Morocco -- Fez: World Heritage Site

by Fodor's Travel Guide to Morocco

Fez is one of the world's most spectacular city-museums and exotic medieval labyrinth—mysterious, mesmerizing and sometimes overwhelming. Passing through one of the babs (gates) into Fez el-Bali is like entering a time warp, with only the numerous satellite dishes installed on nearly every roof as a reminder you're in the 21st century, not the 8th. As you maneuver your way through crowded passages illuminated by shafts of sunlight streaming through thatched roofs of the kissaria (covered markets), the cries of "Balek!" ("Watch out!") from donkey drivers pushing overloaded mules—overlapped with the cacophony of locals bartering, coppersmiths hammering, and citywide call to prayer—blend with the strong odors of aromatic spices, fresh dung, curing leather, and smoking grills for an incredible sensorial experience you will never forget.

Designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Fez and Meknes are respectively, the Arab and Berber capitals of Morocco, ancient centers of learning. culture. and craftsmanship.  Recognized as Morocco's intellectual and spiritual center, Fez has one of the world's oldest universities as well as the largest intact medieval quarters.  It is the country's second-largest city (after Casablanca) with a population of approximately 1 million.  Meknes, with nearly 850000 inhabitants, offers a chance to experience all the sights, sounds, and smells of Fez on a slightly smaller, more manageable scale.  Both Fez and Meknes still remain two of Morocco's most authentic and fascinating cities, outstanding for their history and culture and rival Marrakesh as top tourist destinations and hosts of international events and festivals.

In between Fez and Marrakesh, the Middle Atlas is a North African Arcadia, where rivers, woodlands, and valley grasslands show off Morocco's inland beauty.  Snowy cedar forests, ski slopes, and trout streams are not images normally associated with the country, yet the Middle Atlas unfolds like an ersatz alpine fantasy less than an hour from medieval Fez.  To remind you that this is still North Africa, Barbary monkeys scurry around the roadsides, and the traditional djellaba (hooded gown) and veil appear in ski areas.

Most travelers to Morocco can get a glance of the Middle Atlas as they whiz between Fez and Marrakesh, or between Meknes and points south.  The central highland's Berber villages, secret valleys, scenic woods, dramatically barren landscapes, and hilly plains blanketed with olive groves lie in stark contrast to the exotic imperial cities.  For this reason alone, the region is rewarding to discover for its integrity and authenticity.

Fez El-Bali

Fez el-Bali is a living crafts workshop and market that has changed little in the past millennium.  With no vehicles allowed and some 1.000 very narrow debris (dead-end alleys), it beckons the walker on an endless and absorbing odyssey.  Exploring this honeycomb of 9th-century alleys and passageways with occasionally chaotic crowds, steep inclines and pitted cobblestone steps is a challenging adventure.  At night, the adventure can become quite intimidating.  Fez isn't really yours, however, until you've tackled it on your own. become hopelessly lost a few times. and survived to tell the tale.

Andalusian Mosque

This mosque was built in AD 859 by Mariam, sister of Fatima al-Fihri, who had erected the Kairaouine Mosque on the river's other side two years earlier with inherited family wealth. The gate was built by the Almohads in the 12th century. The grand carved doors on the north entrance, domed Zenet minaret, and detailed cedarwood carvings in the eaves, which bear a striking resemblance to those in the Fondouk Nejjarine, are the main things to see here, as the mosque itself is set back on a small elevation, making it hard to examine from outside.


Attarine Medersa

The Attarine Medersa (Koranic school of the Spice Sellers) was named for local spice merchants known as attar. Founded by Merinid Sultan Abou Saïd Othman in the 14th century as a students' dormitory attached to the Kairaouine Mosque next door, its graceful proportions, elegant, geometric carved-cedar ornamentation, and excellent state of preservation make it one of the best representations of Moorish architecture in Fez.






Bab Boujeloud

Built in 1913 by General Hubert Lyautey, Moroccan commander under the French protectorate, this Moorish-style gate is 1,000 years younger than the rest of the medina. It's considered the principal and most beautiful point of entry into the Fez el-Bali. The side facing towards the Fez el-Djedid is covered with blue ceramic tiles painted with flowers and calligraphy; the inside is green, the official color of Islam—or of peace, depending on interpretation.


