Marrakech Part Two {stylist take on food and beverage}

you know i love to cook and eat of course! food food food!!!  what exactly does moroccan food consist of?

yes we all know about tagine and couscous. but there were some very interesting surprises too.

mint tea? never really liked it until i tried it in marrakech, sweet, fragrant pungent in all the right ways. desserts , were mainly heavenly nuggets of sweetness made of honey and cinnamon the crunchy cookies, laced with dried fruit or date jam were one of our favorite little pleasures after every meal. the french influence did not hurt the food in marrakech one bit.

and of course the spices are the rock stars of moroccan food. everything smells of spice and spirited aromas, like curry and cinnamon, anise and burnt amber.

the most surprising find was the moroccan oil the one i use on my hair and skin can also be eaten, the culinary version is roasted and then ground into the yummiest, toasted peanut/sesame tasting oil, it's called argan oil. of course i brought some back to use here in italy on salads and in hummus.

olive oil and agran oil with spices salt and pepper

one of the other great surprises was the moroccan salad. not what you are thinking...moroccan salad is an array and fabulous selection of many salads. some with veggies, and lentils, some as exotic as marinated goat brain ( which i found delicious) caramelized tomatoes were a sickeningly sweet chutney of tomato and honey. the minted carrot +  cucumber salad were to die for. needless to say this was my go to treat, with whole wheat flat bread, the perfect meal. the moroccan diet is rich in veggies, high in fat and sugar as well. eating healthy is an effort, but one worth making.

moroccan salad

we ate well, the food fragrant as the locale and the people. rich full of flavor and ancient history. food of the mountains, rugged terrain, and the desert. A+ from me, next time i bite the bullet and try the food on the street...no regrets!