Ali Baba and Forty Thieves

The story takes place in Baghdad during the Abbasid era. Ali Baba and his elder brother Cassim are the sons of Ali Baba and forty thievesa merchant. After the death of their father, the greedy Cassim marries a wealthy woman and becomes well-to-do, building on their father's business - but Ali Baba marries a poor woman and settles into the trade of a woodcutter.

One day Ali Baba is at work collecting and cutting firewood in the forest, and he happens to overhear a group of forty thieves visiting their treasure store. The treasure is in a cave, the mouth of which is sealed by magic. It opens on the words "Open, Simsim", and seals itself on the words "Close, Simsim". When the thieves are gone, Ali Baba enters the cave himself, and takes some of the treasure home.

Ali Baba borrows his sister-in-law's scales to weigh this new wealth of gold coins. Unbeknownst to Ali, she puts a blob of wax in the scales to find out what Ali is using them for, as she is curious to know what kind of grain her impoverished brother-in-law needs to measure. To her shock, she finds a gold coin sticking to the scales and tells her husband, Ali Baba's rich and greedy brother, Cassim. Under pressure from his brother, Ali Baba is forced to reveal the secret of the cave. Cassim goes to the cave and enters with the magic words, but in his greed and excitement over the treasures forgets the magic words to get back out again. The thieves find him there, and kill him. When his brother does not come back, Ali Baba goes to the cave to look for him, and finds the body, quartered and with each piece displayed just inside the entrance of the cave to discourage any similar attempts in the future.

Ali Baba brings the body home, where he entrusts Morgiana, a clever slave-girl in Cassim's household, with the task of making others believe that Cassim has died a natural death. First, Morgiana purchases medicines from an apothecary, telling him that Cassim is gravely ill. Then, she finds an old tailor known as Baba Mustafa whom she pays, blindfolds, and leads to Cassim's house. There, overnight, the tailor stitches the pieces of Cassims' body back together, so that no one will be suspicious. Ali and his family are able to give Cassim a proper burial without anyone asking awkward questions.

The thieves, finding the body gone, realize that yet another person must know their secret, and set out to track him down. One of the thieves goes down to the town and comes across Baba Mustafa, who mentions that he has just sewn a dead man's body back together. Realizing that the dead man must have been the thieves' victim, the thief asks Baba Mustafa to lead the way to the house where the deed was performed. The tailor is blindfolded again, and in this state he is able to retrace his steps and find the house. The thief marks forty thieves the door with a symbol. The plan is for the other thieves to come back that night and kill everyone in the house. However, the thief has been seen by Morgiana and she, loyal to her master, foils his plan by marking all the houses in the neighborhood with a similar marking. When the 40 thieves return that night, they cannot identify the correct house and the head thief kills the lesser thief. The next day, another thief revisits Baba Mustafa and tries again, only this time, a chunk is chipped out of the stone step at Ali Baba's front door. Again Morgiana foils the plan by making similar chips in all the other doorsteps. The second thief is killed for his stupidity as well. At last, the head thief goes and looks for himself. This time, he memorizes every detail he can of the exterior of Ali Baba's house.

The chief of the thieves pretends to be an oil merchant in need of Ali Baba's hospitality, bringing with him Forty thieves hiding in oil jarsmules loaded with thirty-eight oil jars, one filled with oil, the other thirty-seven hiding the other remaining thieves. Once Ali Baba is asleep, the thieves plan to kill him. Again, Morgiana discovers and foils the plan, killing the thirty-seven thieves in their oil jars by pouring boiling oil on them. When their leader comes to rouse his men, he discovers that they are dead, and escapes.

To exact revenge, after some time the thief establishes himself as a merchant, befriends Ali Baba's son (who is now in charge of the late Cassim's business), and is invited to dinner at Ali Baba's house. The thief is recognized by Morgiana, who performs a dance with a dagger for the diners and plunges it into the heart of the thief when he is off his guard. Ali Baba is at first angry with Morgiana, but when he finds out the thief tried to kill him, he gives Morgiana her freedom and marries her to his son. Ali Baba is then left as the only one knowing the secret of the treasure in the cave and how to access it. Thus, the story ends happily for everyone except the forty thieves and Cassim.

Chocolate pudding

Who could resist the rich, chocolaty taste of this dessert?

