The cuisine of Morocco

The cuisine of Morocco is rated among the best in the world, and rightly so. There are few places where food is more carefully and artistically prepared, more delightfully served, and more enjoyed than in this country.
Cooking in Morocco falls into two specific categories. The first, intended for important guests, is the work of skilled chefs. It requires such intensive supervision that the host does not participate. He merely oversees the banquet with his sons and servants. No women are present. The men squat on mattresses or pillows around low, beautifully inlaid tables. A silver ewer of perfumed water is taken around and poured over three fingers of the right hand of each guest.
The host claps his hands and the meal begins. One course after another- each delicacy is served until Chban- complete satiation- is achieved. Again the silver ewer filled with warm water is presented to clean the mouth, lips, and hands. The meal is a feast for the gods and indeed it begins and ends with Bsmillah--God's blessing.
In the second category of cookery are the wonderful dishes prepared with loving care by the mistresses- Dadas- of the homes. Here, where time does not seem to count, she spends hours with her glazed earthenware and copper cooking dishes and her kanoun, the movable clay brazier. Her kitchen is austere, and the charcoal which perfumes the kebabs and allows the sauces to simmer is the only source of heat. There are no chairs. A folded carpet serves as a seat. The Dada is dressed in a long colorful robe tucked up in front and her wide sleeves are held in place with a twisted cord.
The scents of coriander, cumin, saffron, marjoram, and onion mingle with the pungency of olive oil and the sweetness of sandalwood, mint, and roses, delighting the senses।

How a Dinner is Served in Morocco

A hostess in Morocco might take a week to prepare a suitable dinner for her honored guests. The meal often consists of as many as fifty courses. It would take a full day just to make Bstilla- a crisp pastry, rolled as thin as tissue paper, filled with chicken in a mixture "sweet and peppery, soft and violent."
The dinner starts with Bstilla, followed by the typical brochette or kebab flavored with bits of beef or lamb fat. Next comes the Tajine, chicken or meat in a spicy stew which has been simmered for many hours, and it is served with a flat bread called Khubz.
In Morocco, as in most Arab lands, every household makes its own bread। It is made from semolina flour without shortening or milk. An invocation to God is made before commencing the sacred act of kneading. When the bread has been properly shaped, each family puts its own mark or stamp on it before sending it via the children to a common bakery oven. After the Tajine, a Batinjaan- eggplant salad or chopped tomato salad- is served as a separate course. Then comes Couscous, that marvelous Moroccan national dish made of semolina, cooked to perfection, each grain separate from the other. The dinner is completed with slices or wedges of peeled melon, pastries made with honey and almond like the Middle Eastern Baklava, and finally a small glass of mint tea. The dinner following is a very much simplified version, but it is delicious and will give you the "feel" of Morocco. Once you have made the Couscous, it may very well become one of your favorite dishes. This is a delightful dinner to prepare and serve.

How You Can Present a Moroccan Dinner
If feasible, use a low table with cushions on the floor. (Be sure to advise your guests to dress comfortably.) Cover the low table with a bright brocaded cloth and provide your guests with thick towels to cover their knees. You might want to place floral bouquets around the room, but do not have a centerpiece on the table.
Before serving the dinner, walk around the table with an attractive pitcher (silver if possible) filled with warm water which has been scented with cologne or a few drops of perfume. Carry a Turkish towel over your left arm and a small basin in your left hand. Pour a little water over the fingers of each guest, catching the water in the small basin.
Serve tiny kebabs first (with or without a fork) on small plates. As soon as the kebabs have been eaten, remove the plates. The salad may be served as a separate course or may accompany the Couscous. If you serve it separately place the salad (with a fork) in front of each guest. In Morocco, the Couscous is served in a large platter and each guest eats directly from it with a large spoon or he may roll the Couscous up in little balls and pop them into his mouth, but don't expect your guests to do this. You may prefer to place extra plates in front of your guests and ask them to serve themselves.
Slices of melon, watermelon, or cantaloupe speared with toothpicks (no plates) are served in a platter right after the Couscous. You might also serve the mint tea at this time, or wait until later to serve it with the honey pastries.
Again the hostess pours water over the fingers of her guests. This is a mark of graciousness and hospitality. At the end of the meal, after tea has been served, bring in a tiny incense burner and light it on the table.

