This is my recap of April through June when I was in Morocco, and my second to last post for the ALG. In this post I wanted to go through some history, my last few experiences with hosts and really hone in on Moroccan cuisine.

The way I experienced Morocco was different to the other places I visited. Due to difficulty finding the right hosts, I spent a lot more time traveling around and exploring cities. Though I always prefer to stay with hosts, I am glad I got to see two sides of what Morocco is like.

It was incredible seeing all of the different cities. I visited major ones like; Rabat, Marrakech, Fes, Tangier, and some smaller ones as well (Essouira, Ourzazate, Assliah, Chefchoauen). They all had different characteristics and I learned something new in every one. I would say I spent the most time in Tangier. Tangier is the northern port town of Morocco. It used to be an international zone during the 20^th century, and with that it attracted people from all over the world. During this time many artists and writers came for inspiration. I can see why, Tangier was full of interest, people-watching from cafes became my favorite activity, as well as admiring the city scapes from a balcony. The northern coast is full of seafood, you will find tagines with shrimp, fish or shell fish, ingredients that typically would not be used in the rest of the country.

A lot of my time was spent people-watching. I often took a very observant role as I did not understand the major languages spoken here. The dialect of Arabic spoken in Morocco, called Darija, is very different compared to other dialects of Arabic. Often when I would hear people speak they would slip between Darija and French seamlessly, to a point where sometimes I could not tell the difference between the two. The amount of languages spoken here (Darjia, french, Amazigh, Spanish, English…) is due to the eventful history and diversity of groups that have lived, conquered, occupied, or simply passed through Morocco.

History goes back very far in Northern Africa (The Maghreb), some of the oldest humanoid remains (400,000 years old) were found in Rabat in 1971. There has been movement of different groups through the area as well, Carthaginians, Romans, Amazigh, Arabs. The indigenous people of the area, the Amazigh (Imazighen plural, meaning: “free people”) have lived here since at least 10,000 BCE, their tribes were centrally located in Algeria and Morocco, but stretch throughout the whole of the Maghreb as well. They are often referred to as ‘Berbers’ but they themselves do not claim the word as it is derived from ‘barbarian’ and was the name given to them by the Greeks. In Morocco the main areas still populated by Imazighen are the Atlas and Rif mountain ranges as well as in the Saharah desert. Imazighen live throughout all of Morocco and have had a profound influence on the culture.

Around 700 CE is when this area fell under the conquest of the Umayyad caliphate, the same caliphate that created Al-Andalus in present-day Spain. Islamization of the area happened quickly, as well as the meshing of Arabs and Imazighen, though there was much resistance from Amazigh tribes. Eventually, most of the Amazigh tribes adopted Islam but still retained much of their culture, which is still evident today. There also was a significant population of Jewish Amazigh and it is theorized they first settled in the Maghreb in the 3rd century CE, four centuries before the Islamic conquest. 

The Amazigh today still fight for recognition throughout northern Africa, yet have made significant bounds in recent years in Morocco and Algeria; their language Tamazight officially being recognized by both countries in the past decade. The Amazigh contributed greatly to the Umayyad caliphate conquest of southern Spain, having their own Almoravid caliphate during the 11^th century in Al-Andalus. Morocco has gone through many kingdoms over the years, power falling into different hands, each one shaping the Morocco we see today.

In more recent history, as you may know, Morocco was colonized by both France and Spain. These countries had been attempting to invade for decades before they were able to split Morocco between them into a protectorate in 1912. The French took the most of Moroccan land while Spain only took control of the north. Morocco revolted in 1955 and established their own kingdom that still holds today. Influence from this time is still relevant, the colonies of Ceuta and Malila still belong to the Spanish and most people speak French as it is still taught in schools with the kingdom of Morocco still having a tight relationship with France. There is much more to cover and learn, but I think this gives a quick context of Moroccan history.

I find the cuisine in Morocco to be endlessly interesting, as I spent more time living with locals I learned more and more about what people eat and especially how people eat. Morocco has a lot to its cuisine but it is most famous for its Moroccan tea, tagines, couscous, and a plethora of delectable baked sweets.

A tagine is a cooking dish that simulates a small stove-top oven, it has a shallow base with a rounded or pointed lid, allowing you to pile the ingredients in a pyramid shape and giving space for the ingredients to steam as the dish slow cooks. 