MAKES

 FOUR 4-OR 5-OUNCE (110-TO 150-GRAM) RAMEKINS

PREPARATION

REFRIGERATION

3 hours

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ cup (70 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1½ cups plus
• 2 tablespoons (40 cl) skim milk
• 7 tablespoons (10 cl) heavy cream
• 1 ounce (20 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• Pinch of agar

• Prepration

• | In a bowl, mix the sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch. Whisk in the milk and
• cream until well blended.
• | Pour the mixture into a pan and gradually bring to a boil. As soon as it boils,
• add the chocolate and agar. Let the mixture simmer, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4
• minutes or until the mixture thickens.
• | Spoon into 4 ramekins and let cool before refrigerating for at least 3 hours. The
• desserts will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Hazelnut chocolate spread

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SPREAD

Imagine a rich chocolate spread flavored with hazelnuts. Sure, it’s

almost a sinful explosion of calories, but once tasted, it’s

impossible to resist.

MAKES: ONE 8-OUNCE JAR

PREPARATION

about 10 minutes

COOKING 

about 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces (100 grams) whole unsalted hazelnuts in their skins 4 ounces (100 grams) milk chocolate with
• hazelnuts, broken into pieces ⅓ cup (9 cl) unsweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon sunflower or nut oil
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Method

Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer in a shallow metal pan and roast for about

15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the nuts cool for about 5

minutes.

When cool enough to handle, rub the hazelnuts between your fingertips to

remove the skins. (You could also rub them with the folds of a clean dish towel

to remove the skins.) Transfer the nuts to a food processor or blender and pulse

for 2 to 3 minutes or until reduced to a fine powder.

 In a saucepan, heat the chocolate and condensed milk over medium heat until

the chocolate melts. Stir occasionally to blend.

Pour the hot milk mixture over the ground nuts and add the cocoa powder, oil,

vanilla, and salt. Pulse several times or until the paste is smooth and evenly

colored. Spoon the paste into a sterilized 8-ounce jar, seal and refrigerate. (For

more on sterilizing jars, see page 140). The Butterella will keep for up to 2

weeks.

NOTE

YOU CAN USE SOUR CREAM THINNED WITH A LITTLE MILK IN PLACE OF THE CONDENSED MILK.

coconut sugur lip scrub

COCONUT SUGAR LIP SCRUB

YIELD: ½ OUNCE TIME: 20 MINUTES

GOOD FOR: ALL LIPS

This formula exfoliates your lips while keeping them plump and succulent.

Sugar gently sloughs away dead skin, while coconut butter and honey add a lip-

loving moisture boost.

ingredients 

• 1 teaspoon coconut butter
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1. On the stovetop in a small pot, melt the coconut butter over low heat. Remove from the heat.
• 2. Add the remaining ingredients, and mix well.
• 3. Transfer to an airtight container.
• TO USE: Apply scrub mixture to lips and massage in a circular motion for a few minutes. Rinse
• thoroughly.
• STORAGE: Store in the refrigerator for 3–5 weeks, or in a cool, dry place for 2–3 weeks.
• USE: Twice a week

• GIFT IT

• To share your lip scrubs with friends, quadruple the recipe and put each serving in a cute ½-ounce airtight
• container and include instructions for using the scrub.
  
  
  

AGE-DEFYING SERUM

YIELD: ¾ OUNCE TIME: 30 MINUTES

GOOD FOR: MATURE SKIN

This combination of unique ingredients makes for a potent age-defying blend
that stands up to expensive OTC products.

FOR THE TEA:

• 1 cup rose water
• 2 teaspoons dried holy basil leaf
• 2 teaspoons dried rose hip
• 2 teaspoons dried reishi mushroom
• 2 teaspoons dried wolfberries 
• 2 teaspoons dried ginseng
• 2 teaspoons dried bilberry tea

FOR THE SERUM:

• 2 teaspoons aloe vera jelly
• ½ teaspoon glycerin
• ¼ teaspoon argan oil
• 2 teaspoons of above tea

method 

• 1. On the stovetop in a small pot, combine the rose water, holy basil, rose hip, mushroom, wolfberries,
• ginseng, and bilberry tea. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain the tea and cool.
• 2. In a small bowl, combine the aloe vera jelly, glycerin, argan oil, and 2 teaspoons of the tea. Mix well.
• 3. Transfer to an airtight container. A small pump works well.
• TO USE: Apply 5–10 drops of serum after cleansing skin.
• STORAGE: Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