Hammam in Morocco

Visit a Moroccan Hammam
Public baths are a part of daily Moroccan life. I provides the rundown on getting a thorough and enriching scrubdown. (Hint: Be sure to pick up a kiis in the souk on the way there.)
The situation: Your flip-flopped feet are thick with grime, your hair is full of dust and you’re looking for a respite from the vendor onslaught ("Come inside, just for looking!") on the streets . Escape the crowds and wash off the street funk Moroccan-style in the neighborhood hammam, or public baths. Along with the communal bakery, fountain, madrasa (school) and mosque, the hammam is one of five traditional elements found in every Moroccan neighborhood. For about two bucks you’ll get access to unlimited buckets of steaming water, a scrubdown that will leave your skin as soft as a newborn’s and a cultural experience you won’t soon forget.
How to spot the hammam: In the old medina, hammam signs are likely to be written in Arabic. If you can’t read that swirling script, look for these telltale hints: • People of your gender walking by with buckets full of shower supplies, rolled floor mats and towels – men and women are separated in the hammam, with different opening hours for each throughout the day (typically, daytime hours are reserved for women and evenings for men). • A smoky smell. It’s caused by the wood fires used to heat the water. • A communal bakery. The hammam often shares heating facilities with one, so if you see a bakery there’s a chance a hammam is near.
To bare or not to bare: Unlike in Japan’s communal bathhouses, the tradition in Morocco doesn’t usually involve getting nude, with the exception of small children. Both men and women tend to wear only their underwear. Leave the g-strings at home, girls; Morrocan women usually opt for more coverage in public. Foreign women who insist on wearing their bras while bathing, however, will look ridiculously self-conscious. Bring something to cover your wet hair when you leave. Moroccans are convinced that the quickest way to catch a cold is a bare, wet head (even in the heat of summer), and if you don’t cover yourself on the way out, someone will do it for you and with who knows what.
What to bring: Tote whatever you normally use in the shower – shampoo, conditioner, razor, soap – and visit the souk ahead of time to buy a small plastic bowl for dousing yourself with water inside the hammam. For a more authentic experience, hit the souk for traditional soap or ghasoul, too. Look for plastic baggies of sticky black goo made from olive oil byproducts, and ask for “black soap” – dried chips of herb-infused Moroccan clay that functions as shampoo and body soap when you add a splash of water to it.
If you plan to get scrubbed down by the hammam attendant (the highlight of any visit), be sure to bring a black scratchy glove called a kiis (say “keys"), which you can purchase anywhere in the souk for about a buck. If you’re a clean freak, bring a small plastic stool or mat to sit on to avoid placing your derriere directly on the hammam’s stone floor.
What to expect: When you go the authentic route and visit a real hammam in the medina as opposed to a fancy hotel’s upscale version, don’t expect anything luxurious – rose petals on the floor and silk-swathed lounges are not part of the real deal। There’s a small changing area near the entry where you can hang your towel and clothes। And the baths consist of several rooms centered on large cisterns with gushing water. The farther you venture into the hammam (and the closer you get to the wood fire), the hotter the water in the fountains gets. Everyone sits on the floor, against the walls, to bathe. Buckets are provided, but usually it’s up to you to trod back and forth to the hot and cold fountains, filling the buckets with water and mixing them for the perfect temperature back in your area. The hammam ceiling is usually domed and pierced with small holes to allow natural light to stream in—a beautiful and figure-flattering effect. It’s not always as tranquil as it sounds, however, as mothers attempt to lather up their screaming children while gossiping at high decibels (the hammam is considered a prime spot for scoping potential daughters-in-law). The head-to-toe scrub-down experience is another thing to be prepared for – this is one seriously abrasive massage. You lay down on the stone floor and the attendant’s goal is to rub your skin until several layers peel off like strands of dirty spaghetti. You’ll be amazed, if slightly grossed out, by the filth that falls off your body, and you’ll literally leave in new skin.
What to avoid: The hammam floors are slightly sloped for drainage, so spend a few seconds when you first arrive watching the water flow to make sure you don’t seat yourself downstream in a current of dead skin offal. Don’t take more than two buckets for water as other bathers consider this greedy. And if you decide to douse yourself with cold water at the end of your visit, be sensitive of the people around you – a fierce verbal lashing is pretty much guaranteed if you give a fellow bather an unexpected icy splash.

