By now I assume you have reached camel drawing proficiency. If you have not sent me a picture of one of your camels, please do. Phil.paoletta at gmail dot com or post it on the facebook page. For each camel drawn, $1 is being donated to Partners in Health. There has been a lot of interest in drawing other types of camelids. Stay tuned for “How to Draw Vicunas” early next year. Now, on with the show.
I will no longer buy Near East cous cous and their treacherous spice packs. Tropicana orange juice should be illegal. Almonds should be cheap. Morocco, you have spoiled me.
Think of something that grows in the ground, and you can probably find it here. There are also things you can’t think of, like argan, which produces a nutty oil that is as good for eating as it is for massage. In addition to the bounty of fruits and vegetables, there is also every spice imaginable, and recipes that have been around forever. All of this is to say that I’ve been eating like a king in Morocco.
Tajine
Tajine is a dish named after the pot it’s cooked in. Meat or fish is paired with different combinations of vegetables, fruits, and spices, and then slow-cooked to the point that you don’t need a knife to cut it. Typical combinations include chicken with olives and lemon, and lamb with raisins and almonds. This is Moroccan comfort food and it is absolutely delicious.
Cous Cous
Cous cous in Morocco is flavored with a broth-like sauce and piled high with vegetables.
Spices
Cinnamon, saffron, ginger, turmeric, cumin, paprika, pepper, cardamom, coriander, and turbo viagra. Just to name a few.
Fresh Squeezed Citrus
Roadside juice vendors charge anywhere from sixty cents to a dollar (in touristy areas) for a glass. Orange, lemon, or grapefruit, or any combination of the three. My favorite at the moment is orange and grapefruit and I don’t see myself getting sick of it any time soon.
Mint Tea
A sprig of fresh mint and half a pound of sugar. The reason why I am becoming diabetic.
A Typical Meal
A couple of tajines, a Moroccan salad of peppers and tomatoes, bread made from barley, and some fresh squeezed oj.
Up Next: Into the desert with an old friend, a camel, and a number of unique individuals.
In the meantime, send me your camel!!
Good lord Phil I need that tagine NOW!
Haha, come to morocco. It is waiting for you.
All the food looks mouthwatering, but the last photo in particular almost has me booking a plane ticket to Morocco for tomorrow. Nom nom nom! 🙂
I don’t blame you Jessica the hedgehog. If you need to be sold further, that lunch cost about 12 dollars for everything.
No more spice sacks?? That’s disappointing.
Those things are awful.
Really nice food photography, dude. Ya know….the more I think about your experiences the more I am convinced that your return to Amerika must be accompanied by at least a 3-month supply of benzodiazepines to ease the culture shock.
Thanks Kerry. Hahaha, I might agree with you on that one..
There is NOTHING better than Moroccan mint tea, there just isn’t.
word. I’m totally with ya
I first learned how to cook by trading a spice merchant English lessons at a market in France, and the first thing he taught me was how to make tagine. I lugged home one of those ceramic tents to cook it in and my life’s never been the same since. Great to see the pictures and read about what you’ve tasted! Your taste buds are going to hate you when you get home, though….
What a great way to learn to cook! NYC will provide me with enough options for the time being, but it will be difficult to find tajine like this!
One of our friends grew up in Morocco and he makes one mean couscous dish. Gotta ask him to make us tajine sometime. We’re going to visit Moroccon during our upcoming RTW trip and can’t wait to gorge ourselves silly. Love the food!
Jill,
I am very jealous!!! I could eat tajine all day and it’s dirt cheap!!! Can’t wait to read about your trip!! B well, Phil