Morocco: Road Trip

: NORA FITZGERALD; 01/23/12

Marakkech / Morocco Board News-- Road trip in Morocco means roadside cafe tajines. The best ones are prepared in the morning and slow cooked on charcoal for a good 3 or 4 hours.

Onions, meat, veggies and olives. My favorite part is the caramelized/burned onions that you scrape off the bottom of the tajine. When I was pregnant with my firstborn I craved nothing more than one of these beauties…alas roadside tajines are not common in California.

Agadir is one of Morocco’s newest cities. An earthquake in 1960 completely destroyed the city. Since then it’s been rebuilt, and it’s retained a newish, cleanish aura. We went there at the end of December and found the resort town eerily empty, not the usual bustle of sun-seeking tourists. Welcome to the worldwide recession folks.

I love a good stone/adobe wall. Solid, real, beautiful. Whenever I see one I get a good look, because this building technique is fast disappearing, giving way to the fast, cheap and durable cinder block.

Along a dusty alley in Southern village I discovered this giant bag full of Argan shells. Once you go south of Marrakesh you see a LOT of Argan trees and the oil is sold everywhere. You’ve heard this all before, but let’s give a recap on why Argan oil is such a high-profile oil. For one, the trees only grow in Morocco and in some areas of Mexico. And it’s supposed to be great for you, whether on your skin or on your plate. I use Argan oil on my skin on a regular basis and the thing I like most about it is it’s a dry, non-greasy type of oil, unlike olive oil for instance. It’s good, not miraculous, but good.

Add comment

While Morocco News Board encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. MoroccoBoard.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published. Please Read Site's Terms of Use