Posts Tagged ‘Café Clock’

Top 5 Things to do in Marrakech, Off the Beat Morocco

Tuesday, November 10th, 2015
Majorelle Gardens, Top 5 Things Marrakech

Majorelle Gardens, Top 5 Things Marrakech

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marrakech, referred to as the “red hamra” city is a major city in Morocco known for it’s magnificent ochre color and is an attraction in itself. Marrakech boasts a vibrant street life and a rich array of drought tolerant flora and fauna, magnificent scents, exotic street food and bustling souks. Marrakech is a lively city where the traditional collides with the contemporary. A travelers experience to Marrakech can be highlighted by visiting UNESCO Heritage sites, sprawling gardens, mysterious palaces with majestic mosaic zellij tile work along with glorious houses of worship. The Top 5 Things to do in Marrakech are those that combine new trends with tradition along with off the beaten path experiences. For those who want a touch of local culture and authentic of city life our take on the Top 5 Things to do in Marrakech are stand out choices.

The Top 5 Things to do in Marrakech, Off the Beat Morocco – Recommended by Morocco Travel Designer Alecia Cohen:

#1: The Majorelle Gardens & Berber Museum – The Majorelle Gardens, previously the Jardin Bou Saf, bears its name from its original creator, Jacques Majorelle, the French expatriate artist who was born in Nancy, France, in 1886. Jacques Majorelle was the son of the celebrated Art Nouveau furniture designer Louis Majorelle. In 1947, the son opened his gardens to the public and, during this time, also painted a magnificent ceiling at La Mamounia, a five-star hotel with exquisite gardens and the place where Alfred Hitchcock wrote The Birds. Jacques Majorelle studied at the École des Beaux Arts in Nancy in 1901 and in 1919 went to Marrakech to recover from heart problems. He built the garden during those years, using a special blue color that he used extensively in the garden and that is named after him, Majorelle blue. Majorelle returned to France in 1962 after a car incident and died later that year of complications from his injuries. As a collector of unique plants from five continents, Majorelle left to Yves Saint Laurent one of the more unique collections of flora and fauna of this era as well as a place of inspiration and contemplation. Even though Morocco is no longer under the French protectorate, this original French creation is one of the most beloved areas in Morocco. The Majorelle Gardens also houses a 200 meter squared Berber Museum with its spectacular collection of Berber Silver and an exclusive collection of over 600 objects from diverse regions of Morocco. Visit the Majorelle Gardens  during the early morning to take advantage of the Marrakech sunlight.

Amal Women's Training Center, Top 5 Things to do in Marrakech

Amal Women’s Training Center, Top 5 Things to do in Marrakech

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#2: Amal Women’s Training Center – Perfect for Couscous on Fridays, a Cooking Class and mingling with women – The Amal Womens Center & Moroccan restaurant is a non-profit organization that empowers disadvantaged women by training them in traditional and modern cuisine. Founded by Nora Fitzgerald, an American born and raised in Morocco, this fabulous small house is located in the new city of Gueliz. The Amal Center offers cooking classes and is the prefect place for couscous lunch on Fridays.

#3: Café Clock – A Camel Burger and Hikayat Storytelling Experience – Mike Richardson, owner of Café Clock in Fes launched a Mararkech offshoot that is the ideal place to go for lunch. Cafe Clock is trend setting with its fine get up of retro and vintage style Berber decor where young Moroccans, foreigners and expats can commence together to meet and enjoy Moroccan cafe fare while participating in variety of activities such as the Art of Hikayat Storytelling.  Café Clock is off the beaten path in the Kasbah region of the Marrakech medina and embodies the diversity of which Morocco is celebrated. The oral storytelling of Hikayat can be heard at Café Clock twice weekly. Hikayat is over 1000 years old and the oral culture of storytelling encompasses everything from love to recipes, legal agreements and daily life. Visit Cafe Clock at sunset for a camel burger and Hikayat Storytelling. The perfect evening for those wanting an insider experience of Marrakech.