Bou Inania Medersa

From outside Bab Boujeloud you will see this medersa's green-tile tower, generally considered the most beautiful of the Kairaouine University's 14th-century residential colleges. It was built by order of Abou Inan, the first ruler of the Merenid dynasty, which would become the most decisive ruling clan in Fez's development. The main components of the medersa's stunningly intricate decorative artwork are: the green-tile roofing; the cedar eaves and upper patio walls carved in floral and geometrical motifs; the carved-stucco mid-level walls; the ceramic-tile lower walls covered with calligraphy (Kufi script, essentially cursive Arabic) and geometric designs; and, finally, the marble floor. Showing its age, the carved cedar is still dazzling, with each square inch a masterpiece of handcrafted sculpture involving long hours of the kind of concentration required to memorize the Koran. The black belt of ceramic tile around the courtyard bears Arabic script reading "this is a place of learning" and other such exhortatory academic messages.

Cherratine Medersa

Recent restoration against humidity and other natural agressions has kept this important historical site intact. Constructed in 1670 by Moulay Rachid, this is one of Fez's two Alaouite medersas. More austere than the 14th-century medersas of the Merenids, the Cherratine is more functional, designed to hold over 200 students. It's interesting primarily as a contrast to the intricate craftsmanship and decorative intent of the Merenid structures. The entry doors beautifully engraved in bronze lead to the douiras, narrow residential blocks consisting of a honeycomb of small rooms.


Fontaine Nejjarine

This ceramic-tile, cedar-ceiling public fountain is one of the more beautiful and historic of its kind in Fez el-Bali. The first fountain down from Bab Boujeloud, Fontaine Nejjarine seems a miniature version of the Nejjarine fondouk (medieval inn), with its geometrically decorated tiles and intricately carved cedar eaves overhead.





Kairaouine Mosque

This is considered one of the most important mosques in the Western Muslim world. One look through the main doorway will give you an idea of its immensity. With about 10,760 square feet, the Kairaouine was Morocco's largest mosque until Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque came along in the early 1990s. Built in AD 857 by Fatima, the daughter of a wealthy Kairaouine refugee, the mosque became the home of the West's first university and the world's foremost center of learning at the beginning of the second millennium. Stand at the entrance door's left side for a peek through the dozen horseshoe arches into the mihrab (marked by a hanging light). An east-facing alcove or niche used for leading prayer, the mihrab is rounded and covered with an arch designed to project sound back through the building. Lean in and look up to the brightly painted and intricately carved wood ceiling. If you're lucky enough to visit during the early morning cleaning, two huge wooden doors by the entrance swing open, providing a privileged view of the vast interior. For a good view of the courtyard, also head to the rooftop of the Attarine Medersa.

Musee des Armes

Built in 1582 under the command of Saadian sultan Ahmed el-Mansoor, this former fortress perched above the city guarded and controlled the Fez el-Bali. In 1963, a huge collection of weapons originally housed in the Museum Dar el-Batha was brought to the historic site, creating the interesting display in what is now the Museum of Arms. Sabres, swords, shields, and armour from the 19th century showcase the history of how arms played a social role in tribal hierarchy. Of importance is the arsenal of sultans Moulay Ismail and Moulay Mohammed Beh Abdellah—the elaborate Berber guns encrusted in enamel, ivory, silver, and precious gems date back to the 17th century. Walk up to the crenellated rooftop in late afternoon for a beautiful panoramic view of the city.

 Musee Nejjarine des Arts et Metiers du Bois

This 14th-century fondouk, or Inn of the Carpenters, is without a doubt the medina's most modern-looking restored monument. The three-story patio displays Morocco's various native woods, 18th- and 19th-century woodworking tools, and a series of antique wooden doors and pieces of furniture. For 10 DH enjoy mint tea on the rooftop consommation terrassewith panoramic views over the medina. Don't miss the former jail cell on the ground floor, or the large scales—a reminder of the building's original functions, commerce on the patio floor and lodging on the three levels above. Check out the palatial, cedar-ceiling public bathrooms, certainly the finest of its kind in Fez.




Place Seffarine

This wide, triangular souk of the dinandiers, or coppersmiths, is a welcome open space, a comfortable break from tight crags and corners. Donkeys and their masters wait for transport work here, and a couple of trees are reminders this was once a fertile valley alongside the Fez River. Copper and brass bowls, plates, and buckets are wrought and hammered over fires around the market's edge, where the smells of soldering irons and donkey droppings permeate the air. Look towards the Kairaouine Mosque at the top of the square to see the Kairaouine University library, which once housed the world's best collection of Islamic literature. Recently restored, it is open only to Muslim scholars.