Making tagine is all about time. Once you have all of your ingredients in the pan, all you have to do is wait and let the tagine do the work. The result is tender meat and soft veggies with an often rich flavor. Typical tagines have a meat (often lamb, beef, or chicken), with onions in the center; piled around are often potatoes, squash, zucchini, peppers, etc. It could really be anything, but these are the most common veggies I’ve seen used. Typical seasonings in Morocco include cumin, turmeric, ginger, and harissa. Every region in Morocco has its own twists on tagines, using varying meats (the north typically uses lamb or beef while the south uses goat) and techniques, but still keeping the essence of tagine: a warm slow cooked meal that is always amazing.

Something I highlighted in my last post was that Morocco has a very robust communal culture — more so than any other place I had ever been. This is very evident in their ways of eating and one of my favorite parts of sharing a meal with others. When I say we sharing a meal, I really mean it. It is traditional in homes to all eat off of the same plate (often the tagine dish). Each person has their own section that they eat from using small, frequent bites that are scooped up with a piece of bread (Khobz). I love the whole process of it — the doling out of the bread, ripping off small pieces and slowly making your way to the center of the dish, where the meat or often the most flavorful part of the tagine is. It feels different to eat this way, you are more aware of the others around you, how much you are eating, and feel more in tune with your pace. 

Arguably more important than the tagine is the bread. Bread is central to every meal you have in Morocco, I have not had a single meal where bread is not served. It is crucial, being the utensil for almost every meal. Khobz, the most common bread eaten is a round, leavened, wheat-based bread. Other types of bread/pastry that are common are msemen and milui, which is a flaky layered crepe that you usually have at breakfast. It can be served with honey or jam and it is so so good when eaten fresh.

I went to the Souk with Taha (my last host) a few times and we would go to the ‘café’ where people gathered after trading their livestock to have tea and breakfast and meet with friends. These souks are traveling markets, there are different types that go to villages throughout the week, each village having an assigned day. When I was outside of Rabat, the Wednesday souk was where most of the livestock was sold, whereas the Saturday souk was mainly produce. These souks are the main way things are sold to locals outside of cities, but it is also a place of convergence for people that live in the city and people that live in the countryside. I loved coming here, it was so exciting to see so many people up before dawn and to have so much happening around me. Although seeing the way some animals were treated was not always pleasant.

Moroccan cuisine goes beyond their traditional dishes, there is plenty of interesting gastronomy here and influence from French cuisine, but what I find to be most exciting is their fast food. On almost every street in the cities, you can find cafes selling a variety of sandwiches for very cheap. Probably some of the best sandwiches I have ever had have been in Morocco. 

They often have the same contents, grilled meat (like chicken), and veggies (like lettuce, beets, carrots), topped with a harissa-based hot sauce and Algerian sauce (the BEST SAUCE to ever exist). They come in many different forms like in a baguette, panini, or “taco” — which is essentially a paninied tortilla-like bread, with cheese and fries added into the mix. When I would have days where I am traveling a lot or on the bus I would always make sure to have a sandwich with me, (it is also great hangover food).

Though I had lots of interesting and great experiences exploring Moroccan cities, my best ones were always when I was able to live in small towns with hosts. These were the times I felt I learned the most, made the most genuine connections, and felt the most cared for. I talked a bit about my first hosts in the last post, where I experienced working on an olive farm and living with Mr. Hamid. On this farm, I got to learn about plant care and work on a permaculture project, while also learning about Moroccan culture from someone who had much to share. I loved my time there, the work was fulfilling and I felt very welcomed by my hosts. It was an amazing area, you could watch both the sunrise and sunset (as the land was flat enough to see both), I also went to my first Hammam (an amazing amazing amazing experience), and was able to learn some guitar from one of the hosts. I also had some of the best and most flavorful olive oil I have ever had. As the 5th largest olive oil producer in the world, olive oil is incredibly popular here and is definitely a staple to the cuisine. 

My next host was more of a brief stay, yet just as impactful. One thing I have noticed on my trip is how much time spent at a place does not make it more or less important. I have had times when I stayed with a host for a month, the time would drag on and I didn’t feel like I was learning every day. Other times where I stayed with a host for two weeks it would feel like so much more time had passed, the days felt packed and I tended to put in more effort since I knew I would not be there long.