How to sound like a local, even if you don’t look like one: When leaving the hammam, you’ll likely hear people on the street call to you “BisaHA,” which, roughly translated, means “to your health.” It will please them immensely if you return the wish with the traditional Arabic response, “Allah ya’tik saHA!” – may God also bless yours.

Sefrou. City walls

Neither the most impressive in height or length, Sefrou still has some of the nicest city walls in all of Morocco.

Sefrou. The Mellah

Even until the 1950's as much as 1/3 of the population of Sefrou were Jews. Many of these were of the origin of families that came here from Tafilalt and Algeria in the 13th century.But since the 1950's most Jews emigrated to Israel. Today only a handful Jews remain, living as a minority in their own town quarter, the Mellah.The architecture of the Mellah is modest, and the points of arrival tell stories of often conflicting relationship between the Jews and the Muslim society: the passageways are small, long and dark, and easy to block off if the Jewish inhabitants felt that they were in danger.

Sefrou

Sefrou. A pleasant city walk,

It doesn't take more than an hour or so to see most of what Sefrou has to offer.The architecture is simple but effective, and the walls of the houses are whitewashed, which gives Sefrou a fresher and cleaner feeling than Fez

Sefrou

Sefrou. The unspoiled city
While Sefrou is just a small city, it is clearly among the best destinations for one-day trips from Fez. It lies more than 900 metres above sea level, and every spring the rivers become so fierce that buildings and agriculture is threatened.The city is cut in two halves by the seasonal river Oued Aggaï, which could have been beautiful were it not that it doubles as trash can for the locals.Over the river small bridges allows people, but no normal car traffic to pass. The city is dominated by white houses, simple in their designs, but often with terraces that are generally uncommon in Morocco.Sefrou's history is dominated by religion. It was a Jewish town before Islam was introduced in the 8th century. There are many festivals in town, celebrating the cherry harvest, the prophet Daniel, the 17th century saint Sidi Lahcen Ben Ahmed or Lalla Rekia and her miraculous spring that cures madness.

Moroccan Leather Goods - Tanneries of Fez

One of the highlights of a recent trip to Morocco was a visit to the infamous tanneries of Fez. If Morocco is famous for its leather goods, it owes its reputation to the young men who - day after day - selflessly work in tanneries like this one, using the same methods today that were used centuries before. It is an experience for the senses (especially the sense of smell) and one that should not be missed!

Reams of cow hide are treated in huge vats of dyes – whose main active ingredient just happens to be pigeon droppings. To say it's a strong smell is an understatement. As fascinating as this process is, this trip is not for the faint of heart or stomach! What's even more impressive, are the young craftsmen who repeatedly hop into these vats of colored dye and guano as they saturate the cow hide before taking out the leather and spreading it out on the flat rooftops nearby.

From above the view of the men stamping the skins in the circles of color, or spreading out the vivid, yellow saffron dye, is fascinating. A walk at ground level will be something quite different altogether as you come face to face with knife wielding workers softening the leather and get a whole new perspective on hard work.

The tanneries of Fez are located nearby the Karaouine Mosque. Despite the odor - which has brought even the toughest visitors to their knee – the tanneries have become one of Fez' most popular attractions. You'll certainly earn your bragging rights by making it through a visit. Don't forget your camera (and a handkerchief).

Visitors can climb to any one of the terraces belonging to the surrounding leather shops that look down on the tanners' yard, honeycombed with vats of dye and piled with skins.

Afterwards you can visit any number of leather shops and see for yourself the product of such hard work. You're not obligated to purchase anything by any means, but don't be surprised if even after a quick glance at a merchant's goods, you find yourself ushered into a showroom, offered a cold drink and snacks and suddenly sucked into a world of bartering and buying

Pictures tooken from my terrasse on Oct 13 th.it was a real panoramic view of this amazing village called Bhalil.

caves in my area

The village of Bhalil is easy to pass by, it is not on the main road, and really not on the beaten track of tourism in northern Morocco।But there are two clear reasons why you shouldn't miss out on it। First, it is a very charming village, with fairly well-kept houses, a seasonal river dividing it and covered with numerous bridges. When you climb up to the top, you will pass through the good parts of the Morocco that is about to disappear, where people work in the streets, making simple handicrafts or preparing crops of different kinds, all in a relaxed tone. The view from the top is beautiful, with a green valley and small hill tops.The other reason to come here is the main reason for most: The cave houses.