La Maison Photographie, Top 5 Things to Do in Marrakech

La Maison Photographie, Top 5 Things to Do in Marrakech

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#4: Maison de la Photographie – A visit to Marrakech is not complete without a visit to La Maison de la Photographie which is close to the Medersa Ben Youssef. It is truly one of the wonders of Marrakech. Housed in a converted three story Foundouk (the old inns and storage houses for camel trains coming to sell their wares in the souks) which Patrick Man’ach and his Moroccan business colleague Hamid Megrani converted in to a photographic gallery in 2009. There are photographs of Morocco from the 1860’s at the very dawn of photography when intrepid adventurers had to carry heavy equipment into what was still a largely closed country up until the 1950’s and Morocco’s independence in 1956. The exhibitions are arranged on three floors, with large size portraits and scenes from the 1860’s and 70’s to the early20th Century and the late 1950’s. The third floor has a video room showing the films of Daniel Chicault who took his cine camera to the Atlas Mountains to film in colour unique dance scenes and the village life of the Berber tribes in 1956 and 1957. Don’t miss this boutique museum or the chance to purchase one of their fabulous vintage prints.

Ben Youssef Medersa, Top 5 Things to Do in Marrakech

Ben Youssef Medersa, Top 5 Things to Do in Marrakech

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#5 Ben Youssef Medersa – Visit the Ben Youssef Medersa, one of Marrakech’s leading mosques of magnificence. Not far from Djemaa El Fna Square is the Ben Youssef that was built between 1121 and 1132. A former theological university the mosque faces towards Mecca. Each wall is marked with zellij tile work and entering in the Ben Youssef takes you back to another century and makes one feel as if they are on a pilgrimage. This dynastic mosque is one of Morocco’s greats and worth the sight and the photo-op in front of its massive shallow pool and columns in the morning or early afternoon.

For more information about the Top 5 Things to Do in Marrakech 

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 offer Private 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.

Storytelling in Morocco, Preserving the Art of Hikayat

Monday, June 22nd, 2015
Storytellers of Morocco, Photograph by Soufiane Bouhali

Storytellers of Morocco, Photograph by Soufiane Bouhali

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Storytelling is experiencing a revival in many Western countries right now, but the tradition of oral storytelling, or hikayat, in Morocco is almost 1,000 years old. Morocco has a strongly oral culture – everything from recipes to stories to legal agreements have been passed down from generation to generation in the absence of the means to record such information and against the backdrop of widespread illiteracy. In the past, storytellers travelled around to perform in public places and at community events and palace celebrations. They were not only a form of entertainment – they were also used by the authorities to pass information and moral messages. In today’s era of satellite TV and the internet, storytelling is a dying art. Although visitors to Marrakech may find the odd storyteller on Place Jmaa el Fna, the crowd around them is smaller than ever and because the stories are told in Arabic or a Berber dialect, the performers cannot attract the support of foreign tourists.

 

Storytellers of Morocco

Storytellers of Morocco

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today, Cafe Clock in the Kasbah district of Marrakech is the perhaps unlikely bastion of this oral tradition. Both the cross-cultural cafe, with modern graffiti on the walls and the best camel burger in town on the menu, and the storytelling program based there, were developed by Mike Richardson, the cafe’s British owner. Since December 2013, even before the second branch of Cafe Clock officially opened its doors in Marrakech that March (the first is in Fez), a group of young, enthusiastic Moroccans had gravitated around master storyteller, ‘Haj’ Ahmed Ezzarghani. Since then, they have been working hard to preserve the storytelling tradition and bring the old stories and fables to a wider audience. Haj collected stories during his work as a travelling salesman and performed them in the turbulent 1950s outside Bab Boujloud in Fez.

Haj meets with his young apprentices three times per week at Cafe Clock. At the first meeting, Haj recounts a story, which the apprentices translate into English and practice. The next time they meet, they perform the story in English and Arabic for the group. Haj doesn’t understand much English, so the young storytellers help each other out and he critiques the theatricality of their performance. On the third meeting, they perform the story for the Cafe Clock audience.