Sahrij Medersa

Built by the Merenids in the 14th century and showing its age, one of the medina's finest medersas is named for the sahrij (pool) on which its patio is centered. Rich chocolate-color cedar wall carvings have significantly faded from intense sun exposure and the zellij mosaic tiling, some of the oldest in the country, are crumbling, but the medersa remains active, providing rooms and an open bathing area for mostly Senegalese students of Koranic studies. Head up the narrow steps leading to empty rooms over the central patio—you may hear the chanting of Koranic verses or see numerous birds roosting in the ancient eaves.

Souk el-Henna
 This little henna market is one of the medina's most picturesque squares, with a massive, gnarled fig tree in the center and rows of spices, hennas, kohls, and aphrodisiacs for sale in the tiny stalls around the edges. The ceramic shops on the way into the henna souk sell a wide variety of typically blue Fassi pottery. At the square's end is a plaque dedicated to the Maristan Sidi Frej, a medical center and psychiatric and teaching hospital built by the Merenid ruler Youssef Ibn Yakoub in 1286. Used as a model for the world's first mental hospital—founded in Valencia, Spain, in 1410—the Maristan operated until 1944.

Terrasse des Tanneurs
 The medieval tanneries are at once beautiful, for their ancient dyeing vats of reds, yellows, and blues, and unforgettable, for the nauseating, putrid smell of rotting animal flesh on sheep, goat, cow, and camel skins. The terrace overlooking the dyeing vats is high enough to escape the place's full fetid power and get a spectacular view over the multicolor vats. Absorb both the process and the finished product on Chouara Lablida, just past Rue Mechatine (named for the combs made from animals' horns): numerous stores are filled with loads of leather goods, including coats, bags, and babouches (traditional slippers). One of the shopkeepers will explain what's going on in the tanneries below—how the skins are placed successively in saline solution, lime, pigeon droppings, and then any of several natural dyes: poppies for red, tumeric for yellow, saffron for orange, indigo for blue, and mint for green. Barefoot workers in shorts pick up skins from the bottoms of the dyeing vats with their feet, then work them manually. Though this may look like the world's least desirable job, the work is relatively well paid and still in demand for a strong export market.

Zaouia of Moulay Idriss II
Originally built by the Idriss dynasty in the 9th century in honor of the city's founder—just 33 at the time of his death—this zaouia (sanctuary) was restored by the Merenid dynasty in the 13th century and has became one of the medina's holiest shrines. Particularly known for his baraka (divine protection), Moulay Idriss II had an especially strong cult among women seeking fertility and pilgrims hoping for good luck. The wooden beam at the entrance, about 6 feet from the ground, was originally placed there to keep Jews, Christians, and donkeys out of the horm, the sacred area surrounding the shrine itself. Inside the horm, Moroccans have historically enjoyed official sanctuary—they cannot be arrested if sought by the law. You may be able to catch a glimpse of the saint's tomb at the far right corner through the doorway; look for the fervently faithful burning candles and incense and tomb's silk-brocade covering. Note the rough wooden doors themselves, worn smooth with hundreds of years of kissing and caressing the wood for baraka.


Fez El-Djedid
Fez el-Djedid (New Fez) lies southwest of Bab Boujeloud between Fez el-Bali and the Ville Nouvelle.  Built after 1273 by the Merenid dynasty as a govrenment seat and stronghold, it remained the administrative center of Morocco until 1912, when Rabat took over this role and diminished this area's visibility and activity.  The three distinct segments of Fez el-Djedid consist of the Royal Palace in the west, the Jewish Quarter in the south, and Muslim District in the east.

Bab es Seba
Named for the seven (seba) brothers of Moulay Abdellah who reigned during the 18th century, the Gate of Seven connects two open spaces originally designed for military parades and royal ceremonies, the Petit Méchouar and Vieux Méchouar, now known as Moulay Hassan II Square. It was from this gate that Prince Ferdinand, brother of Duarte, king of Portugal, was hanged head-down for four days in 1437 after being captured during a failed Portuguese invasion of Tangier.