The cave houses in Bhalil stand next to ordinary "over-ground" houses, and there is no other difference between them than practical ones. Digging into the cave allows good conditions for keeping a home cool in summer and keeping the worst cold out in winter.The facades of the cave houses can therefore be easy to pass by, they do about the same decor work and put up the same walls in front as for the "over-ground" houses. You will be invited in, say hello to family members who have no stressful relation to time

केव houses!!!

Cave dwellers, far from being Neanderthals, may be the smartest beings on earth। Life protected from the elements by caves has persisted as a form of human existence for millennia, and goes on to this day in places such as Turkey, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Morocco, Italy, and France. In southern Spain, however, cave homes are man made, and not natural formations that humans simply moved into. Some of the very earliest names for the city of Granada refer to its cave dwellings. In nearby Benalua, a suburb of Guadix, everyone lives in a cave, just as in the gypsy quarter of Sacromonte. There are cave theaters, cave hotels, cave restaurants, cave spas, and of course, cave houses, known in Spanish as casas cueva. At the other end of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain too, near Almeria but still in Granada Province, cave dwelling has existed at least since the Arab invasion of Iberia in the 8th century. Granada Province has the largest cave dwelling population in Europe.
Here cave buildings do not, as might be expected, exist inside natural rock formations, like at Capadoccia in Turkey or the Tarn Gorge in France। Instead, they are intentional dwelling spaces carved out of hard clay and earth. Buying, refurbishing, or creating a new cave house represents the ultimate in efficient and sustainable living--though please be advised that we would not suggest building a cave house outside of regions where it is common practice and the structural integrity of the earth is well known. In Granada, the ancient cave dwelling area extends far beyond the contemporary city, into the hills and ravines of San Miguel Park, where some squatters still live, laying claim to caves without running water or electricity and living rent-free.
In southern Spain, cave houses naturally maintain a steady temperature of around 19-20 degrees centigrade year round. This is quite exceptional in a montane climate like Granada City where summertime temperatures surpass 40 degrees and where it occasionally snows in winter. Building a cave dwelling is relatively inexpensive (though not necessarily cheap), cave houses can have all the amenities of a regular house (and more), electricity, plumbing, and HVAC are easy to install, and cave houses remain dry and habitable with normal ventilation, unlike many stone caves that can store dampness. Even those with claustrophobia find modern cave houses quite comfortable.
After becoming accustomed to cave living, it is soothing to return to a home with the solidity of the earth and the silence of a church.
In Granada, the most geographically diverse province in the Iberian Peninsula, there exist distinct concentrations of cave settlement, notably in the historic Albaycin and Sacromonte neighborhoods of Granada City, in Guadix, on the other side of the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, and in the more mountainous region of Baza। The Albaycin and Sacromonte are adjacent hillside neighborhoods, both of which form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Alhambra Palace. They are ancient settlements, with cave dwelling existing at least back to Arab times, well before the 15th century. Guadix and Baza are similarly ancient cities. One likely historical explanation of cave building is that the Arabs brought the tradition with them from the troglodyte abodes of North Africa, starting in the early 700s. The total cave-dwelling population of the three areas runs into the tens of thousands. Some cave houses are extremely large, having up to ten or more rooms. Here there are specialists in cave construction, renovation, and expansion.
Advantages of Caves :
Caves are ecologically-friendly houses. Arguably, they are the most ecologically-sensitive form of construction, and could be combined with an alternative energy system to become almost completely sustainable. They maintain a constant indoor temperature with natural earth insulation, which also keeps them quiet. They do not require large amounts of inputs in terms of bricks, concrete, mortar, metal, or wood, and do not demand costly synthetic or ecologically-questionable construction materials. In fact, earth caves must be able to "breathe" naturally to last. Costs are therefore kept to a minimum, except for the expense of labor. Requirements for a completed house are limited to a natural floor finish such as terracotta tile or brick, a thin stucco-type wall and ceiling treatment (usually whitewashed; preferably a form of hydrated lime), mechanical systems, and fixtures. Earth caves can also be built to specification. Within certain limitations, one can have high or low ceilings, large or small rooms, curvilinear walls, domed or arched ceilings, alcoves, built-in furniture, and a catalog of sculptural room effects. In fact, building this kind of cave house is like sculpting your house from inside out--a most unique experience. No two cave houses are the same. Given enough land, you can also expand instantly and एअसिली।
Natural light can be provided not only from doors and/or windows facing the outside, but also by light ducts through holes that can be created by modern well-drilling rigs. Such light traps usually have convex Plexiglas covers and reflective ducting that capture and transmit the maximum amount of natural light deep into a cave house. A whitewashed cave interior also reflects more light throughout the interior space than one might think. Caves can even accommodate a fireplace, provided that it is placed relatively near the outside wall of the cave thus keeping chimney construction manageable. Built-in bathtubs, toilet alcoves, and closets are a snap for any experienced cave builder.
Cave homes have deeds and are protected by normal property rights in Spain। What happens if you transcend property boundaries or accidentally run into someone else's cave is not clear cut in the law. This is generally only a concern in areas with a high cave house density. Older, historic caves seem to have grandfathered rights, whether or not they penetrate beneath the lands of others.

