.

Executive Chef Sultan shared how this whole process is being done:

The “Mix” which was prepared is left to macerate under its own bulk; with regular mixing to ensure the blend thoroughness (the weight Bulk helps to weigh down crushing the lower part of the mix ever so gently and this is turned over and over in the next three fortnights before the “Mix” is used with other cake ingredients to give– NO, it is no longer the “Plum cake” but turns out to be the Elite Christmas Cake)

What started out as probably a Plum Pudding/pie has metamorphosed into as many variations as many cooks/kitchens there are.  Starting out the Humble dried Plums & Raisins Pudding has gone on to take in a lot of ingredients, all mostly the dried fruits variety- commonly almonds, raisins, Currants, dry cherries, with some candied Peels to add zing, spices to add zest and with the theme running the more the merrier, imaginative mixes take in a plethora of good stuff – to mention a few- dries figs, dried apricots, pumpkin seeds, and list could go on.

Dried Ingredients

The “Mix” becomes better with time-The Longer it macerates, the better it becomes (within reasonable limits of course) recommended to be done for about 45 days.

The Elite Festive X’Mas   Cake has the Following goodies in the “Mix”

Cashew nut Broken

Almond

Prunes (Dried Plums)

Brown Sugar b(Dark)

Dried Fruits (Mixed)

Raisins

Black Currant

Red Cherry

Strawberry Jam

Orange Jam

Orange Marmalade with Peel

Apricot Jam

Candied Ginger

Candied Peel

Almond Essence

Cinnamon Powder

COO Mr. Sarosh Aibara,  ERS Gen. Manager Anurag Bajaj with the members of the Media

The Mixing Sessions (With the guests)

Cashew nut Broken

Almond

Prunes (Dried Plums)

Brown Sugar b(Dark)

Dried Fruits (Mixed)

Raisins

Black Currant

Red Cherry

Strawberry Jam

Orange Jam

Orange Marmalade with Peel

Apricot Jam

Candied Ginger

Candied Peel

Almond Essence

Cinnamon Powder

Food & Beverage Pro: In every sense of the word

Playful, fun loving and always smiling Mr. Jumaa is the man behind the Food & Beverage services of Elite Resort & Spa.Mr. Jumaa Jumaa Raheem is no neophyte when it comes to this Industry. Having had a chance to work for some of the well known companies in Bahrain, Mr. Jumaa is indeed a Pro in his field.

He’s passionate about food! Well, I mean...eating is one of his favorite stuff! He regards himself as a vacuum, because according to him, he eats literally everything that is edible! J But cooking is a No No for him!

One that is so odd about him is his craziness for soda! PEPSI (pronounced as Bebsi) J is his thing! For the ordinary soda addicts, perhaps its 5 or 6 can a day is enough. But for Mr. Jumaa , Drum roll.....it’s an unbelievable round the clock habit that even exceeds to 16 cans per day!, and please never ever dare to say a word with regards to this habit, because he has a ready and steady answer every time his friends remind him of the importance of water in his body. “Yes, I needed water in my body that’s why I am taking a bath very often.” Tsk tsk!

Mr. Jumaa doesn't have an eye for food and beverage alone! One thing very few know about him is the artist inside him- yes, you read it right. He has a hidden talent which we just recently discovered while ambushing him in his office one day. J

Who would believe that this guy is very passionate about Sebastian, Barney,(he’s so sad he missed the Bahrain Summer Fest's Barney Show) Fido Dido and the likes? Strange isn't it? And look what I have found:

Fido Dido

Yes, he made it himself!Well, let's face it, not everyone is gifted with such skill (even a stick like figure is a huge effort to some) and this man can actually draw! Isn't it cool?

But wait a minute, this thing made me think he has some plans of shifting his brand. From Pepsi to 7-up I may say, If you know what I mean .

Note:

He knows it’s bad for his health that’s why he’s making something to reduce his soda intake nowadays) Inshallah!

Meet the Chef

Passionate about cooking from the tender age,Executive  Chef Shaik Mohammad Sultan has gone a long way as far as cooking is concerned. With more than a decade of cooking experience in the Kingdom, Chef Sultan undoubtedly perfected the meticulous palate of the Arab world as well as the International taste of the Hotel’s regular guests.

So when did you start being passionate with food?

I began being passionate with food from my school days. I did my schooling in a boarding school. Just like any other boarders, I left with no choice..You know, one tends to dabble in cooking to get away from the well meaning Matrons’ Stew.
Where and when did you start cooking as a profession?
I first joined as a Chef Trainee with the Taj Group of Hotels in India, while completing my Hotel Management studies
How many years  have you been working for Elite? How is it working in Bahrain?
I have been with  Elite for more than a decade now. Bahrain is a bit enigmatic – Though very few locally available ingredients, plenty of imports and that’s a Gamble - sometimes getting the very basic is a struggle, and yet you unexpectedly find a lot things you are amazed.
Describe your cooking philosophy
Keep it Simple
Are there key Ingredients you are focusing this whole duration of Ramadan season?