Dar el-Makhzen
Fez's Royal Palace and gardens are strictly closed to the public, but they're an impressive sight even from the outside. From Place des Alaouites, take a close look at the door's giant brass knockers, made by artisans from Fez el-Bali, as well as the brass doors themselves. Inside are various palaces, 200 acres of gardens, and parade grounds, as well as a medersa founded in 1320. One of the palaces inside, Dar el-Qimma, has intricately engraved and painted ceilings. The street running along the palace's southeast side is Rue Bou Khessissat, one side of which is lined with typically ornate residential facades from the Mellah's edge. Note: Security in this area is high and should be respected. Guards watch visitors carefully and will warn that photographs of the palace are forbidden; cameras are sometimes confiscated.

Mellah
With its characteristically ornate balconies and forged-iron windows, the Mellah was created in the 15th century when the Jews, forced out of the medina in one of Morocco's recurrent pogroms, were removed from their previous ghetto near Bab Guissa and set up as royal financial consultants and buffers between the Merenid rulers and the people. Fez's Jewish community suffered repressive measures until the beginning of the French protectorate in 1912. Faced with an uncertain future after Morocco gained independence in 1956, nearly all of Fez's Jews migrated to Israel, the United States, or Casablanca. Head to the terrace of Danan Synagogue on Rue Der el-Ferah Teati for a panoramic view of the district.

Museum of Moroccan Arts
Housed in Dar Batha, a late-19th-century Andalusian palace built by Moulay el Hassan, the museum of Moroccan Arts has one of Morocco's finest handicrafts collections. The display of pottery, for which Fez is particularly famous, includes rural earthenware crockery and elaborate plates painted with geometrical patterns. Other displays feature embroidery stitched with real gold, astrolabes from the 11th to the 18th century, illuminated Korans, and Berber carpets and kilims.

Moulay Abdellah Quarter
 Built by the Merenids as a government seat and a stronghold against their subjects, this area lost its purpose when Rabat became the Moroccan capital under the French protectorate in 1912. Subsequently a red-light district filled with brothels and dance halls, the quarter was closed to foreigners for years. Historic highlights include the vertically green-striped Moulay Abdellah Mosque and the Great Mosque Abu Haq, built by the Merenid sultan in 1276.

Morocco -- Ouarzazate

by Fodor's Travel Guide to Morocco

Ouarzazate is Morocco's Hollywood, and the industry can regularly be found setting up shop in this sprawling desert crossroads with wide, palm-fringed boulevards. Brad Pitt, Penélope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Samuel L. Jackson, Cate Blanchett, and many more have graced the suites and streets. Despite the Tinseltown vibe and huge, publicly accessible film sets, Ouarzazate remains at its heart a dusty ghost town. Its main recommendation is the dramatic surrounding terrain that makes it a mainstay for filmmakers: the red-glowing kasbah at Aït Ben Haddou; the snow-capped High Atlas and the Sahara, with tremendous canyons, gorges, and lunar-like steppes in between.

Ouarzazate, which means "no noise" in the Berber Tamazigh language, was once a very quiet place. An isolated military outpost during the years of the French protectorate, it now benefits from increased tourism and economic development thanks to the Moroccan film industry. The movie business provides casual work for almost half of the local population and there is now a film school providing training in the cinema arts for Moroccan and international students. But the town retains its laid-back atmosphere, making it a great place to sit at a sidewalk café, sip a café noir, and spot visiting celebrities.

Morocco -- Ait Benhaddou

by Wikipedia

Aït Benhaddou is a fortified city, or ksar, along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. It is situated in Souss-Massa-Drâa on a hill along the Ounila River and is known for its kasbahs, although they take damage with each rainstorm. Most of the town's inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; however, eight families still live within the ksar.
Aït Benhaddou has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987^[1] and several films have been shot there, including:

• Sodom And Gomorrah (1963)
• The Man Who Would Be King (film) (1975)
• The Message (1976)
• Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
• Time Bandits (1981)
• Marco Polo (1982)
• The Jewel of the Nile (1985)
• The Living Daylights (1987)
• The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
• The Sheltering Sky (1990)
• Kundun (1997)
• The Mummy (1999)
• Gladiator (2000)
• Alexander (2004)
• Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
• Babel (2006)
• Prince of Persia (2010)

Also used in parts of the TV series Game of Thrones.