Storytellers of Morocco Jawad ElBied

Storytellers of Morocco Jawad ElBied

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a core of four apprentice storytellers, who are all students of English in Marrakech. Jawad Elbied, 24, is just finishing his English degree with a dissertation in Moroccan Storytelling. He says: “Storytelling has a special value in Moroccan society, but young kids today don’t know the stories – they are only interested in the internet and YouTube. Haj reminds me of my grandfather and his generation. He reminds us of our origins.” It is clear that storytelling has benefitted Jawad and his fellow apprentices. He speaks confidently and eloquently in English and twice a week he does so before a large crowd at Cafe Clock. Furthermore, through the Hikayat Program, which is in the process of becoming a non-profit association in Morocco, he has had the opportunity to travel around Morocco and even to Iran to share the stories and teach them to others. The storytellers have also appeared on the UK’s Channel 4 and on Al Jazeera.

“The value of stories is that they enable the audience to create their own film; to imagine the characters and the action in their own way,” Jawad explains. “We need to reach out to new audiences by being creative and offering attractive stories.” Through the association, the storytellers hope to use modern technology to diffuse the stories and record them for future generations.

If you would like to hear the stories, they are performed on Monday and Thursday evenings at 7pm Cafe Clock Marrakech. As well hearing the apprentices in English, visitors also have the opportunity to see Haj in action. Even for those who don’t understand Arabic, his performance is a piece of theatre, a relic of a bygone era brought to life and definitely worth seeing! The Storytelling Program has also been extended to Cafe Clock in Fez, where a group of apprentices works with a local master storyteller. The Hikayat Morocco group is also available for performances and workshops and can be contacted via Cafe Clock or via their own website Hikayat Morocco.

Recommended Reading: The Last Storytellers, Richard Hamilton

For more information about Storytelling at Café Clock

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 information about Storytelling in Morocco or the Art of Hikayat on a Marrakech Tour 

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, 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.

Fes Food, Eating Well in Fes, Morocco Travel Guide

Friday, March 27th, 2015
Riad Dar Roumana, Fes

Riad Dar Roumana, Fes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fes is the culinary and cultural capital of Morocco. The city of Fes is a leader in Moroccan cuisine. The ancient traditions of Fes cuisine come alive at a variety of riads and restaurants throughout the old city of Fes. New on the scene are a wide variety of boutique riads that have opened their doors to the public and are merging traditional Fassis table cuisine with French and International flavors. Morocco Travel Specialist, Alecia Cohen, takes a look at the best places to dine and experience cuisine in Fes to tempt your pallets on a Morocco Tour.

The world famous Fes Sacred Music Festival takes place each June and Dar Roumana’s restaurant at 30 Derb el Amer Zkak, Roumane in Fes Medina is open daily offering pre-concert dinners from 6pm – 8pm Dar Roumana and they also offer a smaller menu (2 starters, 2 mains and 2 desserts) for a reduced price of 300dh for three courses or 225dh for two courses. For those not attending the festival Dar Roumana’s usual dinner service will continue as normal from 7.30pm – 9pm. It is essential to book well beforehand during this busy period. Dinner is served in the patio and on the terrace with spectacular views of the medina and includes varied delicacies such as roasted beetroot, orange, mint and feta salad, spiced roasted quail with dried fruit orzo, moroccan fishcakes with cucumber and radish ribbon salad and sweet harissa dipping sauce, baked chicken thighs with honey, hazelnut and saffron with carrot and cumin mash. Dar Roumana is run by husband and wife team Vanessa and Vincent. Vincent is a Le Cordon Bleue certified chef and serves up a great table in Fes. Vanessa and Vincent are fabulous hosts and dining at Roumana is a must when in Fes.

The garden restaurant attached to Riad Idrissy at 13 Derb Idrissi, Sieje, Sidi Ahmed Chaoui, referred to as the Ruined Garden, is set in the romantic remains of a crumbling riad which has been turned into a delightful garden, with mosaic floors, fountains and exotic foliage. Lunch is prepared using fresh produce from the souk and includes salads – such as zaalouk (smoky aubergine, tomato and paprika puree) and tfaya (chickpeas, onions, raisins and cinnamon) – and street food, cooked to order in the garden, such as sardines marinated in chermoula (garlic, paprika, cumin, olive oil and lemon juice) with a polenta batter and makuda, spiced battered potato cakes. Afternoon tea is a blend of English and Moroccan, including tea made from homegrown mint and wormwood. After 7pm, the garden is open for dinner by prior arrangement only, offering mechoui lamb (anything from a leg to a whole animal) cooked for seven hours over charcoal, Sephardic suppers and Roman banquets. The ruined garden at Riad Idrissy will operate as a festival green room – where artists, journalists and the audience can mingle between the Fes Sacred Music Festival concerts. Opening hours are between 12 noon and 9.30pm. There is also the great boon of no background music.