• USE: Twice daily

Wolfberries, also known as goji berries, have become a popular food due their high content of antioxidants

and beta-carotene. In traditional Chinese medicine, wolfberries are said to aid in sleep and reduce stress. If

you have any left over after mixing up this serum, eat a few to reap their additional benefits.

spiced cookies

Spiced Biscuits

Watch out when these spiced cookies come out of your oven, as they will intoxicate you
with their aromas. They will disappear in just a few minutes.

Yields: Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1⁄2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 cups Flour
• 1 cup Butter, softened
• 4 tsps Vanilla
• 1⁄2 tsp Salt
• 1⁄2 tsp Ground Cloves
• 1⁄2 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 11⁄2 tsps Ground Allspice
• 11⁄2 tsps Ground Cardamom
• Granulated or Coconut Sugar, for coating

Method of preparation:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
• 2. In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar, and butter using a hand mixer.
• Mix in the remaining ingredients.
• 3. Use a tablespoon to form cookies from the dough. Drop little balls on
• ungreased baking sheets.
• 4. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes.
• 5. While the cookies are still warm, coat them with some granulated or coconut
• sugar. Leave the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes.
• 6. Coat the cookies again before serving.

VITAMIN C SERUM

YIELD: ½ OUNCE TIME: 30 MINUTES

GOOD FOR: ANTI-AGING     

Heal and protect your skin with this vitamin C serum.Rancid oils trapped in your skin accelerate the aging process by breaking down collagen. The combination of bioflavonoids and vitamin C in this serum pack a big antioxidant punch to prevent the oil in your skin from going rancid.

FOR THE TEA:

• 1 cup distilled water
• 1 teaspoon citrus rind
• FOR THE SERUM:
• ½ teaspoon rose hip oil
• 1 teaspoon prepared citrus rind tea
• 1 teaspoon aloe vera jelly
• 1. On the stovetop in a small pot, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the citrus rind.
• Steep for 15 minutes. Strain and cool.
• 2. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of the prepared citrus rind tea, the rose hip oil, and aloe vera jelly.
• Mix well.

• 3. Transfer to an airtight container. This serum is fluid enough that you can keep it in a dropper bottle for ease of use.

TO USE

 5–10 drops of serum after cleansing skin.

STORAGE: Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

USE: Twice daily

 

MACADAMIA, KUKUI NUT & AVOCADO MOISTURIZER

YIELD: ABOUT 1 OUNCE TIME: 15 MINUTES

GOOD FOR: DRY SKIN

Macadamia nuts are packed with palmitoleic acid, which helps delay the skin’s

aging process; oleic acid, which regenerates and moisturizes; and phytosterols,

the building blocks of plant cell membranes. All these properties repair the skin

and allow for deep penetration. Combined with the high essential fatty acid

content of kukui nuts, this moisturizer is a perfect treatment for dehydrated skin.

• 1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil
• 2 teaspoons avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon kukui nut oil
• ½ teaspoon rose hip oil
• 1. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
• 2. Using a funnel, transfer to an airtight container. A dropper bottle works well for ease of applying.

TO USE: With your fingertips, massage into the face and neck.

• STORAGE: Store in a cool, dry place for 2–3 months, or in the refrigerator for 3–4 months.
• USE: Twice daily or use as a night treatment and another moisturizer for day.

• DID YOU KNOW?

• Kukui nut oil has a long history of use in Hawaii, most notably as an ingredient in beauty-care products.
• The candlenut tree from which it is derived (specifically from the nuts) isn’t actually a tree that’s native to
• Hawaii. It was introduced to the islands by early Polynesian settlers

ROSE HIP AND CITRUS TONER

ROSE HIP & CITRUS TONER

YIELD: ABOUT 4 OUNCES TIME: 10 MINUTES NOT INCLUDING TIME TO MAKE THE TEA
GOOD FOR: ANTI-AGING (FOR SENSITIVE SKIN, DO A PATCH TEST)

The marriage of rose hips and citrus makes for the perfect anti-aging solution.