Morocco -- Marrakesh

by Fodor's Travel Guide to Morocco

Marrakesh is Morocco's most intoxicating city. Ever since Morocco's Jewel of the South became a trading and resting place on the ancient caravan routes from Timbuktu, the city has barely paused for breath.

Ali ben Youssef Medersa

If you want a little breath taken out of you, don't pass up the chance to see this extraordinarily well-preserved 16th-century Koranic school, North Africa's largest such institution. The delicate intricacy of the gibs (stucco plasterwork), carved cedar, and zellij (mosaic) on display in the central courtyard makes the building seem to loom taller than it really does. As many as 900 students from Muslim countries all over the world once studied here, and arranged around the courtyard are their former sleeping quarters—a network of tiny upper-level rooms that resemble monks' cells. The building was erected in the 14th century by the Merenids in a somewhat different style from that of other medersas; later, in the 16th century, Sultan Abdullah el Ghallib rebuilt it almost completely, adding the Andalusian details. The large main courtyard, framed by two columned arcades, opens into a prayer hall elaborately decorated with rare palm motifs as well as the more-customary Islamic calligraphy. The medersa also contains a small mosque.




Souks

The vast, labyrinth of narrow streets and derbs at the center of the medina is the souk—Marrakesh's marketplace and a wonder of arts, crafts, and workshops. Every step brings you face-to-face with the colorful handicrafts and bazaars for which Marrakesh is so famous. In the past, every craft had a special zone within the market—a souk within the souk. Today savvy vendors have pushed south to tap trading opportunities as early as possible, and few of the original sections remain. Look for incongruities born of the modern era. Beside handcrafted wooden pots for kohl eye makeup are modern perfume stores; where there is a world of hand-sewn djellabas at one turn, you'll find soccer jerseys after the next; fake Gucci caps sit beside handmade Berber carpets, their age-old tassels fluttering in the breeze.

As you wander through the souk, take note of landmarks so you can return to a particular bazaar without too much trouble. Once the bazaars' shutters are closed, they're often unrecognizable. The farther north you go the more the lanes twist, turn, and entwine. Should you have to retrace your steps, a compass comes in handy, as does a mental count of how many left or right turns you've taken since you left the main drag. But mostly you'll rely on people in the souk to point the way. If you ask a shopkeeper, rather than a loitering local you'll be less likely to be "guided."

This is an oil painting of Marrakesh done by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, which he gave to his friend President Franklin Roosevelt following the 1943 Casablanca Conference. The painting depicts the Tower of Katoubia Mosque in Marrakesh.

Morocco -- Special Experiences

by Fodor's Guide to Morocco

For a sense of Moroccan culture, a good start would be to embrace some of the ongoing rituals of daily life. These are a few highlights—customs and sites you can experience with relative ease.

 

Mint Tea

When in Morocco, it's a good idea to make friends with mint tea. This sweet and aromatic brew is the national drink, offered for, with, and following breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's served as an icebreaker for anything from rug selling in the Meknès souk to matchmaking at the Imilchil marriage market. Dubbed "Moroccan (or Berber) whiskey," thé à la menthe is Chinese green tea brewed with a handful of mint leaves and liberally loaded up with sugar. Introduced to Morocco only in the mid-19th century when blockaded British merchants unloaded ample quantities of tea at major ports, the tradition has now become such a symbol of Moroccan hospitality that not drinking three small glasses of tea when your host or business contact offers it to you is nearly a declaration of hostilities. Generally ordered by the pot and poured from on high in order to release the aromas and aerate the beverage, mint tea is recommended in cold weather or in sweltering heat as a tonic, a mild stimulant, and a digestive.

 

Music

Music is integral to daily and ritual life in Morocco, both for enjoyment and as a form of social commentary. It emanates from homes, stores, markets, and public squares everywhere you go. Joujouka music is perhaps the best known, but every region has its own distinct sound. In the Rif you'll hear men singing poetry accompanied by guitar and high-pitched women's choruses; in Casablanca, rai (opinion) music, born of social protest, keeps young men company on the streets; cobblers in the Meknès medina may work to the sounds of violin-based Andalusian classical music or the more-folksy Arabic melhoun, sung poetry; and you know you've reached the south when you hear the banjo of the roving storytelling rawais in Marrakesh. Gnaoua music is best known for its use in trance rituals, but it has become popular street entertainment; the performer's brass qaraqa hand cymbals and cowrie shell–adorned hat betray the music's sub-Saharan origins. Seek out live music at public squares such as Marrakesh's Djemaâ el-Fna, or attend a festival, a regional moussem (pilgrimage festival), or even a rural market to see the performances locals enjoy.