Dates are intrinsic to Ramadan, and variety of dates available is a boon Try our Dates pies, Date Cakes, Dates puddings and savour the blessed “desert “ 

Variety of dates

Hot & Cold Mezze

Al Noor Tent

Taste on our Serving Platter

Al Noor Tent -Elite Resort & Spa

Do you believe that even before we put the food into our mouth, our brains had already perceived about it?

Studies show that our ability to taste food does not come solely from our tongue. How we experience food is a multi sensory experience that involves the taste, the feel and texture of it in our mouth, the aroma and how it is being presented to us, and furthermore, even the sound while eating diminishes the tongue’s ability to detect and discriminate between flavors.

A group of researcher has found out that dishes and other cutlery can incredibly alter our perception of taste. The latest work of these researchers has been published  in the journal of flavors.

"Some of my wine-drinking colleagues would have me believe that flavor is really out there on the bottle, in the glass or on the plate," says Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at Oxford University. "But I think it is much more something that we ... understand better through looking at what's happening inside the brain, and not just the mouth of the person eating or drinking."  take a look at this experiment:

Alterations in taste perceptions aren't necessarily the result of the cutlery itself, he says, but of the mental associations we bring to a meal. "Silver spoons and other silver cutlery, I'm guessing, are more commonly associated with high-quality food in our prior eating experiences," Spence says.

Among Spence's findings so far: 

• People will rate the very same yogurt 15 percent tastier and more expensive when sampled with a silver spoon rather than a plastic spoon or a lighter (by weight) option. 
• Combining a heavier bowl with a heavier spoon will tend to make yogurt taste better. 
• Plastic packaging or plate ware that's more rounded will tend to emphasize sweetness. 
• Angular plates tend to bring out the bitterness in food, which works well for dishes like dark chocolate or coffee-based desserts, Spence says. 
• People will rate cheeses as tasting saltier when eaten off a knife, compared to a toothpick, spoon or fork. 
• In general, foods tend to be perceived as more enjoyable when eaten off heavier plates and with heavier cutlery – perhaps because heft is equated with expense. 


Let me add, as a child, I had once problem eating in metal trays and plates, as it gives me tingling sensation. even my spoon needs to have a non metal handle on it, otherwise, I might as well get hungry! However, being so much involved  in the different extra curricular activities at school (camping , scouting, etc) where I had no choice but to eat in those metal trays during meal time...I had overcome my uneasiness towards these kind of utensils.



Be it Psychological or not, whatever the reason may be, it is always good to have our meal just the way we like it to be. Our taste and food perception shall always be based on what we feel comfortable with for a long period of time, and I may say as the one who experienced some issues with regards to serving platters, those uneasiness and fears can gradually change. ITS ALL IN THE MIND!

A Perfect Ramadan Experience

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is a time of fasting for the Islamic people. Each day during this month, Muslims all over the world abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, as well as participating in anything that is ill-natured or excessive; from dawn until the sun sets. Fasting is intended to educate the Muslim in spirituality, humility and patience. It is a time to cleanse the soul, focus attention on God, and put into practice selflessness. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of God and to put forward more prayer than is customary.


Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of the Islam religion, and one of the main types of Islamic worship. Restraint from everyday enjoyment and curbing wicked intentions and cravings are considered as an act of compliance and obedience to God, as well as amends for sins, faults, and mistakes. Ramadan is also called Ramazan. During Ramadan, Muslims request forgiveness for sins in the past, pray for direction and assistance in abstaining from everyday troubles, and endeavor to cleanse themselves through self-control and great acts of faith. (source: http://www.whatisramadan.com/ )

As the tradition lives on, we at Elite Hospitality with our valued partners proudly bring you the perfect Ramadan Experience this 2013.

Al Noor tent at Elite Resort & Spa is the perfect place we have set up for your Iftar,Ghabga and Sohour this  entire  Ramadan season. 

                                                                   AL NOOR TENT Elite Resort & Spa

Al Noor tent at Elite Resort &Spa is the largest of its kind in Bahrain, comfortably seating up to 600. Its luxuriant interiors are reminiscent of an Arabian Nights fairy tale, set against the stunning backdrop of the sun setting over the Muharraq Bay. Oud music sets the mood, and large screen TVs all throughout make sure you don’t miss your favourite shows

Al Noor tent will feature an Iftar buffet from sunset until 8pm priced at BD 6.9++ for adults and 50% discount for children below 10 years. With a multi-cuisine selection of salads, large spread of Lebanese mezzes, and a host of authentic Bahraini dishes, the buffet is sure to satisfy. There is also a live grill and shawarma station, and a delectable selection of desserts.

The Ghabga will start at 8.30pm until 12.30am, priced at BD 12.9++. There is a smoking and a non-smoking section. The smoking section features live entertainment and games as well as sheesha. Diners also stand a chance to win exciting prizes in a raffle conducted every day.
Non smoking area welcomes families and corporate events with a competitive prices.

Sohour starts at 1 am until morning prayer. It’s BD 5 nett for adults and BD 3.5 nett for children.