Marrakesh (or Marrakech), sometimes called the red town because of the red Kasbah wall surrounding the medina, was founded in 1062. Youssef bin Tashufin, cousin to the sultan, began construction of the city. Under his watch, houses were built and a mosque began. Marrakech was the capital of the Almoravid Empire, which covered a vast area from Maghreb to Europe. Now, along with the Berber, the Andalusia influence was born....Read More
Excellent Cooking Class at l’Atelier Madada in Essaouira: Alyson gave me a horrified look when I asked her how long the dada (a term often used to refer to female chefs at Moroccan hotels) had been teaching Moroccan cooking classes. “Don’t call her that! She’s a chef! I’ll explain later,” she whispered, glancing worriedly at Mona to make sure my question hadn’t been overheard. Alyson, who is English, has been...Read More
Morocco has a strong cultural rapport with meat. As I am writing this, the country just celebrated Eid Al Adha, a holiday where most Moroccan families will sacrifice a sheep, goat or cow. Think of it as Thanksgiving with sheep instead of turkeys and where the animals are brought home alive and slaughtered on the day of the holiday. Meat is also viewed as a symbol of wealth and status....Read More
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