Pastries

On a recent visit to the mountains while having mint tea we were given a beautiful plate of pastries which I just thought I would share. Remember I was saying that each place has its own unique pastries, here are some new ones - the heart shaped ones were the best....

New treats

Our flat is in a great location and there are loads of nice places around to eat and drink so we are slowly trying each one. The other morning for breakfast we went to this little bakery and for my 'research' I decided to try a few new things.

Well, for 15p each or less you can't really go wrong.

The first thing i tried was what looked to me like a sausage roll, in fact, inside there was tuna - even better - it was delicious!

The second was a chocolate filled biscuit - quite plain and a bit of a disappointment but probably great with a cup of English tea or hot chocolate.

Finally, and I didn't really need to try these, were gorgeous meringues, not like i normally see them in blobs but much more beautiful like plaits.

 

Tagine or Tanjia

Tagines and Tanjia's are made in different ways using different pots. I will put recipes and photos of tagines and tanjias i have made and had later. Right now i just wanted to explain the different shaped pots used for each as it can be confusing. Both dishes are slow cooked meals but they are made in very different pots which makes them different from one another as they cook in different ways. Tanjias are also unique to Marrakech. Tagines are made in the dish that most people have seen, this is the hat or conical shaped one in the pictures below. Tanjias are made in pots that look like roman vases with little handles at the top and are generally cooked in the ashes of a fire.

Moroccan mint tea

Mint tea is the staple drink throughout Morocco. It is made from hot water, gunpowder green tea, fresh mint and sugar. When you order a mint tea in Morocco, generally the sugar will always be included and Moroccans love it very sweet. If you don't like your tea so sweet, you can always ask for the sugar on the side. The presentation is important, it is always served in a tea pot with small cups and a pot of sugar, just in case its not sweet enough.

The actual pouring is very important, I always get this wrong, so pay attention. You must never drink the first glass poured from the teapot, it must always be poured back into the teapot. This is to make sure all the ingredients are mixed together and also to make the mint infuse more. You can do this pouring back thing a few more times before your officially ready to drink.

When you actually pour a glass of tea, the key is to create bubbles. In fact, the more and the larger the bubbles the better, this is why the tea is best poured from a great height.

My favourite place to enjoy mint tea is on the roof of a riad in the sunshine or over breakfast.

Marrakech treats

For those with a sweet tooth, the patisseries just off the Djemaa el fna (main square in Marrakech) are well worth a visit. My favourite little pastries look almost like peanut butter filled ice cream cones. Each city has their own unique styles and shapes of pastries.

Cactus fruit

One of the most interesting fruits I've tried while in Morocco is the cactus fruit or prickly pear as I've seen its called here. It is sweet yet savoury and juicy. It is bright red on the plant then becomes green when its ripe and inside it is yellow.

The market

Buying food from the market in Essouira is a must, beautiful fruit, olives, biscuits and sweets. 

Refuelling

Every time we go to Essouira there are a few important places we always make sure we visit. These places all include some kind of food or drink (of course).

Place number 1. The fish market.....

The fish market is right in the middle of the main market, hidden behind the stalls. The only way to find it is to follow your nose or spot the huge flock of seagulls flying above it. The market has the most amazing mix of weird and wonderful fish and fauna, all freshly caught that morning. I would say it is our favourite place to eat. They have huge bbq's and once you pick the fish, they gut it and cook it for you. While your fish is in the bbq line you can feast on fries, bread, olives and tomato salad. A word of warning, don't make our mistake and eat all this before your fish comes as it will be worth the wait.

Below in the pictures you can see what Moroccans call belt fish (for obvious reasons), then a shark being dissected and finally some gorgeous little fish all standing to attention.

Place number 2. La Patisserie......

For our mid morning snack an avocado smoothie (sounds gross but its delicious!) always goes down well. We are also slowly working our way through the huge varieties of pastries.

Place number 3. The breakfast snack shack

We try to make it here at least once during our stay for a beautiful breakfast including mint tea and flat bread with honey and herb butter (matloue). The flat bread can also be eaten as a savoury dish, stuffed with meat, onions, pepper etc

Essouira

Essouira is a beautiful little town a couple of hours outside Marrakech, by the coast. It is a refreshing break from the hectic city and an easy place to while away the hours.The town is painted either using blues or whites and it has long been a haunt for people like Jimi Hendrix. There is a huge music festival held here every summer.