Salon de Tomo

ベジタリアンさん、ごめんなさい。

First, apologies to all the vegans & vegetarians. Today’s post is deeply about meat. まずはじめに、ベジタリアンの方、ごめんなさい。今日の投稿はお肉三昧です。🍖

Selma-chan previously told us about a great Moroccan barbecue spot. Today, thanks to her arrangement, we decided to try it out! Selma, Badr, Alex, my husband and I took a 30-minute drive. Alex came all the way from Casablanca to join this “meat-eating-adventure”!!! See, he is that cool, and, to make him even cooler, he is a Natto-loving guy (I am so going to share my Natto with him)!

以前、セルマちゃんが教えてくれた「モロッコの美味しいバーベキューの場所」、ここにお友達と行くことになりました！セルマちゃん、バダールくん、アレックスくん、そして私たち夫婦の五人で３０分のドライブ。アレックスくんは、なんとカサブランカからわざわざ参加、そして＜納豆好きなチャイニーズ＞！今度自家製納豆をシェアしますヨォ〜✌️

We arrived in an area called El Aarjate, a huge “truck-stop” 🚛 kind of place that popped up along the highway. The “touting” began even in the parking lot. I love this kind of “truck-stop” atmosphere. In Japan, it is called the “Service Area” and I have fond memories of our family vacations as a child in those places. We would spend summers in Karuizawa or Hakuba Village in Nagano Prefecture, and we often stopped at service areas along the way to eat ice cream🍦… Good times. 

到着した場所は、El Aarjateというエリア。高速沿いにひょこっと出てきた大きなサービスエリアのような場所。駐車場からすでに『呼び込み』がはじまります。実は私、日本のサービスエリアが大好きです。なので、もうこの雰囲気だけでゾクゾク！子供の頃、夏は長野の軽井沢や白馬村という場所で過ごしたのですが、途中に止まるサービスエリアでアイスクリームを食べたり🍨、、、良い思い出。

So, our mission for today was, simply, to EAT MEAT! With Moroccan barbecue style, Chwa, of course. It’s not fancy, there is no tablecloth with a waiter with bow tie. But, it is the best kind of barbecue experience you can get! Just so that you know, mint tea is a must, even in a place like this. Humdulillah. 

さて、私たち五人のミッションは＜お肉を食べる！＞です。それも、モロッコ式のバーベキュー, Chwaです。もちろん、こう言う場所でもミントティーはマストです。

I took a peek at the grill and sampled a little piece of meat, generously coated in cumin powder. So delicious! Okay, I could tell, we were in the right place! When I asked the gents if I could take a photo 📸, they said, “Sure, go ahead, and you should grill also!” Alright then, if you say so👩🏻‍🍳.

ちょっとグリルをのぞいてみると、クミンをたっぷりつけたお肉をサンプルさせてくれました。おいしいい～。これは期待できます！そして、お兄さん達に「写真とっていい？」と聞いたら、どうぞどうぞ、と中にいれてもらっちゃったり。しまいには「はい、焼いてみて」となり、、、🧑🏻‍🍳。

We were a group of Moroccans🇲🇦, Chinese🇨🇳, Japanese🇯🇵, and Americans🇺🇸 with a hint of Swedish🇸🇪. We were like members of Petite United Nations 🌎 and were having a great time chatting, and then… THE MEAT arrived! A TON OF MEAT! 🙌

モロッコ、中国、アメリカ、日本、ちょっとだけスウェーデン、と、まるで＜ミニ国連🕊＞のような私たち。話にはずんでいると、キターーー！お肉がたんまりと👏!

The grilled beef skewers and the lamb meat in foil were definitely “melt-in-your-mouth”, and Selma-chan’s favorite, the grilled liver skewers with the fat pieces rolled around them, were incredibly juicy. We had grilled tomatoes & onions as a side dish. Oh, by the way, the bread was served as a plate, as a fork, as a knife, and maybe as a napkin. How can we live without bread???🥳

串焼きのビーフ、ホイルに入った羊のお肉はトロトロ、そして、セルマちゃん一押しのレバーの串焼きは、周りに脂肪分を撒いてあるので、それはそれはジューシーでした。副菜のトマト＆玉ねぎのグリル、そうそう、パンは、お皿にもフォークにもナイフにもナプキンにもなります。なんて便利＆おいしい存在かしら🎉。

Our stomachs and our hearts were so filled! Thank you for driving, Badr-kun!

お腹も心もいっぱいの時間。運転してくれたバダールくん、ありがとう！

Now, today, August 9th, marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. Three days before, on the 6th, Hiroshima was bombed as well. Sure, 80 years is a long time, but it still gives me a lot of pain to think of all those who suffered from the bombings and were exposed to radiation. Of course, it should never happen again. Never. 

さて、今日、８月９日は長崎に原爆が落とされた日、そして今年は８０周年にあたります。３日前の６日はそう、広島が被曝されました。遠い昔のことであるけれど、やはり、被曝された皆さんのことを思うと心がいたい。と同時に、２度と同じようなことが起こってはいけない、と強く感じます。

Five of us were born in different countries, from different upbringings in different cultures. Yet, we were able to enjoy delicious barbecue together in a little village in Morocco. After 80 years of those devastating historical events, I cannot stop but think that a society where we can co-exist regardless of where you are from, should not be taken for granted. Especially with good food and good laughters. No more atomic bombs, no more war. These are the thoughts I had while sucking on my oily, greasy fingers. Gochisousama-deshita!🙏

80年の時代を超えて、それぞれ違う国で生まれた私たちがこうやって楽しくモロッコでバーベキューを食べながら笑顔で過ごせる社会、世界平和は本当に大切。戦争のない世の中にならなければいけない。と、油でギタギタになった指をしゃぶりつつ思う私でした。＜ごちそうさまでした 😘＞

Tomo

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