Moroccan Cuisine

Eating in Morocco is serious business. The middayhuge emphasis on home cooking. Most Moroccans will
meal is the main one and you can expect largetell you that the best meals are found at home and not
portions - enough to keep you going all day! Theyin the restaurants. This is after all, a very traditional
usually start off with a series of hot and cold salads.country, that is why it is the women of the house who
Then, they have tagine or stew. Next is the maincook the meals and they spend hours in the
portion - normally a lamb or chicken dish with a hugepreparation. Again, there are no chairs but rolled
plate of meet and vegetable couscous. Mint tea iscarpets or cushions that serve as seats. The ladies
normally drunk after the meal.dress in long colorful robes.
The strong Arab influence found in two of the royalIt is not a secret that, almost all business decisions
cities, Fez and Marrakech, contributed greatly tofrom buying leather to buying any Morocco property
Moroccan cuisine, as did the Andalusian sensibilities ofwith foreign representatives are took place at home
Tetuan and the Jewish traditions from the coastal cityand host with all Moroccan hospitality meet his guests.
of Essaouira. In Morocco, they often eat with the firstEvery household in Morocco makes their own bread
three fingers of their hand and to use bread as awhich is made from semolina flour. When the bread
utensil. Don't be alarmed. It's quite normal here.has been kneaded and shaped each family puts its
Morocco's best loved dishes include; couscous (ofown mark on it before sending it to the bakery for
course), which is basically semolina grains served withcooking.
a variety of meat and vegetable toppings; mechoui -Spices also take center stage in Moroccan kitchens,
roasted lamb; djej emshmel - a roast chicken dishwith chilies, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, saffron, paprika,
cooked with lemon and olives and bisteeya - aand ginger often playing starring roles. The Moroccans
delicious savoury and sweet pie with three layers,are very proud of their food. The sharing of meals is
wrapped in very thin pastry.an integral part of the culinary experience and the
While spices have been imported to Morocco forfoundation of the Moroccan way of life.
thousands of years, many commonly-used rawOn October 2007, participants of Moroccan American
ingredients are home-grown: mint and olives fromTrade and Investment Center and the National
Meknes, oranges and lemons from sunny Fez, pricklyU.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce in Washington
pear from Casablanca and shad from the Sebouwhere was discussed opportunities on trade and
River. Also cultivated in Morocco are pomegranates,property in Morocco investment were very enjoyed of
almonds, dates, walnuts, chestnuts, honey, barley,marvelous and delicious tastes of Moroccan cuisine.
cherries and melon. Seafood is abundant along theWhether you're planning on visiting this mystical
Atlantic coast while lamb and poultry are raised ondestination in Northern Africa, or simply adding flavor to
higher ground.your cooking repertoire, Morocco's culinary spirit is sure
In this land of abundant, high quality food, there is ato seduce you.