Christmas Day we took a Moroccan cooking class through our Riad (hotel). What a great way to spend the day! The facility was absolutely beautiful- outside of the city in a walled garden with a beautiful swimming pool. We had a translator and an authentic Moroccan cook. After the class we both got very excited about cooking Moroccan food after the class. We learned all about spices and types of dishes. It really took the mystery out of this type of cooking and the food is fantastic!
The tall man was our translator and the woman was the cook.
We made a beautiful tangine and some cooked salads.
The building was traditional Moroccan and quite beautiful. After the cooking class we went back to the main square for some action. The colorful guy is the "water seller". In the old days you could buy a cup of fresh, sanitary water from the water seller. He would squeeze the water from a giant leather boda bag into a bronze cup. The only problem is that the water was pure but the cup was everyone's cup! No double dipping!
A large percentage of the women wear head scarfs and then some also wear the more traditional veils. Here are a couple of women selling their wares.
And a young girl selling cookies.
When we walked through the square women kept coming up to me to get me to let them "henna" my hands. It is a type of impermanent tatoo that they do. If you have tatoos on your palms, you are married. If you have flowers on your fingers, you are single. Still, they used a needle and who knows where that might have been. I'm getting old...
We returned to the square at night and here are some scenes to give you a flavor. During the late afternoon, several dozen portable kitchens with seating set up shop. 
You can choose a place and have dinner! Each place has its set of Barkers to drag you in...best food...cheapest price....remember booth #29 for later!
We walked down the middle and it was like walking the gauntlet. It smelled great: Tangines, grilled meat, frites, snails, sausage, chicken, cous cous, seafood, just about everything. This description and pics really don't do justice to the scene!
No comments:
Post a Comment