A concert on the beach: Amadou and Mariam

Every summer, Santa Monica Pier hosts the Twilight Concert Series, where performers from all around the world come to play while the public enjoys the sounds either stage-front on the pier, or by setting up blankets and chairs on the beach below.

Mom and I pack big blankets, and a picnic complete with wine. It's always an enjoyable experience and a great way to relax with friends while people-watching at one of California's iconic settings.  We've brought several out-of-town guests here, and no matter the person, they always seem to enjoy the unique laid-back concert atmosphere. (I'm sure the fact that we keep refilling their wine glass doesn't hurt either!)

One time, they had my all-time favorite Italian artist Jovanotti and neither I, nor the groups of Italian tourists who were in town could believe our good luck at happening upon a free (yes, I forgot to mention it's also free) Jovanotti concert. (He's a big deal in Italy!)

Amadou and Mariam met at Mali's Institute for the Young Blind.  

They married in 1980 and began performing together shortly thereafter

This year my good fortune continued because this past Thursday, the Santa Monica stage-on-the-pier was graced by Amadou and Mariam. I've always been drawn to African music in general, but I am especially charmed by Amadou and Mariam's unique ability to blend traditional African and world instruments with the electric guitar. I also especially love the joyful sense that their songs convey and their soulful harmonies that so obviously say "We love each other so much!" even when singing in Bambara, a language from their native Mali that I don't understand.
 

  

This time, it was just Mom and I, but that didn't stop us from packing all of our usuals: fresh heirloom tomatoes with burrata and basil...

Herb de Provence Olives...

...garlic and black pepper rotisserie chicken, french baguette with a drizzle of our favorite olive oil "Frantoia"...

...goat cheese, fig spread, toasted walnuts and almonds.

Even though its a little heavier to carry, we always pack real glasses, plates, and utensils. It makes a big difference (as a nearby picnicker drinking wine out of a plastic cup confirmed to us) and it's nice to use the cloth napkins to protect them and then unwrap them like little gifts.


Some time ago, mom had the great idea to take one of the boards from a board game along to act as a level surface for glasses and bottles.  It's perfect because it's lightweight and folds up to a compact size. We use it so often, we keep it packed in the beach blanket bag so it's always ready to go. (Apparently, we picnic more often than we play Trivial Pursuit!)

As the sun went down, we lit candles and continued to sip our wine as we snacked on red grapes and oh-so-sweet summer peaches.

Many of their songs have a positive, upbeat feeling, and several groups of people got up and danced.  I've always liked the African drum sound, but I had a new appreciation for their drummer in particular after seeing him play live.  He sustained long drum solos that had everyone cheering and clapping.

One of my favorite songs, which unfortunately wasn't played on this occasion, is M'bifé, which means "I love you."  [Listen in player below] The song, from their album Dimanche à Bamako (Sunday in Bamako), is written in a combination of French and Bambara, but even if you speak neither, her voice and the gentle rhythm definitely convey a sense of love and affection. For those of you who are linguaphiles like me, you may be interested in the lyrics, so I'm including them and a rough idea of their meaning in English.  [If anyone speaks Bambara, I'd love help completing the translation, especially the areas marked with a "...." below!]

M'bifé
French/Bambara Mariam et Amadou, bonjour Ca va bien? Comment allez-vous? Comment allez-vous? Chéri né bifé Ka na ta ka né to Chéri né bifé Ka na ta ka né to Tjéni né bifé Tjéni na té fé Ka na né maloya Tjéni né bifé Serre-moi dans ta main Tjéni né bifé Embrasse-moi chéri Tjéni né bifé Tjéni né bifé Ka na ta ka né to Tjéni né bifé Jarabi M'bifé Serre-moi dans ta main Ka na ta ka né to Embrasse-moi chéri Cheri je t’aime Cherie né bifé	English Mariam and Amadou, good day Is it going well? How are you? How are you? Dear, I love you ... Dear, I love you … Truly, I love you Truly, … Do not betray me Truly, I love you Hold me tight in your hand Truly, I love you Kiss me, dear Truly, I love you Truly, I love you … Truly, I love you Passionately(?) I love you Hold me tight in your hand …. Kiss me dear. Dear, I love you Dear, I love you

From Los Angeles, Amadou, Mariam and band go to Wiesen, Austria on August 25, and from there, several other destinations in Europe.  Check out the Amadou and Mariam official website to see a full upcoming concert list, look at photos and watch videos. If you can't make it to one of their concerts, I also highly recommend their recorded music, in particular the album Dimanche à Bamako (La Realité, M'bifé and M'bife balafon are three of my favorite tracks) and Je Pense a Toi and Mon Amour, Ma Chérie from the album Sou Ni Tilé.  I've yet to really listen to their newest album, Folila, but it has gotten great reviews from critics and features a lot of international guest artists.