Another great lunch and dinner venue in Fes is Palais Amani at 12 Derb el Miter, Oued Zhoune.This imposing Art Deco former palace has superb gardens Is known for excellent high class Moroccan cuisine and you can dine in the restaurant or the patio, booking is essential.

Restaurant Numero 7 Fes, Chef in Residence

Restaurant Numero 7 Fes, Chef in Residence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Numero 7 has a rotating Chef in residence program that uses seasonal produce sourced from the markets in Fes and nearby farms for its cuisine. Located in the heart of Moroccan gastronomy each chef in residence utilizes Numero 7 as their center stage to create a table of unique cuisine through their own interpretation. Numero 7 is owned by Stephen di Renza, a former fashion director for Neiman Marcu and Bergdoff Goodman. He divides his time between Fes and Mararkech. Di Renzi is also the creative director of the Yves Saint Laurent Majorelle Gardens in Marrakech. Numero 7 is a must dine experience for those interested in modern, creative cuisine with a Moroccan touch.

La Maison Bleue offers a classic table in Fes and reservations are also necessary at this elegant riad restaurant. The setting is intimate and romantic, with diners serenaded by an oud player (replaced by livelier Gnawa song and dance at the end of the evening). You’ll be treated to an array of cooked salads, tajines, couscous and bastilla (savoury pastries), plus filo pastry desserts.

At Dar El Ghalia, a restored 18th century palace you will find Dar Tajine, one of the best known restaurants in Fes. You can choose from set menus or à la carte: there are salads, excellent Harira, grills, fresh fish, tagines and couscous.

Chez Vittorio is in the rustic Italian restaurant angle well, right down to the candles and checked cloths. The food is good value, Go for the pizzas or steak and enjoy the wine.

Dar Anebar is a riad you can dine in fne surroundings, in the splendid courtyard, or one of the cosy salons. The menu is strictly Moroccan, but of the highest standard, and wine is available.

Palais Jamaï is a five-star hotel has a superb position overlooking the medina. There’s a French restaurant and a Moroccan restaurant. At lunch they serve a good buffet on the terrace above the pool (or in the dining room in winter): there’s the salad buffet, or the salad buffet with barbecue and dessert.

Fes is truly international and Kiotori restaurant offers sushi with a Japanese chef.

Café Clock is a restored town house and is an important and highly original cultural centre which offers a varied menu with offerings such as falafel, grilled sandwiches, some interesting vegetarian options, a substantial camel burger, and delicious cakes and tarts. It is open right through the day into the evening so you can eat whenever you want.

Fes Cafe, Jardin Des Biehn

Fes Cafe, Jardin Des Biehn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fez Café is set in a fine garden in Le Jardin des Biehn, Dinner is available both before and after and during concerts.

Le Kasbah restaurant is on several floors at Bab Bou Jeloud, and occupies a prime spot: the top floor looks out over the medina, making it a good place to relax over food. The menu is traditional Moroccan fare, tajines, couscous and grilled meat.

Fes is famed for its street food and probably the most well known establishment is Thami’s at Bou Jeloud, 50 Serrajine in the Medina. It is highly recommended by the website “The View from Fez.” They recommend Thami’s kefta tagine with egg, the melange and the fish. Fes has many such small establishments and a visit to the vegetable and spices souks will enrich your knowledge and appreciation of Moroccan daily life and the variety of its cuisine even in very simple establishments.

And for those who want the intimacy of a leafy garden, try Ryad Mabrouka as this delightful guesthouse in the warmer months is perfect for lunch, or in winter in the 1st-floor dining room overlooking the medina. Traditional fare is served in a three-course set menu, and wine is available. It’s necessary to book 24 hours in advance. 

