An Edible Education in Marrakech

Marrakech is many things all at once: a modern metropolis with an ancient heart, a burgeoning retail hot spot and (not surprisingly) a foodies paradise. Offering everything from deluxe, dining experiences in hip restaurants to flavoursome feasts at rooftop eateries and casual-yet-delicious street eats, Marrakech rates as one of my top food cities. By night, Djemaa El-Fna (the main square) reveals stalls selling sizzling, smoky meats and street vendors pushing carts of pastries, nuts and other delectable, sweet treats. Around the corner, neighbourhood juice bars take oranges, mangoes and peaches and whip them up into zesty pick-me-ups. For the adventurous, exotic smoothies including nuts, dates and avocado are also on offer.

Marrakech treats visitors to delicious, dining experiences worthy of applause (and sometimes even a standing ovation). But how do you even begin to replicate these morsels of Moroccan magic back at home? Cooking classes run by locals are a great way to learn some cooking tricks and connect with time-honoured culinary traditions.

While in Marrakech, I spent half a day with a local woman, learning the secrets of Morocco's famous dishes. But this was no ordinary cooking class - it was also a lesson in the Arabic language and market bargaining etiquette. Starting at the markets, we set about sourcing our fresh produce from the food sellers that populate the narrow alleyways of the ancient souq. Vibrant vegetables are on offer, as well as fresh meat, olives and of course, the backbone of Moroccan cooking - aromatic herbs and spices.

Heading back to the rooftop of a beautifully restored riad, I'm set to work preparing the vegetables and chicken for our dish of the day which turns out to be a true, Moroccan classic - Chicken, Preserved Lemon and Green Olive Tajine. Under gentle instruction, what at first seemed like a complicated dish is actually quite simple. With a focus on quality, freshness and simplicity, time is taken to allow the natural flavours to develop. No short cuts are taken and there is no desire to hurry to process, which makes for a relaxing way of cooking and learning.

As the tajine bubbles away we chat and drink mint tea while relaxing on the luxurious ottoman-style sofa until the magic moment arrives. As I savour the aromatic flavours of the tajine I'm impressed that I've been able to contribute to this culinary creation. It's every bit as delicious as expected and as a serving of seconds (and I'm ashamed to say, thirds) is heaped onto my plate, I can see an afternoon nap on the horizon!

Working in the travel industry, more and more I'm seeing food as a key driver in deciding where people choose to holiday and what types of experiences they have while overseas. While lying on beaches or visiting museums is certainly fun, nothing quite matches the level of excitement and delight that is aroused by discovering an awesome bakery in Paris, that perfect slice of pizza in Naples or in this case, the secret to tajine success.

For inspiration on seeing (and tasting) the world, head to:

www.intrepidtravel.com

www.urbanadventures.com

Jo Stewart is a travel writer, photographer & media spokesperson for Intrepid Travel