If you're in the Los Angeles area, the Twilight Concert Series runs every Thursday during the summer, with the last concert this year on September 6. 

For more information, including upcoming artists in the line-up, see the Twilight Concert Series official site.

                                       

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Dimanche à Bamako (CD)  Dimanche à Bamako (MP3 Album) M'Bifé (MP3 Song)
Frantoia Olive Oil ~ Dalmatia Fig Spread
Frigoverre Glass Containers

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Dimanche à Bamako (CD) Dimanche à Bamako (MP3 Album) M'Bifé (MP3 Song) 

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Dimanche à Bamako (CD)

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Dimanche à Bamako (CD)  Dimanche à Bamako (MP3 Album) M'Bifé (MP3 Song) 

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Dimanche à Bamako (CD)  Dimanche à Bamako (MP3 Album) M'Bifé (MP3 Song) 

Dimanche à Bamako (CD) su amazon.it Italia

Dimanche à Bamako (CD) en amazon.es España

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What do Abraham Lincoln, Anna Russian and Snow White have in common?...

...They're all tomatoes!

Like so many people I know who grew up in modern America, I had no fond feelings where tomatoes were concerned.  As a child, it was the worst possible torture to be made to finish eating them in order to be excused from the table.  Wedges in an iceberg lettuce salad were most often how they were presented.  Exasperated parents paid $1 per bite in the hopes of introducing me to something "good for me" that they were sure I just needed to "try once" in order to love.  It was a hard-won reward I remember that much.  Holding my nose and gulping large quantities of water afterwards to wash each awful bit down. 

I don't recall the age I was when my palate changed but I do remember the catalyst.  My Grandma Harris (an enlightened being and chef extraordinaire) served me tomatoes one afternoon when I had come for a sleep-over.  I realized I had a split-second decision to make.  Here I was with a plate of cottage cheese (okay, fine), hamburger patty (okay, better) and horror of horrors...sliced red tomatoes.  This person whom I admired and adored and whom I would never, ever want to insult had just set before me a plate containing this masquerading vegetable...this devious "pseudo-fruit"  I had previously ingested at home only after bribes and threats by my parents.

I suspect Grandma knew not to ask me beforehand.  She must have been aware that (at my age) I still hadn't developed a taste for them.  No kid I knew liked them.  Surely she knew.  I'm certain it was a sly ploy on her part.  Or, then again, maybe she just wanted to share her love of a particular food with someone she loved. In any case, I ate those tomatoes that day without any visible hesitation, without skipping a beat. 

Not only did I fear being rude, but that humble meal was so artfully arranged and placed before me that I found even those treacherous tomatoes appealing.  "It's all in the presentation" as they say and that simple little dinner remains one of the most delicious memories of my life.  

Fast forward to today and you will find me completely smitten with this delectable treat. My favorite version is the Italian way—in the form of a bruschetta topping (tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper), heaped over toasted baguette slices or the same concoction tossed with unruly perciatelli pasta. And, of course, Caprese or burrata salads. 

Living in California has afforded many opportunities to try different varieties from the local farmers' markets. It's so much fun to sift through the selection. Heirloom tomatoes are such an odd-looking lot–misshapen and multi-colored, they are definitely not the bland, super-market reds that many people know as "tomatoes."

I particularly love the "pineapple" tomatoes in the first photo. I wasn't planning this photo shoot, I just couldn't resist running for the camera once I started to slice them into the bowl. Their look is truly deserving of the "fruit" category to which all tomatoes belong.  They have the visual appeal of a beautiful peach or nectarine and they are a delicious balancing point for marrying sweet and savory ingredients in a dish. 

Part of my love for Italy stems from how dedicated Italians are to using the freshest ingredients available. Produce is farmed locally and purchased daily for each meal. We aren't always so lucky here in the States where many weren't raised on the tradition of using fresh, locally grown produce. But, hopefully, more people are becoming aware of the benefits of this way of living.  I know I so appreciate the local farmers markets in my area.  I encourage you to support your local growers if you are fortunate enough to have any near you. Or, maybe even try to grow a few tomato plants if you can find the space–even just a container or two will suffice.  There's nothing like warm, fresh tomatoes right from the vine. Not to mention the gratification of growing your own food. 

Today, as I lingered over lunch–sopping up the tomato juice, basil and garlic-infused olive oil with the last crust of bread– I not only felt satiated; I felt healthy and–dare I say?– uplifted.  

You know? That "everything's right with the world" kind of feeling?  That's a lot of power packed in one little fruit.  

