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Since 2010

Morocco's cuisine draws its richness from a long and eventful history and the diverse influences of its traditional cultures.

From the first settlements of the Berber tribes, through the arrival of the Arabs, then the Andalusians and the Jews expelled from Spain, to the influence of the Ottomans - the country's ethnic diversity, culinary borrowings and products from different continents have contributed to the development of a cuisine in Morocco that today enjoys a worldwide reputation.

The different peoples left their mark, but the Andalusians undoubtedly had the greatest influence on Moroccan cuisine. In contrast to other Arab countries, where even salads are heavily peppered on the table, the surprises in Morocco are more often sweet than spicy.

However, harissa, a fiery sauce made from hot chilies, cumin, coriander, garlic and olive oil, is used extensively in Moroccan cuisine.

The history of spices is full of legends and adventures, and their aroma in the souks and kitchens inevitably conjures up an oriental atmosphere. Piled up in pyramid shapes, they are sold loose from woven baskets in the markets. Each spice has its own special taste qualities as well as beneficial and stimulating properties.

Although the basic ingredients of Moroccan cuisine are manageable, the abundance of spices opens up an unimagined variety and diversity of dishes. The spices are always bought individually in small quantities and ready-made spice mixtures are avoided. Mixing spices together is an art and requires knowledge of which flavours harmonize with each other.

A special spice mixture is Ras el Hanut (literally “the head/the noblest of the store”). Every trader has his own recipe. Different types of paprika, chili and pepper are part of the mixture, which consists of a total of 27 herbs and spices. Ras el hanut can also be bought unground, but is usually sold in powder form. Genuine ras el hanut is brownish in color and has a very intense aroma.

Other frequently used spices are saffron, cumin, coriander, paprika and fenugreek, which are grown in Morocco itself, and cinnamon, ginger and cloves, which are imported from the Orient.

Whether on the dinner tables of the bourgeoisie or the tables of ordinary people, couscous is the ultimate convivial dish. It is served at every conceivable occasion.

Couscous is always prepared in the same way from wheat, barley or corn semolina. Barley or corn semolina (depending on the region) with vegetables and a type of meat. Couscous with several types of meat is a Western invention. A single type of meat brings out the flavor of the vegetables and the broth better.

Moroccans eat couscous skillfully and mannerly with three fingers of the right hand: a piece of vegetable or meat is picked up together with some couscous and rolled into a spherical morsel with a twisting motion and then brought to the mouth.

Couscous is often eaten with a spoon, however, as it is served without bread.

Bread
Bread is served generously with every meal, as the pieces of bread replace the fork and spoon. It is considered sacred and is treated with corresponding respect. It is a symbol of sharing and hospitality and a source of “baraka”, divine blessing, joy and happiness.

Tajine originally referred to a round pot with a conical lid. It now also gives the dish its name. The thick-walled clay pot protects the food from the hot flame and distributes the heat slowly and evenly so that the contents are cooked slowly and gently. There are countless ways to prepare a tajine, which vary depending on the region.

Like almost all Moroccan dishes, the tajine is served with plenty of bread, as pieces of bread replace a fork and spoon. A bite-sized “scoop” is formed from a torn piece of bread or it is used like “tongs” and the food is jammed into it.

Pieces of bread should only be dipped into the food once and should then be eaten.

Pickled lemons
In Morocco and Andalusia, citrus fruits, as well as fish and meat, are pickled in salt after drying, not in oil or vinegar as in other Mediterranean countries. In Morocco, thin-skinned and untreated lemons are preferred.

Thé à la menthe
A welcome drink and digestif, refreshment in summer and a warming drink in winter. Thé à la menthe is the national drink of Morocco and is drunk very hot, very sweet and practically everywhere and at any time of day. The ubiquitous drink is brewed from Chinese green tea, flavored with fresh mint, scented with wormwood leaves, basil, orange blossom or St. John's wort, depending on preference.

The success of the tea preparation depends largely on the quality of the green tea and the fresh mint. The brewing tea is poured into a glass several times for testing and then poured back into the pot so that it mixes well.