We stood in a circle raising chilled glasses of fresh, sweet strawberry juice in the air. They said ‘Welcome to Morocco. May you always return.’

From the saffron colored vistas of the Atlas Mountains, the ancient Roman fingerprints that grace the ruins of Voloubilis, the antique gem that is Fez, the magic of Marrakech, to the past-future amalgam that is Casablanca, Morocco spread out before us like an endless feast. The goal of our sojourn was to become acquainted with the country’s culinary splendours and famous markets. The experience far eclipsed my expectations.

Outside the cool mosaic walls of our *Riad, Fez awaited. Still considered the country’s leading religious and cultural centre, walking Fez’s *medina, feels like being transported back in time. Your eyes dart from one stimulating sight to another: men walking by in their *djelbas,
women in beautifully colored head scarves doing their morning shop, donkey carts heaped full with bags of grain, stalls with rainbows of incense, perfumed oils and potions piled into pointed mountain peaks sending intoxicating aromas through the air, stunning pottery and leather goods: the variety of *souks seemed to go one forever.

Most casual conversations with Moroccans result in them offering you what they refer to as ‘Moroccan Whisky,’ a non-alcoholic, carefully prepared brew of their signature, mint tea. Generously sweetened, this mint tea electrifies with fresh mint flavour. Moroccan’s being exceptionally friendly and hospitable, you find yourself drinking up to five or six glasses a day. The only downside of the tradition is that the teas high caffeine content can be a real robber of sleep at day’s end.

On our way from Fez to Marrakech, we were invited to Kenitra for some ‘Moroccan Whisky’ and a chat about Moroccan ingredients with Majid Slimani of Alili, a new boutique company of artisan Moroccan ingredients. Majid expounded on Morocco’s prime objective, ‘Morocco prides itself on being a land that welcomes and respects all. We are eager to share all we have with the world, such as our ideal microclimate, our artistry, our tradition of family and graciousness, and finally our cuisine. Majid also offered that ‘Alili’ was created as a way of celebrating and honoring the best of Morocco and its future.

Exotic places inspire new experiences. A highlight of our trip was visiting the honey farm from which Alili handpicked its unique Lavender Honey and Carob Seed Honey. Led, by Sebastien Ballet, the honey’s producer (and one of the foremost producers of apples and pears in Morocco with the family based company, Chaoni Consorts Daitaoua,) my partner on the trip, photographer Sean Jeremy Palmer and I were given the opportunity to put on bee suits and join the bee keeper in opening the rows of bee hives kept in large white boxes. Standing in the middle of the apple orchards in North Africa with bees covering my body, the buzzing so loud I could barely hear myself think, will always be one of my most exciting and unforgettable memories.

That evening we indulged on classic Moroccan fare with a hint of modern flair. Joined by Sebastien, we ate in the Moroccan tradition, with all the dishes shared in the middle. The meal started with three salads: Bulgur Wheat, accented with slivers of almond, pomegranate and its juices mingling with walnut oil and fresh mint, a Butter leaf Salad with Quails Eggs enhanced by a homemade traditional French Vinaigrette, and a chilled Puree of Roasted Eggplant Salad with pine nuts, garlic, Alili’s outstanding EVOO and lemon. The main course was a feast of Entrecote Beef with Quail and Prunes accented by a prune balsamic reduction, a stunning dish of Foie Gras atop penne swirling in a sauce of Alili Lavender Honey, EVOO, garlic, and flat leaf parsley, a Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Garlic, and finally Cous Cous of Lamb with Grapes and Almonds.

Arriving in Marrakech in the stark blackness of 2:30 am and following a team of native men lugging our suitcases through the hazily lit, thin passageways of Morocco’s largest and most famous medina had me feeling alive and daring. Then to finally turn a dark corner revealing a miniature door that would open and welcome us to a grandly lit Riad, with a full moon as its centre piece, was some kind of magic.

The medina by 8:00 am is a bustling kaleidoscope of activity. Suddenly the windy passages open on to Marrakech’s famous square Djemaa el Fna. Empty during the day except for fresh orange juice and confectionary vendors, Djemaa el Fna comes to life at night with hundreds of vendors selling their speciality in Moroccan Cuisine including slow roasted meats, tanginess, cous cous, savoury and sweet pastries, cold salads, luscious cakes and exotic desserts, ice cream, juices and chilled fresh fruit vendors. Mystically lit, the square is a raucous nightly party enriched by live music, snake charmers, belly dancers and henna tattoo artists.

My irreplaceable private guide Rachid educated me on shopping the markets in Morocco. A good twenty minute walk through the twisting medina found us in a private market oasis. The scene was captivating: colourful fresh produce displayed on blankets on the ground, fish and meat vendors filleting their fresh inventory on old wooden tables, gorgeous preserved lemons piled high, olives of every kind, an assortment of oils and vinegars modestly bottled and stacked in pyramids, seas of herbs and dried fruits stands, large baskets of bread, piping hot, just pulled from the outdoor clay oven, beans, nuts, spices, rice and grains of every variety. A dizzying electricity of action permeated the space; an orchestra of voices haggling and socializing.

For lunch, Rachid brought us to a small but festive local of his. The food was beyond expletives. My personal favourite, Poulet Tagine with preserved lemon and green olives, with plenty of fresh soft bread rolls for soaking up the flavour rich sauce. The mighty Bastilla followed, a truly glorious dish resembling a gigantic circular phylo pie, possessed of a wondrous combination of minced beef, sautéed onion, ginger, raisins and almonds, uniquely topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Dessert in Morocco usually includes a magnificent platter of chilled, locally grown fruit boasting gorgeous fresh figs, ruby ripe cherries, mangos, grapes, honey dew, cantaloupe, succulent strawberries and the most extraordinary, wonderfully sweet and crunchy watermelon you could ever imagine.

More than anything Moroccans wish you to return and to share what is essentially Moroccan with your friends and families at home. I have never encountered a more welcoming, down to earth place where the culture centres on people’s connectedness to one another. Everything extraordinary in Morocco stems from its dedication to family, artistry and integrity. From the first sip of fresh strawberry juice to the last olive in the tagine, and the vast mosaic in between, to visit Morocco is to taste Morocco body and soul. >BACK TO NEWS