—Grazie Mille, Grandma! 

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Images:  1-4:  lb;  Image 5:  Hirts Seeds

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Might I suggest?...

It's September...Autumn is on its way. It's time for the kids to go back to school. Most everyone I know is thinking about school supplies and packing away paraphernalia from their last trip of the summer. I was just out shopping and saw not only Halloween items on the shelves, but Christmas decorations, too! (Is it just me or do they put them out earlier every year?)

Here in lovely Southern California we are experiencing some of the warmest days we've had all year. If you live near the ocean, as we do, there aren't many days like this where air conditioning is used (or wished for, –as the case may be.)

Contrary to popular belief, we Californians actually don't have "perfect" weather year round for alfresco dinners and the like. (I can see you rolling your eyes out there in New England this very moment.) Honestly though, I grew up in snow country and I still say California has quite a few evenings that are downright cold, particularly here near the beach.  Nights where you sleep with your down comforter and mornings where you linger in bed with the promise of hot coffee as the only impetus for leaving it.

That's what I was reminded of today when I saw all the holiday decorations already on the shelves. And that's why I decided this moment to stop wishing for cooler temperatures and to start focusing on enjoying summer while I still can...mornings where I can roll out of bed and step right outside to enjoy the sunshine and the balmy summer evenings where I can sit out in the garden chatting with my friends well after dark.

Don't get me wrong. I love aspects of all the seasons and I love the holidays, but this is about living in the present moment, as they say.  This year, I'm not going to wish the summer heat away and then suddenly find myself complaining because I haven't been able to grill for ages.

Furthermore, I'm taking my own little stand against the commercialized push (shove) towards the holidays –I'm going to make a concentrated effort to ignore all the decorations already on the shelves and the calendar hurtling towards October with the inevitable slide right through Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.

Yes. I'm vowing now to squeeze the absolute most summer I can out of the next few weeks.  I'm going to do all those things I'll be wishing I could do come the rainy days of winter. —Who's with me?!

. . .Hmm. Let's see. Maybe a bike ride this morning, then home for brunch and the Sunday crossword in the shade of my favorite tree. . .then tonight a casual dinner party in the garden.  Nothing heavy.  Just a beautiful caprese salad with the gorgeous (huge!) heirloom tomatoes we just bought at the farmer's market, some tea lights flickering all around. . .

Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Cheese Salad

4 large heirloom tomatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) or 4 to 5 large plum tomatoes

Fleur de sel or coarse kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves plus additional whole leaves for garnish

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 (2.5-ounce) rounds burrata cheese

This deliciously creamy cheese, pronounced b00r-RAH-tah, is a specialty of Southern Italy, especially the regions of Puglia, Campania, and Basilicata.  Burrata was invented in Andria at the beginning of the 20th century.  Traditionally made from buffalo's milk, today most burrata is made from cow's milk.  Classified as a "spun"or "pulled curd" cheese, burrata's uniqueness lies in the buttery texture of the cheese's center.  

Burro means butter in Italian.  The outside of these decadent balls is a wrapped skin made from stretched sheets of mozzarella paste.  The mozzarella paste is stretched into rectangles and air is blown into it to make a sac.  This gives the exterior a soft springy texture.  

The soft, buttery center is made from fresh cream and shredded pieces of mozzarella called stracciatella.  The sac is then tied with a blade of grass and has the shape of a chubby pear. 
-excerpt from Mangia Bene Pasta website:  {Burrata }

Preparation:

Cut tomatoes into wedges and place in large bowl. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper. Crush oregano between palms to release flavor; add to tomatoes. Add 1/4 cup basil and olive oil and mix well. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Place 1 burrata cheese round in center of each plate. Fan tomatoes around cheese, dividing equally. Drizzle with dressing from bowl. Garnish with additional basil leaves and serve.

Caprese salad is traditionally made with fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese –burrata cheese takes it to a whole new level.  I highly recommend trying it if you are lucky enough to have access to it where you live.

s h a r e

Want to learn more Italian language and culture?  Check out Alex's language learning website:  

[She also teaches English via Skype! - go to Via Optimae and use the contact form on the right to ask for details.]

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Images:  1-Cote Sud: Oct-Nov 02; 2-Ville Gardini: Sept 09; 3-Cote Sud: Juin-Juillet 07; 4-Marie Claire Maison: Juillet-Aout 05; 5-Cote Sud:  Avril-Mai 06; 6-Cote Sud:  Juin-Juillet 07; 7-Cote Sud:  Avril-Mai 08; Image 8 and recipe-Epicurious  9-12: Cote Sud, Avril-Mai 08

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