Hi all! In February I had the absolute pleasure of visiting the country of Morocco with my mother. And I have to say, I was blown away. It is a beautiful country, and really has something to offer for everyone. It has a ton of old world culture (especially in the medinas of Fez and Marrakesh), the beach and partying (Casablanca), and the desert (we even took camel rides and went glamping!). This being a blog based on food, I am of course highlighting some of the absolute amazing cuisine. We had some wonderful local wine but I unfortunately didn't take any pictures of the bottles. We are already planning our next trip back to take the rest of our family to Morocco, and definitely want to make a stop in their wine country (Meknes).
Ever since we have been back home, my mom and I have been trying to recreate some of the flavorful and fresh ingredients we ate there. We were fortunate enough to take a cooking class with chef Najat Kanache at her restaurant Nur, that I had heard about in the New York Times article - 36 hours in Fez. She has trained at some of the best restaurants in the world (including French Laundry and Alinea) and wanted to go back to her home country of Morocco and elevate their cuisine. She is truly so bubbly that it was impossible not to become fast friends!
If you are thinking of traveling to Morocco, DO IT! Feel free to contact me for more information as well. I also want to refer you to my mother's cooking blog, Thyme to. Here she highlights some of the non-food aspects of the trip we enjoyed. Until next time!
A selection of moroccan "salads" - a massive order for one!
Another version of Moroccan "salads", lots of zuchinni, pumpkin, carrots
and a variety of other veggies
An example of their unique tagines
Tagines arrived to our table - what a presentation
Delicious pastries being sold in their local markets
And more pastries...
A ridiculous selection of local olives
This is how their spices and herbs are sold, sort of like an apothecary
On the street they sold caramelized nuts and sesame seeds in bars. So yummy!
A selection of Moroccan rugs
Some of their beautiful handmade ceramic work
Starting from left, clockwise, me, my mom, Chef Najat, one of her helpers
Prepping food in the kitchen
Dinner is served! The fruits of our labor were flavorful and divine
