Posts Tagged ‘Argan Oil’

Meat Free in Morocco, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Saturday, February 28th, 2015
Ruined Garden Fes Vegetarian Cuisine

Ruined Garden Fes Vegetarian Cuisine

For travelers with specific dietary requirements, such as vegetarians and vegans, a key concern when planning a trip to Morocco is whether they will find enough variety in their meals. Part of the fun of travel is discovering the local cuisine and the good news is that even those who don’t eat meat can experience the unique flavors of Moroccan food.

Moroccans live in tune with the seasons and tend to shop fresh and local. You will see souks (markets) piled high with freshly-harvested fruit and vegetables. Much of these have not been treated with pesticides or artificial fertilizers and after a quick rinse or peel, these are ready to eat! In summer, men set up carts laden with Berber figs (prickly pears) which they will deftly peel for you right on the spot. These, along with grilled corn; boiled and salted garbanzo beans and fava beans; ma’aquda potato patties; freshly roasted nuts, or a handful of dried fruit make great vegetarian snacks and all this street food is readily available for a few dirham in a paper poke.

But let’s get on to the main affair… Morocco’s famous tajines and couscous! Can vegetarians safely eat the Moroccan national dishes? The good news is that yes, these are easily adaptable for non-meat eaters. The less good news is that Moroccans typically eat meat every day and rely on it to flavor the dish – they may find your request strange, but in tourist centers restaurants will be accustomed to requests for vegetarian tajine or couscous. Strict vegetarians and vegans may find it harder to ensure that their dish is not simply the normal version with the meat picked out. The safest way to avoid this is to order your meal in advance, for example from your riad. To make meat-free tajine or couscous more interesting (and authentic), request the addition of chickpeas (in Arabic: hoummus) or a garnish of caramelized onion and sultanas (tfaya).

Riad Dar Roumana Tomato gazpacho

Riad Dar Roumana Tomato gazpacho

All those fresh veggies are fabulous in salads. Once you’ve had enough of the standard salade marocaine (diced tomato, cucumber, onion and herbs), track down the full range of cooked Moroccan salads. These take longer to prepare, so are often found in more formal restaurants, but they are worth it! The combination of herbs and spices in a selection of small taster salads – like a Middle Eastern mezze – is a real treat and they are all generally vegan, made with olive and argan oils. Try shakchuka (roasted pepper and tomato), zaaluq (pureed eggplant with tomato) or salads with carrots, pumpkin, beets or beans.

The classic Moroccan soup, harira, is also often made with a vegetable stock (but double check to be sure!) Served to break the fast during Ramadan and a favorite as an early evening snack all year round, it is like a meal in a bowl. Containing tomatoes, garbanzos, lentils, pasta or rice and herbs, it is flavorsome and – served with dates, sweet pastries or fluffy msimen pancakes – sure to satisfy your appetite! Another popular vegetarian soup is baysara. You’ll find this thick soup of pureed fava beans, with its characteristic slick of virgin olive oil and sprinkle of cumin, only in the mornings – it’s a popular breakfast dish for workers, costing only a few dirham.

For those with a sweet tooth… You are in good company in Morocco! Moroccans love cakes, pastries and biscuits. Some may be made with butter, although traditional breakfast/teatime snacks such as sfinj (ring donuts), msimen (flaky pancakes), bghrir (full of holes like English crumpets only larger and thinner), shbakia (fried cinnamon twists) and breads tend to be made with oil or water. Pastries such as the classic ‘gazelles horns’ and other sweet treats may contain butter, so vegans will need to check. For a healthier sweet option, there are a myriad of juice and smoothie combinations and many juice bars can also make up a fruit salad on request. If you like your juice natural, ask for sans sucre (no added sugar).

To finish at the start of the day, breakfast is seldom an issue for vegetarian travelers in Morocco. Typically riad guest houses and hotels serve a selection of breads and pastries with jams, honeys and oils, perhaps some local olives or fruit and orange juice. Eggs are available everywhere and a “BM” or Berber omelet (an omelet on a base of spicy tomatoes and onions) is something every Moroccan can rustle up – even in the remotest desert or mountain locations.

For those almost-vegetarians who eat fish, you are in for a treat on Morocco’s Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines in cities such as Agadir, Essaouira and Oualidia. And if you hanker a little variety and yearn for something more familiar on one night of your vacation, you will find a selection of restaurants in large cities serving everything from Thai food to pizzas; Lebanese falafel to sushi and spaghetti to curry. An entirely vegetarian restaurant, however, would be rare in Morocco!

Then there are Moroccan riads that specialize in cuisine and offer meat free options. Wonderful vegetarian and even wheat free cuisine can be found in Fes at Dar Roumana, a boutique riad run by French chef Vincent Bonnin and his wife Vanessa. Riad Idrissy and The Ruined Garden in Fes offer an interesting take on vegetarian dishes as does the famous boutique hotel La Maison Arabe in Marrakech that can serve up one of Morocco’s most tasteful Berber Vegan tajines. As a Morocco traveler you are guaranteed contemporary inspired and traditional cuisine in Morocco that is meat free.

