Explanation about Ali Baba and the 40 cloves of garlic !

I hear you … What the hell is this title ??!

You don't even imagine how much I have to be creative ! But don't worry, you're going to find the link between the title, the story I'm going to tell you

and the recipe...

It was in January 2004.

I was in Paris, for work, with a friend.

During a walk in Le Marais, I bought a beautiful small lamp, which was looking like the one of Aladdin. 

The day after, coming back home lately, I went to say goodnight to my children, who were 5 and 2 years old.

They were really excited to see me (did they think I would abandon them ?... Maybe ...) and it was impossible to calm them.

They were, on the same time, kissing me, fighting each other, jumping on their bed …etc … Well, normal life.

Exhausted by my trip and exasperated, I yelled :
“STOP ! Keep quiet, I’m going to tell what happened to me in Paris !”

Heartened by the short silence, I added :
“Because, in Paris, I stolen the aladdin's lamp !”.

If I was waiting for some” whaaaaao !”, they cooled me off...
“You're talking rubbish !... That's untrue !”.

So I decides to be more persuasive and as I went along I began to invent a kind of fairy tale :

“I was walking in Paris, with my friend M.,  when suddenly … (always have a short moment of silence, after “suddenly”, it can help), I see, on our left, a small path, narrow and dark. Puzzled by it, I decide to explore…”

Finally, I had all their attention !

I was talking with low and bass voice.

“In the back of this dark alley , what do I see ? (suspense is growing) … ) a spiral staircase who were going down ! My friend tried to dissuade me, but courageously, I take the decision to follow it to the Earth's depths  …”

At this point, in the little bedroom, silence was heavy… children just dared to breathe.

“Finally, I emerge in a low light room, fuuuuuuull of fabulous treasures ! Gold, diamonds, jewels there and there ! The real Ali Baba cavern, here, in Paris ! (Where you finally understand my title ...). And in the middle of all those fabulous richness, on a pedestal, I see … ALADDIN'S LAMP !”

Here, if I had shouted, they would have a heart attack …

I left my theatrical voice some seconds, to make my story more realistic …:
“ I recognised it immediately, for sure ! Thanks to the Cartoon we watched so many times !”.

Then, I took my voice from beyond the grave once again :
“I come up… slooooooooowly… and there, I hear, deafened, coming from a distant room, an old Arabian's voice, talking to himself…”

I kept on talking with the Arabian accent :
“I told him, to Aladdin … If you leave me this lamp, what do you want me to do with it … Only bad things can happen to the one who have it !...”

With my normal voice :
“But, obeying to my courage and my will, I took the lamp !”

At this point of the story, I almost lose my children ! They yelled together :
“NOOOOOOO, MUM, NOOOOO, DON’T TAKE THE LAMP !!!!”

Surprised and laughing a little bit, I replied :
“But, it’s too late, I took it ! It is in the living room, now…”

Then, my husband came to see why they were screaming at loud and why I was laughing to die !
“HEY ! It’s late, they must sleep ! Are you crazy to tell stupid things just now ?? Am I the only adult of this house ?” 

It took me 15 minutes to calm them, promising I had invented all that !
… Untill the following morning, when they came in the living room and discovered the famous lamp, arranged on a small table.

It was so funny, for some weeks, to let them believe I would open the lamp and let the Genius free if they were not good !

I’m a sadistic mother !! :D