 

Markets

Moroccan markets, souks, and bazaars buzz with life. Every town and city in Morocco revolves, in one way or another, around its market, and beginning your exploration at the hub of urban life is one of the best ways to start a crash course in wherever you find yourself. The chromatically riotous displays of fruit and vegetables are eye-bogglingly rich and as geometrically complex as the most intricate aspects of Islamic architecture and design. Fez el-Bali is virtually all market, with the exception of the craftsmen and artisans preparing their wares for market. Fez's henna souk is famous for its intimate ambience and archaic elegance. Marrakesh's central market stretching out behind Djemaâ el-Fna square could take a lifetime to explore. The Meknès market next to Place el-Hedim is smaller but loaded with everything from sturdy earthenware tagines to a wide selection of Moroccan spices and fish fresh from the Atlantic. Casablanca's Marché Central in the heart of the city is one of the most picturesque and least Europeanized parts of an otherwise unremarkable urban sprawl. Essaouira's crafts and produce market shares this light and cheerful town's easygoing atmosphere, and shopping there becomes a true pleasure rather than a grim battle over haggling leverage.

Trek the mountains of the High Atlas.

For spectacular vistas and fresh air, the High Atlas is a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of urban Morocco. Hiking North Africa's tallest peak, Djebel Toubkal, rising to nearly 14,000 feet, is only a two-day climb best done in late summer. Guides can lead amateur hikers through rural Berber villages and rocky paths less strenuous but equally rewarding. Head to the Ourika Valley for a variety of outdoor adventure—it's a justifiably popular region to hang-glide, ski, or ride mules to hidden waterfalls and tranquil hilltop gardens.

 

Bargain for babouches in the leather tanneries of Fez.

With the stench of animal skins curing in the hot sun and sounds of workmen laboring in the rainbow of dye vats beneath rows of open terraces, there is no better place to contribute to the artisanal cooperatives if you want to buy beautifully handmade leather house slippers, bags, belts, jackets, and poufs. Negotiating in one of the many shops claiming to be the best producer of leather goods guarantees a memorable experience as you haggle dirhams while sniffing a complimentary bunch of mint leaves to offset the strong acidic smell of natural curing ingredients in the medina air.

 

Dine on kebabs and harira from a street-market grill.

The intoxicating aromas of freshly grilled skewers of meat and simmering spicy soup in qissarias (open markets) and roadside stands tantalize even the most cautious traveler. Follow the rising smoke from burners and indulge in local cuisine ranging from beef brochettes and merguez sausages to fried calamari and whole fish caught fresh from the Atlantic and seared to perfection. For the more adventurous gourmand, snail soup and sheep's brains can be sampled. Sop it all up with freshly baked kesra (flatbread).

 

People-Watching

Morocco is a visual spectacle in every sense, and the human fauna are beyond a doubt the runaway stars of the show. French painters such as Delacroix and Matisse and the great Spanish colorist Marià Fortuny all found the souks, fondouks, and street scenes of Marrakesh, Fez, and Tangier irresistible. Today's visitors to this eye-popping North African brouhaha are well advised to simply pull up a chair and take in some of the most exotic natural street theater in the world.

 

People-watch in Fez el-Bali.

The to-and-fro pulsing of Fez's medina makes it the perfect place to watch Moroccans doing what Moroccans do. Great spots include the cafés around Bab Boujeloud and Bab Fteuh, though the latter is much less amenable to travelers.

 

People-watch on the Djemaâ el-Fna in Marrakesh.

From morning to night, the historic square at the center of the medina guarantees to entertain and provide a glimpse into local living and the unusual. Surrounded by colorful dried fruit and juice carts scattered near terraced cafés and rows of shops brimming with activity, the carnival-like atmosphere of snake charmers, fortunetellers, monkey handlers, musicians, and costumed water sellers adds to the exotic flavor of what was once the principal meeting point for tradesmen and regional farmers, as well as gruesome site for public criminal beheadings in ancient times.

 

Appreciate Koranic scholarship in a historic medersa.