The lemon juice and rind are filled with bioflavonoids and vitamins; when paired

with rose hips, they prevent aging by protecting collagen.

• FOR TEA
• 1 cup distilled water
• 4 fresh rose hips, diced, or 1 bag rose hip tea
• 2 teaspoons lemon rind
• FOR TONER:
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ cup prepared tea

PREPRATION METHOD

• 1. On the stovetop in a small pot, simmer the water, rose hips (or rose hip teabag), and lemon rind until the
• liquid reduces by half. Let the tea cool and strain.
• 2. Add the lemon juice to ½ cup of the tea.
• 3. Using a funnel, transfer to an airtight container.
• TO USE: Lightly moisten a cotton round and wipe over your face and neck, or spray on using a mister
• bottle.
• STORAGE: Store in the refrigerator for 1–2 weeks.
• USE: Twice daily

DID YOU KNOW?

You can give your pores a workout by alternating between warm (never hot) and cold treatments. When your pores open and close, the movement helps expel debris, oil, and chemicals in them as well as tighten

and tone. To do this, freeze any of the toners in an ice cube tray. Wrap one cube in a thin washcloth. Then,

while steaming or showering (or simply with a warm washcloth handy), allow the steam or warm cloth to

open your pores, then close them by running the washcloth with the ice cube on your skin. Alternate a few

times. Additionally, on hot days, you can use your “iced” toner wrapped in a cloth as a skin-healing,

cooling treat.

Sleeping Beauty

Perseverance
A classic tale from Charles Perrault’s collections about a beautiful princess who falls asleep for a
hundred years on the day of her fifteenth birthday.
After a long time, rumours about the cursed kingdom, in which everything has fallen into eternal
sleep, reach a young...

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom far away and in it there was a

beautiful royal palace. The palace was made of pink stones and grey glass. In

that palace lived a king and a queen who had plenty of everything, except for

one thing: a baby.

Every day, they woke up desperately hoping that this would be the day that

they would have the joy of getting a little baby. They would love it with all of

their hearts.

One day, the queen was sadly walking through the garden and listening to

the royal frogs croak, when she decided to go closer to the lake.

Suddenly, one of the frogs croaked to her: “Your wish will come true. Within

a year you will have a daughter.”

Exactly one year later, the queen had a little daughter, who they named

Marianne. The king was the happiest man alive, and to celebrate the birth of

his daughter, he threw an enormous party to share his joy with everyone in

the land.

As was always customary, the guest list absolutely had to include the

Fairies, whose job it was to determine the fate of the royal daughter. There

were thirteen fairies in total, but the king was distracted with happiness. He

made a terrible mistake and only invited twelve.

On the day of the celebration, everyone in the kingdom was joyful. The

atmosphere was filled with laughter all around, and even the servants in the

palace whistled cheerfully in the corridors.

There was so much delicious food that the tabletops creaked under the

weight. All the guests ate and danced waltzes and celebrated.

At midnight, the Fairies arrived to declare their wishes for Princess

Marianne. They foretold a wonderful life for the little girl – wisdom, beauty,

good virtue, riches and many other good things.

But – before the last of the twelve Fairies could speak – an unexpected guest

interrupted the celebration. The thirteenth fairy, whom they had forgotten

to invite, appeared in the door.

She wore a long black dress that sparkled like diamonds when she walked. As

soon as she entered the room, everyone immediately got very quiet and all

eyes were on her. She looked very angry. She knew she was the only one who

hadn’t been invited and she felt left out.

In a deep, dark voice, she declared: “When the princess reaches 15 years of

age, she will prick her finger on a rose thorn and die.” Then she turned

around and disappeared like a draught through the door.

They were all terrified. Everyone knew a prophecy couldn't be undone. But

one kind fairy was left for the last prophecy. She said: “She won't die, but

sleep for one hundred years.”

The king ordered all of the rose bushes, every branch, to be cut down and

burnt. As Marianne grew into each of her prophecies, becoming beautiful,

wise and kind, they still worried about roses.

Before they knew it, her fifteenth birthday had arrived. The dark fairy's

curse! What would happen? As the castle prepared for the celebration, the

princess wandered until she came to an unfamiliar door.

