Chicken with Peaches

Just like that, we are heading into September! Though it doesn’t apply to sunny Tenerife, which is summer all year round, I think all my overseas friends are starting to prepare their warming hearty menus – which means lots of apples, pies, soups, stews etc. Thinking about them just made me crave for some comfort food.

To create the mood of comfort on our sunny island, I decided to whip up a quick and easy chicken dish, but being the grab-whatever-I-have-in-my-pantry I had to be a little creative. At first, I was a little sceptical that the sauce would thickened, but after simmering gently on the stove, it turned into a lovely sweet sauce, perfect to be drizzled over the meat.

And here’s how I did it!

INGREDIENTS

250 grams chicken
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced
1 plump garlic clove
1 small tin of peaches (juice reserved)
1 tablespoon marmalade
1 scant spoon cornflour
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

METHOD

Season the meat both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Add oil into a pan and sear the meat on both sides until well browned.

In another pan, add in the sliced onion, and garlic. Cook until translucent and the onion has softened. Then slice the peaches, (I only used 1) and add to the onion along with the meat.

Meanwhile mix the juice from the tinned peaches, a spoonful of cornflour and a good heaped tablespoon of marmalade.

Before serving, add the juice mix to the meat and turn up the heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the meat is warmed through and the sauce reduced and thickened.

Season to taste, if needed, and serve immediately with rice or vegetables

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FIMUCITÉ 12

The International Festival of Film Music of Tenerife (FIMUCITÉ) will take place between September 21 and 29 this year.

The French pianist, composer, orchestrator, and music producer Jean-Michel Bernard will open the FIMUCITÉ programme on Friday, September 21 at the Leal Theatre in La Laguna with a piano recital accompanied by the Japanese soloist Kimiko Ono. The concert entitled ‘Play it again, Jean-Michel’ will be a journey through great classics of historical soundtracks (‘The Pink Panther’, ‘Forrest Gump’, ‘Schindler’s List’ and ‘Taxi Driver’, among others) and some pieces composed by Bernard himself from films like ‘The science of the dream’ or ‘Human Nature’. Tickets for the opening concert are on sale at the Teatro Leal box office.On Saturday, September 22, the Pop Culture Band returns to the Guimerá Theatre with the concert ‘Addicted to Love’, dedicated to the best songs of romantic cinema, such as themes from Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Ghost, Pretty Woman, Flashdance, Mannequin and The Diary of Bridget Jones.

Sunday, September 23rd, under the title ‘Cine de Barrio En Concierto’ again at the Guimerá Theatre is a concert dedicated to the leading titles of popular Spanish productions.

Thursday September 27 will be the turn of the ‘Colossi of the Big Screen’ performed by the FIMUCITÉ Youth Orchestra, formed by young musicians from the Conservatorio Profesional de Tenerife and the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias, directed by maestro José Antonio Cubas. This year’s program will tour the music of films about some mythical beasts from King Kong to Godzilla, through the dinosaurs of ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Valley of Gwangi’; works of great composers like John Barry and John Williams. This concert will also include soundtracks of productions that have been shot in the Canary Islands, such as ‘Clash of the Titans’, ‘Moby Dick’ and ‘When dinosaurs ruled the Earth’. Tickets on sale at the box office of Teatro Guimerá and ONLINE

As is tradition, the Tenerife Auditorium will host the two final concerts in a week in which the island will become the international focus of music for cinema. These will be Friday September 28 the European premiere of the film ‘Close Encounters in the Third Kind’ by Steven Spielberg. The artistic director and conductor Diego Navarro, will lead the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra and the Tenerife Film Choir in the full interpretation of John Williams’ legendary score while the film is screened.

On Saturday, September 29, the Tenerife Auditorium will offer the Closing Gala of FIMUCITÉ 12, which will feature Ben Foster as guest conductor at the concert ‘The Truth is Out There’, a complete tour through the most representative scores of the science fiction sub-genre dedicated to UFO sightings and extraterrestrial invasions of our planet. A repertoire of soundtracks from films like ‘Mars Attacks’, ‘Abyss’ and ‘Thunderbirds are Go’.

Tickets for the symphonic concerts can be purchased through the Internet at HERE and at the box office of the auditorium itself.

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Return to Asador la Camella

This week the gang of four made a return visit to the Asador La Camella. Although we enjoyed the food the first time around, we didn’t like the amount of noise that echoed around the restaurant. This time, because the weather was warm and the evenings light, we asked for a table under the awning.

It was a totally different experience, we received a warm welcome and as soon as we placed our drinks orders (2 asking for spirits and 2 just water) we were asked would you like separate bills. While not altogether necessary, it was nice to find such good attention to service detail.

We all ordered the ribeye although I asked for mine to be cooked with garlic and white wine. To accompany, like many Spanish restaurants, you order vegetables separately, unless of course you are in the resorts where the norm is to have them included. We asked for avocado salad and chips. Without asking we were offered bread and mojo. The bread nice and warm the sauces spicy.