Welcome to my blog!!!

Art and culture/Morocco.
The almost medieval-like hustle and bustle of Morocco is for most travelers a world away from their own cities and towns. The culture and people are usually so completely different from what they know that they often find themselves in situations to which they have no idea how to react. The following brief explanation of Moroccan art and culture is designed to help you get the most out of your stay in this amazing country.

Art:
The art of this country is truly special. Many historical examples are on display at the local museums. More modern examples are on display at art galleries and in souks. Beware of cheap imitations though!
There are so many different ways that the people express themselves – in carpets, clothing, jewelry, ceramics, sculpture, painting, carving, and calligraphy. They even hold an international art festival once a year to showcase all their talent. If you ever have the opportunity to visit this country, you should consider buying some of the local artwork. Not only will it provide you with a little memento of your trip, but it will help out the local people who are usually quite poor.

Culture:Souks are a way of life in Morocco and you usually wont have to go far to find one. You can often get good bargains here, but remember that most Moroccans will have a lot more experience than you will when it comes to haggling the price so you will seldom find yourself able to get better than that which is offered.
You may find, if you are friendly and courteous enough, that you will soon start to make friends with the locals. If this happens and you are invited to a meal, it is good to keep in mind some of the local customs. For example, you will usually take off your shoes when entering a house. You can follow your host’s example in this regard. Also, it is a good idea to take a gift of some sort with. If you are in a home in the city, you might take some pastries or some sugar with you. If you are in the county, it would be better to buy a live chicken for the household which is likely to not be quite so well off. A home invitation is perhaps the most authentic way to sample Moroccan dishes. Most Moroccan food is eaten with the hands. If you are invited to join someone for a meal, you should always eat with the right hand as the left is supposed to be used for the toilet.
Any plans to visit mosques will usually meet with failure as these are considered to be very holy places that only Muslims are allowed access to. Though this is allowed in other parts of the world, the closest you will likely get to the inside of a mosque in Morocco is if you visit some ruins or disused mosques such as Tin Mal and Smara. Most other monuments are on view to the public for a price, and you can also observe certain celebrations such as the Imichal wedding Fair.
When taking photographs of the local people, it would be wisest to ask their permission. Taking a photograph of someone with out their permission – especially in rural areas – can cause offense. This may result in them demanding money from you – even if you only intended to take a scenic shot of something. In contrast, taking photographs of someone you have become friendly with is usually very welcome. Often, people with whom you’ve become acquainted will take you to a place where they can get a photograph taken with you for themselves. You should not react unfriendly about this as it usually does not result in you paying for the picture or any further harassment.
Traditionally, the men take to the streets and the women are in control of their homes. This means that you will not often find woman in cafés or restaurants. If you are a woman and you strike up a friendship, you will likely be invited to the person’s home or to a hamman (bath) for further association. Whereas if you are a man or a man and woman traveling together, you will likely be invited into a café for some tea or a meal.
In general, Moroccan culture can be an exiting and worldly experience. The people are friendly and the place is colorful. Hospitality is really a part of their culture so you can strike up friendships virtually anywhere if you have the right attitude. Usually, this results in further association with these dynamic and interesting people and a real taste of Moroccan life.