Besawaraha! (Arabic for “Bon Appetit!” or “Enjoy!”)

Written by Lynn Sheppard 

Lynn Sheppard has lived in Essaouira, on Morocco’s Atlantic Coast for more than 2 years, supporting local non-profits, writing and becoming an expert on all things Swiri (ie. Essaouiran). She blogs at Maroc-phile.com and for other travel industry clients.

For more Meat Free Morocco or A Taste of Morocco Tour

Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.  We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Tarodaunt Tour From Agadir, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Monday, July 23rd, 2012

Tarodaunt Walled City

Taroudant is a Moroccan city located in the Sous Valley in the southern part of the country. It is situated east from Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and south from Marrakech. Tarodaunt can be easily visited as a day tour  from Agadir. Tarodaunt is called the “Grandmother of Marrakech” because it is a scaled down, slowed down town that resembles Marakech with its orange colored surrounding ramparts. Since Agadir is only one hour from  Tarodaunt a Tarodaunt Tour is the perfect way to spend an afternoon when arriving from a cruise ship at the Agadir Port.

Tarodaunt Souk

Tarodaunt has the feel of a small fortified market town on a caravan route and is known for its local crafts like like jewelry and carpet. On a Tarodaunt Tour from Agadir the city can be explored fully as a result of it’s intimate size. Unlike Marrakech, Taroudant contains almost the whole city within its ancient walls. Recently, however, a new area is being developed outside the city walls around the huge campus of a faculty of the Ibn Zohr university of Agadir.  Tarodaunt was occupied by the Almoravides in 1506. On a Tour of Tarodaunt you can explore the sites and sounds of this charming old city.

 Tarodaunt Tour from Agadir – Day Trip Itinerary

► Pick up at your Hotel or the Port in Agadir.

► By the roadside you will see Argan Trees, with their gnarled and twisted trunks. This tree is typical of south-west Morocco and produces nuts that are the source of a rich and tasty oil.

►See goats clambering along the knotted tree trunks and branches to feed on the leaves and fruit, and your vehicle will stop to let you take photos. Continue on to the beautiful walled city of Taroudant, former capital of the Saadian dynasty. Stop for photographs by the ramparts and then visit the Jnane Soussia restaurant for a refreshing cup of mint tea or a glass of soda.

► Visit an Argan Cooperative whereby you can see how Argan nuts, oil and butter are made from the Argan Tree.

► Afterwards explore the medina (the maze of narrow streets near the town center) and visit the excellent souks. The Berber market in Taroudant sells vegetables and spices and also clothes and household goods, while the Arab souk specializes in handicrafts such as terracotta, wrought iron, pottery, brass and copper, leather, carpets and rugs, and jewellery

►Visit the ancient walls of Tarodaunt that extend around the entire city and Place al Alouvine which is a large, central square and the heart of the medina. It plays host to a mini Djemaa El Fna most evenings. Storytellers and musicians are there.

►Have lunch at a charming cafe in the old city or at the Riad Zitoune restaurant with an interior palmary and gardens or Restaurant La Valla. If time allows stop in a Berber Village just outside of Tarodaunt for tea with a Berber family.

► Return to your Hotel or the Port in Agadir.

For more information about a Tarodaunt  Tours

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Morocco’s La Mamounia Spa, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Sunday, April 29th, 2012

La Mamounia Spa Pool

La Mamounia is Marrakech’s most iconic hotel. Every square foot La Mamounia is infused with traditional Moroccan design mixed with a modern French modern glamour. Care of Parisian designer, Jacque Garcia, Marrakech’s La Mamounia and its opulent spa boasts an atmosphere rarely seen out site of the “grande dame” hotels in Paris. La Mamounia Spa is located in a lavish 27,000 square ft underground complex that ranks among the worlds best.

Visitors to La Mamounia’s Spa in Marrakech will be impressed by the spa’s appeal of traditional treatments. La Mamounia’s Spa has interconnecting rooms that open out into sensual spaces where guests can have a luxurious experience. Morocco’s La Mamounia Spa is deliciously decorated from ceiling to floor with a majorelle blue color palette. The walls and floor are delicately lined with Moroccan tiles and oversized Moroccan glass lamps.

La Mamounia Private Hammam

Marrakech’s La Mamounia Spa offers a combination of elegant wellness packages for both guests of the hotel and outside clients. La Mamounia Spa offers a bespoke experience that is second to none.

Guests at La Mamounia Spa can choose from treatments that include being pampered at their Royal Hammam. A Royal Hammam treatment at La Mamounia’s Spa begins with the traditional black soap grommage, made from pressed olives and salt, then an intense scrubbing followed by a soothing mud body mask. After down time in one of La Mamounia’s relaxation rooms, there is another treatment that follows which is a moisturizing Tadelakt massage, using an argan balm that is comprised of amber, honey and rose water dream.