For more information Fes Food or a Fes Tour.

For more information about the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music 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.

24 Hours in Fes, Travel Tips On What To See & Where to Eat, Morocco Travel Guide

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Fes El Bali, Old Medina

If you’re traveling in Morocco and only have 24 Hours in Fes then it’s important to know what to see and where to eat. Morocco Travel guide books such as Lonely Planet, Frommers and Rough Guides can be the perfect travel companion for those who desire to see and do the status quo in Fes however first hand experience from a foreigner living in Morocco can offer more off the beat experiences. When starting a 24 hour spin around the old medina, Fes El Bali, you can brave it alone or higher a local, expert Fes historical guide. Either way a Fes tour can be fulfilling in this ancient city which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you brave it alone to discover what’s behind the ancient medina walls of Fes, these travel tips of what to see and where to eat will make it worthwhile.

Bab Boujloud Gate-Blue Gate, Fes

Enter here, the Bab Boujloud Gate- The Blue Gate of Fes which will take you on an unforgettable journey of historical and spiritual sites along with great eats.

Kairouine Mosque, Fes

24 Hours in Fes, Travel Tips On What To See & Where to Eat:

Sites to Visit in Fes:

1. The Medersa Bou Inania: An (Islamic school) founded by Abu Inan Faris that is highly decorated from floor to ceiling. The medersa is one of the few religious places in Morocco that is accessible to non-Islamic tourists.

2. Kairaouine Mosque: Morocco’s second largest mosque was built by Fatima in 857. The Kairaouine Mosque became the home of the West’s first university and the world’s foremost center of learning at the beginning of the second millennium

3. University of Al-Karaouine: Founded in 859, this university is one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Muslim world and is considered the oldest continuously operating institution of higher learning in the world.

4. Zaouia Moulay Idriss II: A zaouia (shrine) dedicated to and the tomb of Moulay Idriss II, who ruled Morocco from 807 to 828 and founded the city of Fès for the second time in 810. This is one of the most spiritual sites in Fes and in fact in all of Morocco. A walk just outside the mosque, zaouia entrance evokes feelings of ancient times and watching men and women pile in for prayer is magical.

5. Dar Batha: A Hispano-Moorish palace dating from the end of the 19th century that houses admirable collections of traditional art from Fès. Dar Batha boasts a wonderful Andalusian garden with hanging fruit trees and the Fes Festival even uses this wonderful place as a music venue each June.

6. Weavers Cooperative: The Weavers Cooperative is located in a residential neighborhood off a main shopping street. Theworkshop specializes in weaving the finest jellaba fabric, made of silk and wool threads imported from Italy. The shop also makes a quality jellaba fabric from locally spun, textured wool thread called hubba –sometimes referred to as couscous, because it’s nubby texture resembles Morocco’s national semolina dish of the same name.

7. Tanneries: The Chourara or the Tanner’s Quarters is the most lively and picturesque souks in Fès. The Tanneries are often located near watercourses like the Wadi Fès and at a distance from residential areas due to the strongly unpleasant smells they produce. Make sure to ask for mint when you enter to mask the smell.

8. Carpet Demonstration: Antique and Modern Carpets is one of the places in Fès el Bali where you can see a Berber carpet demonstration. You will be offered mint tea and follow your guide up a coil of stairs to a small area to watch carpets being made by young girls who come from the mountains to show tourists how Berber carpets are made. Make sure to negotiate before you buy.

Fes Pottery Cooperative, Workshop

9. Potter’s Cooperative: A visit to the Potter’s Cooperative is a must. Also known as Place el-Seffarine, this kisseria is the most important center for the production Fasiss style ceramics, brass-ware and silverware in Morocco. If you have more then 24 hours in Fes then consider taking a zellij or pottery making workshop.

10. Outdoor Spice Markets: Visit an outdoor spice market where loads of fabulous spices can be purchased from spice merchants. From Cumin to Saffron to Ras El Hanout for great prices. The Fes spice market is fun to shop at and spices also make for great gifts.