Our meats were cooked to perfection despite each of us asking for something different that ranged from rare to well done. The portions were good, in fact one salad would have done the 4 of us as would one bowl of chips.

Our waiter was Italian, and he could not have been more accommodating. He chatted about our dogs and his dogs and about the differences he found working in a village to working in the resort of Las Americas.

Before we knew it, it was time for us to leave for our quiz but we had thoroughly enjoyed our meal, some of the best meat we have eaten for a long while. As far as price is concerned, not the cheapest, but for the quality worth every cent.

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The Pink Room / Sala Rosa, there to help

On Wednesday afternoon I visited the Pink Room – it was a first for me. Naturally being nosey I had a vague idea of what it was all about and had heard it’s use had been given free to the Carrera por la Vida Foundation – Walk for Life, by Adeje Council, but I didn’t know the ins and outs.

As it turned out it is a space where people affected by cancer can meet, talk, relax, and be themselves. A place where illness does not get in the way of everyday life. I immediately felt welcome and accepted by those who were visiting that day.

The room is open every Wednesday from 4.00 / 8.00pm and used for meetings where specialists in various fields give talks in both Spanish and English, which are always well attended. It is used for workshops where those attending make the bracelets, and check the pink bags for upcoming events and bounce around new ideas for future events. It is also there for people to share concerns, experiences and receive support from others who have or have had cancer.

Until you are personally affected by cancer you don’t realise how hard it is to find the support and strength to fight the disease. Of course it is not only the patient but their families who receive support and are able to share experiences, as all the people who help run the centre have been affected by the disease.

The reason for my visit was to donate a book called Boob are not Everything written by Facebook friends Alan and Shirley Rigby and which they gave to me on one of their visits to Tenerife.

Shirley and Alan at a family wedding.

This phenomenal couple have fought breast cancer not once but twice so really have a deep understanding of what those who are new to the disease are about to face. In fact 1 in 8 women could suffer breast cancer and need a mastectomy. The worrying thing is the number of young women that are affected each year is growing. Once through the operation it can be a huge shock to learn that the best and quickest way to recover is to wear a special bra but these cost between €90 – €120 each and of course women can’t possibly get away with just one.

Following my blog on the Bra Project that is being run by the Carrera por la Vida Foundation, Alan and Shirley decided they would send me 24 such bras as well as 3 swim suits the value of which is over €600 in the UK but here would cost in the region of a staggering €3000. I hope to take delivery of them shortly after 20th of this month and then they will join those that are already in stock at the Pink Room. Alan and Shirley will never know just thrilled the organisers are to receive this wonderful donation and I don’t have the words to express their excitement and gratitude.

So to all the ladies who need a mastectomy bra and feel they cannot afford one, they should take the note they receive from their surgeon to the Pink Room. This will recommend the size that will suit them best. There is a private area next to the room to preserve your blushes and where ladies can make sure the bra fits perfectly.

The Bra Project covers all the Canary islands not just Tenerife, so whether you are in La Gomera, Fuerteventura or any of the other islands, do call and you will get the help you need.  The project is being rolled out to each of the Ayuntamientos initially on Tenerife but there is also interest from other islands. Word needs to spread that when women feel at their lowest help is available – not from some stuffy authoritarian figure but from people who have experienced what you are going through and are genuinely happy to help.

The Sala Rosa is located in the School of Safety and Coexistence, Calle Beneharo s / n, Las Nieves, Adeje, Tenerife. You can contact them every Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m by phoning +34 646 961 895 or just call in as I did and you will be made extremely welcome.

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Dia de Los Tradiciones – Arona

The Ayuntamiento de Arona once again has organised a Day of Traditions which will be held on Saturday, October 6 in the historic centre of Arona as part of the Festivals in Honour of Santísimo Cristo de la Salud and Ntra. Señora Virgen del Rosario.

Learn about the legacy, reliving the history of the municipality and recreating scenes from everyday life are an important part of the program of activities of the event, and where better than in the incomparable and spectacular setting of the old town of Arona.

Despite anticipating a large influx of visitors, based on previous years, this is an easily accessible event as there will be free transport from different parts of the municipality to the historic centre of town.

The Day of Traditions offers endless activities designed for everyone that include

• Dramatized routes that tell the story of the locals and traditional scenes of Aronera customs.
• Craft Market offering items made with all kinds of textile materials, clay, ceramic, glass, wood, iron, at one time used daily and now merely decorative items.
• Traditional delicacies of Canarian cuisine. Recipes that have been handed down for centuries, from generation to generation.

• Costume Workshops
• Traditional dance and party – The Canarian musical tradition has been influenced to a large degree from those who came to the island many years ago from Latin America.

• Children’s area
• Exhibitions
• Talks and Conferences
• Canarian games and sports as in other cultures, based on traditions and waiting to be discovered.

• Concerts – A varied musical and Folklore offering to delight the attendees

For anyone wishing a unique experience in south Tenerife visit the village, especially beautiful in the evening when 10,000 white candles are lit as darkness falls.

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