Friday, September 05, 2008

and what about the food of Morocco...I was asked

The food of Morocco has one big problem- it is so good you just can't taste enough of it!

The variety is quite endless even though it is often based on a few simple methods- brochettes or kebebs and tagines or stews feature highly...then there is a legacy left by the French to blend in, in some areas...
The freshness of produce is wonderful- local markets and picked this morning type freshness- no long storage at all....smell-o-rama for the veg market of Fez would be wonderful I could identify by smell alone the tomatoes, the apples, peaches, corriander, parsley and of course mint...oh and capsicums, crisp red onions, garlic....


At one market you could pick it up on the hoof to fatten it up for the special post Ramadan Feast...or something else special.
Meals everywhere are generous but if eating with a local family the words you come to dread are "kul, kul" or "eat, eat" as they encourage you to have a little bit more!
truely I would love to but have serious worries about bursting!
A nifty little invertion the targine, sits on its own lilltle charcol burner creating a small oven the keeps all the moisture in whilst nicely browning the contents on the outside.


Breakfasts for travellers are typically french style, although you may also be offered Moroccan pancakes- sort of flat, crispy, pancakes fried in butter...or ones that look like large crumpets...or other ones with things folded into them....or even a slice of cake...variety strats to get endless.

This was just the pre-starters snack put on the table to stop you from fainting waiting for the starters!
gently spiced lentils- divine, carrots in cumin, crisp cucumber and fresh bread.

then the starter Harira- this is an everyday soup here, very sustaining- you could have it at eny time of day from breakfast through to an entre before dinner- full of flavour, chickpeas and small pasta bits it is king of a minestone type idea. Here it is served with a spakia- Mohamad says they are a specialty of the time of Ramadan...buttery pastries, sprinkled with sesame seeds, dredged in syrup- crisp and good.


my favourite cafe The Clock http://cafeclock.com/home.htmlin Fez had this on offer- fresh, fresh, fresh black figs with Blue cheese....hmm!

Fish with a cumin crust









this was from a restaurant in Fez, known for its Morccan Jewish flavours...shrimp pil-pil...wonderful. flavours unfortuneatly the place is a bit of a smoky bar out the back so I don't think I will go back there...food was good though....
i'll do areport on dates later and one on olives....this should keep the mouths watering of friends asking about a foodie report!









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