10. Jewish Mellah: Explore its ancient history and small streets that garner it’s charm alongside an old synagogue and the burial site of a famous Jewish woman who was executed because she refused to bow to Islam. Visit the Mellah’s white washed cemetery which is one of the most beautiful in the world.  The first official mellah was established in the city of Fes in 1438. In the first half of the 14th century, the Merinides founded, alongside Fes, the town of Hims, which was initially allocated to the archers and the Christian militia. In 1438 the Jews were driven from the old part of Fes to Hims, which had been built on a site known as al-Mallah, “the saline area”. Ultimately, the term came to designate Jewish quarters in other Moroccan cities.

Baboosh Slippers Kisseria, Fes

Shopping in Fes:
From tile work to pottery to the Kisseria’s filed with wonderful colored Baboosh slippers, Fes is the place to get your shopping on. Don’t miss out on the high quality leather goods, Moroccan baboosh and other hand made pieces unique to Fes.

Where To Eat in Fes:

Cafe Clock, Famous Camel Burger, Fes

CAFE CLOCK
Café Clock ticks to the rhythms to multiplying metronomes. Mike Richardson, the man behind Clock’s mechanics restored a 250 year old courtyard house and brought to Fes a cultural zone that many are desperate to set their watches to. This eclectic café-cum-restaurant offers delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stop for tea and scrumptious homemade cakes (especially the lemon tart) on the roof terrace with its stunning view of the Bou Inania minaret, browse in the book exchange and view the art-filled walls. Try the crunchy salads, camel burgers or fresh fish. Cafe Clock also boasts a wonderful cooking school. If time allows consider taking a cooking class. Either way don’t forget to have a latte there if you’re visiting in winter and if you’re a vegetarian, try their chickpea burger.

Address: 7 Derb el-Margana The Medina
Phone: 061-183-264

RESTAURANT NEJARINE
Restaurant Nejarine: Opened in 2006, Jalil Laghmri’s restaurant is the perfect spot for an authentic Moroccan feast in the medina for lunch or for dinner. As the name suggests, this 100-year-old building is located just steps from the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts. Guests can dine in either a covered courtyard of Fassi zellij and intricately carved and painted cedar, or in any of the three large salons surrounding the courtyard, furnished with Moroccan-style lounges and silk cushions. The four-course meals include a delicious meze of Moroccan salads, tagines, or chicken or pigeon pastilla, accompanied with couscous and followed by fresh fruits and mint tea. For a breath of fresh air, head up to the rooftop terrace for a fantastic medina view. Classy ambience and great food!

Address: Nejarine, Medina
Phone: 06-25-90-52

FES EST GESTES- SALON DE TEA

This tea house, restaurant and art gallery offers a charming place to relax for lunch, brunch or dinner in their garden, salon or library. Set in a colonial house and garden, Fes Est Gestes hosts cultural events, exhibitions of painters and events concerts throughout the years. The staff is attentive and the service good. There is a range of several course dinners offered along with a la carte. This is also the perfect place for tea and biscuits / cookies while exploring the medina, Fes El Bali with a historical guide or on your own.

Address: 39 Arsat El Hamoumi – Zita
Phone: 0535-638-532

For more information about a Fes 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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Moroccan Cooking Classes, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Sunday, October 24th, 2010
Moroccan Cooking Class Chef

Moroccan Cooking Class Chef

If you’re planning a Morocco vacation one of the best ways to discover the culture of the Maghreb is to taking a cooking class or a private, cooking course in Morocco’s Imperial Cities of Marrakech and Fes or consider a Moroccan culinary tourMarrakech and Fes offer some of the Morocco’s best cooking classes as a result of their subculture and history of fine cuisine alongside being able to lay claim to some of the best restaurants in Morocco.

A Morocco cooking class usually starts with a comprehensive introduction that highlights the importance of cooking in Moroccan society, and reviews the variety of recipes created by dadas (traditional woman cooks) over the centuries for special occasions such as marriages, holidays such as Ramadan, Eid El Kebir, Moroccan baptisms, and circumcisions.