I spent a week on the edge of the desert in Tagounite. We lived with Hassan, who has lived here all his life and considers himself a man of the desert. This was the first place where I felt closest to traditional Moroccan culture, especially with the cuisine. Hassan would cook us two meals a day, usually the more extravagant meal at night. He fed us various tagines, couscous on Fridays (holy dish for holy day), and amazing chicken skewer sandwiches. We also ended every meal with watermelon which was so refreshing and perfect for those hot days. 

Hasan was eager to share his experiences and to teach you about as much as you wanted. Due to the heat and lack of water, we did not work on his land to water palm trees as we had planned. Instead, we spent most of our days in deep conversation, laying on carpets with cushions, moving locations to the shadiest spots as the sun moved throughout the day (it was luxury). Hasan spoke just Arabic and French, so thankfully there was another volunteer who was Swiss and translated between French and English. I am very thankful for this because as much as I do love that language barriers open up another form of communication, it was nice to be able to hear about his experiences and have lengthier discussions.

Hasan is also a really skilled musician and would play his guitar and drums which I also go to try. (Check out his brother’s band Daraa Tribes, they are amazing!! Good desert vibes) He also showed me how to play the mouth harp! 

The next key to Moroccan cuisine is their tea. Hassan’s house was the first place where I actually got to try my hand at it. We spent so much time drinking tea while we were in the desert. While it feels counterintuitive to be drinking hot liquids when it’s 90 degrees outside, it is said to actually help regulate your body temperature. I must have drank at least 5 cups a day while I was here.

Seemingly the most important part of making Moroccan tea is how you pour it. If you have ever seen someone pouring it they lift the pot away from the cup as it’s pour, this helps release the flavor as well as creates a layer of foam that sits atop the tea. I asked why and Hassan said “its not tea without foam”. I did not question it. I was also told that they did this in the desert so that sand would keep out of the tea. 

The emergence of “Moroccan tea” began in the 18^th century when “gunpowder tea” (green tea dried in a way that resembles gun power- go figure) was introduced to Morocco and Algeria by the British. The tea quickly took hold and is now inseparable from the culture. The tradition of drinking tea here is so important, it was surprising to me to learn that it had only begun in the 18^th century. It is crazy how fast something can become ingrained in a culture. 

There are many rules that go with tea drinking. For example, the person that begins pouring the tea has to serve tea for the rest of the meal. The way of preparation is very precise and unique. You begin with steeping the tea mixture in the pot for a few minutes, add mint and pour it into a cup to mix. You do this a few times, the first glass poured is set aside to add back into the pot when it is officially ready to serve. The tea is poured back and forth between the cup and the pot until it is well mixed and a layer of foam is created at the top of the glass. Sugar is added and mixed in the same way and the tea is finally ready to serve.

My host says that anytime he goes to help a friend or a neighbor or ask favor, it is impossible to leave without at least getting invited in for tea. The tradition of tea kind of reminds me of the tradition of yerba mate in South America. When I was in Chile we drank Mate every morning and especially when we had gatherings. There are also all sorts of rules when it comes to Mate drinking. You must always pass the cup with the straw facing the person; or when you hand it back to the pourer and say thank you, that means you don’t want any more. I love all these unspoken rules, it makes you wonder how they came about, how they spread, and why.

In Hassan’s dishes, he also made great use of spices, the next key to Moroccan cuisine. The most common ones I have found being used are ginger, cumin (they put cumin on everything, especially eggs — it is soooo good) coriander, and turmeric. Harissa is a spicy pepper, usually served in a paste, that can be added to or eaten alongside meals. Hasan made great use of spices in his dishes, here is a quick little recipe for an omelette he made for lunch one day:

hassan’s omelette

1. sautée chopped onion in tagine until soft 

2. add cubed chicken pieces with coriander and garlic and let cook

3. mix 5 eggs

4. add turmeric, cumin, ginger, salt, and pepper

5. pour eggs, pour more oil, and a sprinkle of cinnamon 

6. let cook a bit and voila

Hassan used to be a desert guide and wanted to give us at least a taste of the desert before we left so he took us to the largest nearby dune (chigaga) for a night. That night he made some amazing chicken skewer sandwiches. The desert was an unforgettable experience, even though we just spent a night, it’s one I will never forget. We slept under the stars, saw a lunar eclipse, and watched the sun rise over the dunes.