A treatment at La Mamounia’s Spa is not complete without a visit to their  private gardens, which spans 20 acres and boasts 100 year-old olive, palm and fruit trees, roses, bougainvillea, geraniums and other species. The fragrance of fresh orange blossoms will permeate your entire essence, as there is nothing quite like a day at La Mamounia’s Spa.

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration in the USA at 1 (800) 787-8806 or in Morocco 1 (212)618-88-26-81 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Marrakech Spa, Les Bains De Marrakech, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Saturday, February 11th, 2012

Marrakech Spa, Hammam, Le Bains De Marrakech

A leading Marrakech Spa, Les Bains De Marrakech offers Marrakech travelers the optimum wellness experience. For expats living in Marrakech, Morocco or those traveling to the Imperial City on a Marrakech holiday, Le Bains is the place to go. Les Bains de Marrakech is an elegant spa, occupying  half of an old Riad in the southern Kasbah quarter of the Marrakech Medina. Les Bains de Marrakech is located in the Kasbah district, just five minutes from the Koutoubia mosque and Jemaa el Fna. Les Bains De Marrakech offers a full range of treatments, from water draining massage to shiatsu, plus gommage (loofah scrub) and body exfoliating cleaning in a traditional hammam. Combining the most ancient beauty rituals with modern techniques.

Les Bains de Marrakech offers Spa goers the opportunity to discover a world of fitness and well-being provided by competent professionals. Formulas using Argan Oil, Rose water and other secret ingredients combine different treatment sessions and massages, exfoliation, steam or ritual oriental that recharge energy.  For a full treatment at Les Bains De Marrakech, plan on spending approximately $70 for a 45-minute gommage plus an hourlong massage. In the world of upscale Spas, Les Bains De Marrakech offers a great deal for the price.

Marrakech Spa, Le Bains De Marrakech Relaxation Room

Unlike some other local hammams in Marrakech, Les Bains de Marrakesh is very Westernized and the staff guides the uninitiated through the process (steam, cold-water rinse, perhaps more steam, another rinse before the gommage; then a massage; and lots of time to cool down with a glass of mint tea). Reservations at Les Bains De Marrakech are a must and should be made as far in advance as possible with this popular Spa retreat center.

For more information about Les Bains De Marrakech or a Marrakech Tour 

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration in the USA at 1 (800) 787-8806 or in Morocco 1 (212)618-88-26-81 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

 

Argan Oil & Goats in Trees, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Thursday, June 16th, 2011

Argan goats climbing trees

The first time I visited Morocco, I saw postcards that featured goats perched in Argan trees. Sure, I thought, this is a gag. Surely they must have either tied stuffed goats to branches or retouched photos. So the first time I visited Argan Country, near Essaouira and Agadir, boy, was I surprised. There were real goats in the trees! Munching away! I soon found out that was going on. The goats were exclusively found in argan trees.

Woman making Argan oil at Argan cooperative Tizzin' Tichka Pass

Argan is a relative of the olive, and the goats were eating the argan fruit. Argan is grown exclusively in the southwest region of Morocco. It is difficult to cultivate and as a result, wild trees are treasured. Argan oil is prized in Morocco and recently has been discovered by the West. It has been used for centuries for cooking and cosmetics. The oil is extracted from the kernel of the pits.

There are many women’s cooperatives in the region that help poor women with employment and educate their children as well. It is fascinating to see how experienced “crackers” take the small pit (imagine an olive pit), set it against a large stone and with another small stone, cracks the pit open in one try. I’ve tried it and got a bloody thumb as my reward! Then the kernels are ground into a past with the oil running out. You can see this is a very tedious and time-consuming procedure that accounts for the high price of argan products.

Argan oil for cosmetics and cooking

The gustatory oil is delicious with a nutty, smoky flavor (due to roasting). It is used as a finishing oil for salads or fish or as a bread dip. According to Wikipedia, Argan oil is exceptionally rich in natural tocopherols (vitamin E), rich in phenols and phenolic acid, rich in carotenes, rich in squalene, rich in essential fatty acids, 80% unsaturated fatty acids  and depending on extraction method more resistant to oxidation than olive oil.

I love argan oil and always have a jar or two in my refrigerator where it keeps indefinitely.

The cosmetic industry uses argan oil in hair products all sorts of skin care products and lotions. It is often scented with rose, jasmin, or almond extracts. Unroasted oil is used traditionally as a treatment for skin ailments such as excema.

Now that I have visited the region many times, I am still delighted when we come across goats in trees and always stop to take pictures. You would too!

By Freya Ellinwood, Morocco Travel Writer

For more information about Argan Oil and visiting an Argan Cooperative on a Morocco Tour

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel ExplorationTravel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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