A Taste of Morocco
This summer I travelled to what seems to be one of the globe’s hottest places to travel – Morocco. Literally and figuratively. If you can manage it, probably don’t do what I did by going at the end of July – it’s HOT. But seriously, it seems everyone is suddenly intrigued by the idea of visiting Morocco. And rightfully so. Its vibrant culture, food and landscape is truly one to remember. But it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies when it came to meals for us. Travelling through Morocco on a budget, with a group who were not ‘there for the food’ meant running into a few terrible meals. So, here’s my food guide to Morocco – hoping you can do just a little bit better than I did.
1) Have a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice every single morning. And maybe mix in a creamy ‘avocado juice’ (a.k.a. smoothie) every now and then for a refreshing, nutritious breakfast.
2) ‘Khobz’ means bread, and Moroccans love their bread. They eat it with every single meal. This is something you’ll learn after about one day.
3) The rumours are true – they really do drink mint tea everywhere you go for every occasion, even in the hottest weather. I loved the mint, unsweetened but the locals always go for extra sweet. Also, traditional mint >> floral ‘Berber’ tea.
4) Try the olives everywhere you go. In restaurants, in markets, everywhere. Even if you think you don’t like olives, you’re likely to find some that you like. I say this from personal experience as someone who was ‘not an olive person.’ This is because of the sheer variety and the fact that they actually take the time to marinate and season the ones that are served raw, as a snack. The strong, briny, overly salty ones that we’re used to in North America are just the ones they use to cook with. Genius, right?
5) Contrary to popular belief, tagine does not mean a big clay pot filled with rice or couscous. Yes, it is a clay pot but just about anything can be cooked in it. And this does not typically include a large portion of grains. Though, when you do see that it comes with couscous – get it. It’s usually pretty fantastic.
6) Salads here are very different than salads in North America. Basically, there are always two. ‘Moroccan’: a simply dressed mixture of diced tomatoes, onions, peppers and a little S&P, that reminds me of an ‘Israeli Salad’ without the cucumbers. And the ‘Mixed Salad’: which could basically just be called the Kitchen Sink. This random assortment of ingredients arranged in groups on a plate typically consists of beets, boiled potatoes, eggs, carrots, tomatoes and some kind of starchy carb (like rice or pasta salad). I actually didn’t mind this one …on the off chance there was dressing available to bring it all together. But it was certainly polarizing, and the safe bet was usually to stick with the Moroccan.
7) Pastilla. Also known as ‘bastilla’ and ‘pastella’. Whatever you call it – it’s fantastic. This sweet and salty, phyllo-wrapped meat pie is definitely not for everyone. But if you like sweet and savoury as much as I do, you will most definitely love this. My favourite was at Bab Ssour in Chefchaouen.
8) Skip the scooped ice cream when in random rural locations. It’s probably not great. If you’re dying of heat, opt for a trusty packaged ice cream bar instead.
9) Alcohol is very difficult to find unless you are staying in expensive, touristy hotels. When you find a liquor store, grab a few bottles of vino. It will be a few hours until you even hit the next one.
10) Try fresh amlou. This is their argan oil and honey-scented take on almond butter. Beautiful on toast or in smoothies.
11) Fez: check out Nur Restaurant for an upscale dining experience by chef Najat Kaanache. When you’re tired of tagine and craving guacamole (like I obviously was by day three) – head to her casual taqueria around the corner: Nacho Mama. And don’t forget to try the nougat and nut/seed bars from Chez le Marechal in the medina. This man is bound to change your mind about traditionally over-sweet nougats. And apparently he comes from Finland, believe it or not.
12) Marrakech: start your day at Café des Epices for a morning coffee or avocado date ‘juice’ and a perfect view of the market from the rooftop. Wander through the medina, tasting all of the olives and sticky, baklava-like pastries. As a general rule: I liked pretty much any and all of these that were not drenched in rosewater. For lunch, stop at Chez Lamine Mustapha for an authentic, meaty meal of traditional beef tanjia (not to be confused with tagine) and roasted lamb. For dinner, Le Jardin (not to be confused with Le Jardin Secret) is an oasis within the medina where you can find gorgeous plates of crispy and creamy cheese briouat, couscous tagine, roasted pear tarts and everything in between. It’s like the Byblos of Marrakech …but you’ll get out of there for under $25 a person.
13) Lastly (and I left this until the end on purpose), make sure to bring home some of the bold, vibrant spices while you’re here. Ras El Hanout is the most famous: a gorgeous blend of 35 different spices that’s perfect on rice, couscous, meat or vegetables. But don’t buy these until the very, very end of your trip. They will …and I repeat: they WILL, give ‘scent’ to your entire luggage, no matter how many times you wrap it. And that’s why I left it until the very end.