Recipe for chicken skewers:

1. Mix diced chicken in a bowl with chopped coriander, thinly sliced red onion, sliced green olives, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and some harissa
2. Put chicken onto skewers
3. Grill over flame
4. Serve in bread with salad (diced onion, tomato, cucumber, beets, corn, coriander, olives mixed with vinegar, olive oil, and salt)top with Algerian sauce

Hassan was truly one of the most compassionate and genuine people I ever met. He made us feel so cared for, even in the short amount of time we were there. Hassan has lived in the same place all his life and survives off of very little money. The palm farm he has right now is unfortunately struggling with the number of droughts the area has been having lately. The area can only use an underground water supply, which requires a well. Hassan would like to build an eco-responsible well and a pump that is solar-powered in order to save his palm trees. One of the volunteers set up a GoFundMe to help Hassan out so if you can help in any way, I’m sure Hassan would be very grateful and so would I. Here is the link to that!

Here is the link to that! https://gofund.me/938aa6fb

Something I explored a lot while I was in the UK was the different levels of climate awareness in farming and food. Although we are seeing these “sustainable” movements pop up, they are not so robust everywhere. In Morocco, the eco-friendly and permaculture community is smaller and traditional ways of farming still have a huge grasp. Regardless, I have found communities where people are really trying to get the word out and make a difference, even if no one else around them is. Taha, my last host is one of these people. He is at the beginning of setting up a permaculture eco-village just outside of Rabat. He is truly trying to create a piece of land that works with the earth rather than against it. Here Taha is making an effort to change opinions on sustainable living. He has had struggles with convincing people that some of the traditional or mainstream ways of farming are bad for the environment, even though the effects of global warming are becoming obvious, especially with droughts happening more frequently in the area. He is trying to not use any plastic, no chemicals and show the people around him that it can be done, and work even better than traditional agriculture. This is an interesting thought here, calling industrial agriculture “traditional” because at a certain point before the use of chemicals and machinery was in wide use in agriculture, these methods that work with the entire system and use more manual labor would have been considered traditional. Now they are seen as new even though many of these movements are drawing on a lot of traditional ecological knowledge that people have been using for a lot longer than mechanized ways of food production. 

Every evening we take the cows to the pasture, it is the most enjoyable part of my job here. Just to take a moment, watching the cows graze, hearing them munch on grass and acacia, while the sun is setting is one of the most peaceful experiences I have had in my life. Here is where we have many talks about our experiences and I got to learn a lot about what led him down this path. 

Growing up, his parents had done intensive farming on this land, so that was all he knew. When he decided he wanted to return to farming after many years of living in the city, he was planning to do just the same. He had started small, buying a couple of cows to raise and get back into the farming mindset. Unfortunately, after a few months, his cows were stolen and he was very discouraged. After that incident, he decided he needed to begin with what he had, and that was lemon trees. He began working in the orchard and one season, his lemon trees got a disease (fungus). He went to the store to ask how he could solve it. The guy at the store told him only of chemical solutions to the problem, Taha said he used strong, almost violent words in describing what to do to the trees and it unsettled him. He went home and began to research natural ways to help the trees. This sent him down a path of learning about eco-friendly and organic farming. As he began to make this shift, one of his friends told him that permaculture encapsulated exactly what he was trying to achieve, so he began studying. Taha is just at he beginning of his journey but has accomplished so much in bringing his land to life and really putting his ideas into action.

Even with the practice of “modern” ideas at Taha’s farm, I felt like I was living in the most traditional house I had in Morocco. Every day we ate tagine and drank tea, I learned more Darija than I had on my entire trip and met people that will have a lasting impact on me. 

After a long day at work, Taha and I would go get Bisara in the nearby village, which has now become one of my favorite soups. It is so hearty, simple, and just yummy. Bisara is broad bean based soup. It obviously has different versions throughout northern Africa and is mainly consumed in Egypt and Morocco. The version here contains pureed broad beans, garlic, and sautéed onion served with lots and lots of olive oil, paprika, and cumin to top. It is so so good, I cannot wait to make it a staple in my house. 

On my last day, Taha took me to get my very own Tagine that I will bring home. I can’t wait to try cooking with it when I get home and see how well I will do replicating the Moroccan cuisine on the other side of the world. It is sad to leave Morocco, I have had such a full experience, and I feel like I have covered only a fraction of my experience in this post. It is now a place that I feel a deep connection with and cannot wait to return to someday. I have been able to learn so much, impacted by the people I have met, and experience a culture that at times felt completely opposite to my own.