Moroccan Spices

Moroccan Spices

Before taking a cooking class in Morocco most leading chefs will take you on a tour of the Marrakech or Fes medina on a tour and in search of the most favored spices that are used in Morocco cooking. During your medina tour you will discover spices such as fresh cumin, ginger, wild saffron grown from the Moroccan city of Talouine, indigenous sea salt from the Souss region of Agadir and pepper.

Lahcen's Cooking Class, Spice Shopping Fes

Lahcen's Cooking Class, Spice Shopping Fes

The core spices used in Moroccan cuisine include ginger, saffron, Cumin, ras el hanout (a mixture of up to 35 different spices and a famous Moroccan must in any kitchen), as well as salt and pepper. Olive oil, of which there is an abundance in Morocco, is also an essential ingredient in the local cuisine, as well as ghi (a kind of aged butter).

Most Moroccan recipes use parsley and coriander. Other important herbs such as thyme, oregano, bay leaf, rosemary and basil, are used depending on the recipe being prepared.

Traditionally, Moroccan homes used charcoal and clay pots to cook tajines or couscous. Modern Moroccan homes of course use the same gas or electric ranges found in European or American homes.

Le Jardin Des La Medina Cooking Class, Marrakech

Le Jardin Des La Medina Cooking Class, Marrakech

The cooking workshops at in Marrakech at famous five star Riads such as Le Maison Arabe and Le Jardin Des La Medina are conducted using modern equipment, so that the participants can easily prepare the dishes they have learned once they have returned to their own countries. A typical Moroccan cooking class lasts approximately 3-4 hours depending on the dish of choice you have chosen to make.

The same goes for the top cooking classes in Fes at Lahcen’s Moroccan Cooking class and culinary tour which is acclaimed by the New York Times and also at Café Clock

Before beginning your Moroccan cooking workshop, your chef will first offer an an overview of the most traditional recipes such as pastilla, couscous, and the broad variety of tajines (stews usually made with lamb or chicken), while reviewing some of the basic pillars of Moroccan cuisine.

Then the class will begin and take you away on a Moroccan adventure that will fill tempt your pallet.

Tajine La Maison Arabe Cooking Class

Tajine La Maison Arabe Cooking Class

Moroccan cooking Techniques for a typical tajine recipe calls for searing the meat, softening the onions, bringing to a boil and allowing to slowly simmer. This results in a reduced, thick sauce.

Woman Making Pastilla

Woman Making Pastilla

Techniques for pastilla and couscous will also be reviewed. Finally, before the practical part of the cooking class begins, you will be acquainted with the recipe of the day, whether it’s a chicken tajine with olives and preserved lemons, couscous or pastilla, and review the various vegetables and ingredients that will be used.

Most Moroccan cooking classes are structured around easy-to- make traditional recipes. Each participant has his or her own workstation and equipment, and follows step-by-step the preparing of that day’s dish. In a typical workshop or Moroccan cooking class you will learn how to make a main course as well as a Moroccan appetizer or salad (for example, eggplant or roasted green peppers with tomatoes).

Pigeon Pastilla

Pigeon Pastilla

When the class has finished, you will be able to savor the result of your labor by enjoying the meal you’ve prepared, in the cool shade of an olive or fig tree or in a special part of the Riad where you have taken your Moroccan cooking class.

Listed below are sample offerings that La Maison Arabe in Marrakech has as options of what you learn to cook during your Moroccan cuisine adventure. These recipes duplicated by other cooking classes in Morocco using their own chef’s unique style:

Briouate class:
-Assortment of Moroccan briouates (turnovers) – cheese, chicken ground meat, vegetables and seafood

Pastilla class (choice of):
– Chicken with almonds
– Seafood
– Vegetables

Tajine class (choice of):
– Chicken tajine with lemon and olives
– Chicken tajine M’derbel (stewed tomatoes with cinnamon and
sesame seeds).
-Chicken tajine with almonds and boiled eggs
-Lamb tajine with dates and almonds
– Lamb tajine with figs and walnuts
– Beef or lamb tajine Makfoul (steamed tomatoes with small
onions)
– Lamb tajine with prunes and apricots

Couscous class (choice of):
– Chicken or lamb with caramelized onions
– Chicken or lamb with seven vegetables

For more information about Moroccan Cooking Classes or a Morocco Culinary 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

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