It was unlocked! And inside was a stone staircase that echoed her steps as

she went up. There was a door at the top, but it was locked. Then she noticed

an old, rusty key in the lock.

When she turned it, the lock ground with the sound of rust and the door

opened with a creak. The princess cautiously entered the little chamber

behind it.There was a single small window and thick cobwebs everywhere. The

furniture was covered in inches of dust that made her sneeze. She was about

to leave when she noticed a single flower in the window.

It was in a little ceramic pot and it had beautiful red petals. It seemed like it

came from another world; Marianne liked spending almost all of her free

time in the royal garden. But she had never seen a flower like this in her life!

She moved closer to the window to look at the pretty bloom, and she noticed

how sweet it smelled. It was a new scent and intoxicating. She wanted to

touch it, but when she reached out to pick up the pot, she felt a little prick on

her finger and she collapsed to the dirty ground, fast asleep.

That wasn’t the only thing that happened. All over the palace, at the moment

she pricked her finger, everyone in the palace dropped to the floor, falling

fast asleep too. The royal parents, the servants, and the guests who had

come to celebrate Marianne’s birthday.

Even the wolfhounds in the yard, the horses attached to carriages, and blue

birds in the middle of songs fell asleep. The only other sound that could be

heard was the rustle of leaves as rose branches climbed the castle walls.

The castle and its people became a legend children whispered about; no one

believed it existed. Little boys played gallant knights with swords and sticks

in the meadows. As they grew up they dreamed about someday searching

for the cursed kingdom and saving everyone inside.

They especially wanted to save Sleeping Beauty, the princess who they said

was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Many village farm boys and even dashing princes from other kingdoms had

tried to get to the palace over the decades. All of them only managed to find

a dense thicket of thorny roses, which they found impossible to pass. They

would sharpen their swords over and over again, but it was in vain. No

matter how hard they tried, the wall of rose branches would not let them

pass.For a whole century, many different men, very short and very tall, very weak

and very strong, nobles and peasants and even a few bakers and tailors, tried

to get through and failed.

Until one day, when young, handsome Prince Julian was passing through the

kingdom. His dappled horse needed new shoes, so he stopped in a local

village to look for a blacksmith. The big-bellied blacksmith greeted the

prince warmly, offering him refreshments while he waited for the new

horseshoes.

While the prince waited for the blacksmith to work on the horseshoes, he

listened to the smith's wife tell local children the legend of the cursed rose

castle.

“...and so Sleeping Beauty, along with the kingdom, is still fast asleep to this

day!” The blacksmith’s wife finished her story and the children stared at her

with open mouths. “Wow!” they all said, amazed.

On the other side of the window, Prince Julian was also awestruck; he

jumped to his feet and with a few fast strides, he reached the blacksmith.

He wanted to know everything the blacksmith knew about the story and

asked for directions to the legendary cursed castle.

As soon as his horse was shod, he galloped immediately towards the castle.

He had to overcome many difficulties on his way, but he was stubborn and

determined. At last, he reached the palace. It was completely covered in

thorny rose bushes.

Suddenly, it happened! The branches in the thicket started loosening right

before his eyes, coming apart of their own accord to let him in. As soon as he

walked through, the bushes snapped back to where they had been and

created a thick wall again.

He reached the royal courtyard and everything and everyone was frozen,

asleep in place. He searched all through the castle rooms, opening and

closing doors, but there was no sign of the sleeping princess.Finally, he found a door leading to a little tower with a chamber at the top.

He walked up the stairs and found the sleeping princess lying on the ground.

He had heard that she was beautiful, but now that he saw her with his own

eyes, he couldn’t stop looking at her. She was gorgeous! He felt his heart

speed up, and he bent down, stroked her long, fair hair, and gently kissed

her lips.

The moment he kissed her, Marianne woke up, opened her eyes and gazed

into the young prince’s hazel eyes. He looked at her so sweetly that she knew

it was his love that had saved her.

In the distance they could hear the dogs barking in the courtyard. Marianne

took his hand and together they walked downstairs. Everyone was yawning,

dazed and waking up from their slumber. The rose bushes were gone.

When handsome Julian and beautiful Marianne got married, the blacksmith

and his family were all invited to the wedding. The party lasted for three

days and three nights, and Julian and Marianne lived happily ever after.