A quiet spot in front of the central marble ablutions pool is the perfect place to view masterpieces of Islamic architecture. Look for intricate zellij tilework along arched corridors, ornate wood carvings in domed ceilings, sculpted stone friezes bearing symbolic Arabic calligraphy, and beautifully detailed stained-glass windows in prayer halls and reflection rooms of these culturally rich buildings.

 

Savor the scents and sights of a food souk.

Weave through the labyrinth of open and covered streets to discover a feast for the senses. The indoor food souk of Meknès is a must. Along coastal towns, discover fish markets by the harbor. In rural villages, look for carts peddling freshly picked apricots and dates. From pyramids of marinated olives and preserved lemons to bulging sacks of finely milled grains and multicolored spices and nuts, the food souks reflect the wide range of aromatic ingredients used in traditional Moroccan cuisine. Follow your nose to sweet rosewater and honey-laden pastries flavored with cinnamon, saffron, and almonds.

 

Listen and learn at a local festival.

One of the best ways to experience the rich heritage is to participate in a local event. Head to Kelaa-des-Mgouna in the Dadès Valley in May; home to the country's largest rose water distillery plant, this small oasis village celebrates the flower harvest each spring. In early June, enjoy the chants, lyricism, and intellectual fervor of international musicians, Sufi scholars, and social activists at the World Sacred Music Festival in Fez. In late June, the traditions of Gnaoua music, a blend of African, Berber and African song and dance, are celebrated in the seaside resort village of Essaouira. Experience the Imilchil Berber marriage feast in autumn. In December, the Marrakech International Film Festival is the hottest spot for international celebrity sightings. The all-important Eid al-Fitr (Feast of the Fast Breaking) best showcases Moroccan tradition with three days of joyous celebration at the end of Ramadan.

 

Pamper yourself in a hammam.

Getting scrubbed and steamed at a local hammam can do wonders for the weary. Whether you choose a communal public bath or private room in an upscale riad, this traditional therapy of brisk exfoliation and bathing using natural cleansers has promoted physical and mental hygiene and restoration for centuries. Public hammams are clean and inexpensive. Le Royal Mansour and the Angasa Spa in Marrakesh are exceptionally luxurious spots to experience this unique cultural ritual.

 

Relax in a riad.

Forgo the standard setting of a modern hotel chain, and opt for a room with character in the heart of the medina. Former private homes, multistoried riads have been restored to their original beauty and authenticity, furnished with antiques and local crafts, and outfitted with latest technology for those who want to stay connected. Many are family owned and operated, providing guests with personalized service, generous breakfasts, and spacious accommodations overlooking lush inner courtyard gardens. More luxurious riads have full-scale spas, panoramic terrace bars, swimming pools, and world-class restaurants.

 

Soothe the eyes in the blue-washed town of Chefchaouen.

Founded in the 15th century by Spanish exiles, the village of Chefchaouen tucked in the foothills of the Rif Mountains, is widely considered to be one of Morocco's most picturesque places. Relax beneath verdant shade trees on the cobblestoned Plaza Uta el-Hamman. Wander the steep Andalusian passageways, where buildings bathed in cobalt and indigo hues blend with terracotta-tiled roofs, pink-scarved women, violet blossoms, and ochre-and-poppy red wool carpets to create an incredibly vibrant canvas of color.

 

Ride a camel to the dunes of the Sahara.

For an unforgettable adventure, mount a dromedary to experience the undulating orange dunes and abandoned kasbahs of the desert, a magical region immortalized in film and fiction. Select an overnight tour to stay in a Bedouin tent in the Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga desert wilderness.

The Outdoors

A range of spectacular landscapes has made Morocco a major destination for rugged outdoor sporting challenges and adventure travel. Much of Morocco's natural beauty lies in its mountains, where the famous Berber hospitality can make hiking an unforgettable experience. You can arrange most outdoor excursions yourself or with the help of tourist offices and hotels in the larger cities. Rock climbing is possible in the Todra and Dadès gorges and the mountains outside Chefchaouen. Oukaïmeden has facilities for skiing, and a few other long, liftless runs await the more athletic. Golf is available in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Agadir. Several High Atlas rivers are suitable for fishing.

High Atlas. People come from around the world to trek in these mountains, drawn by the rugged scenery, bracing air, and rural Berber (Imazighen) culture. Hiking is easily combined with mule riding, trout fishing, and vertiginous alpine drives. Merzouga dunes. Southeast of Erfoud, beyond Morocco's great oasis valleys, these waves of sand mark the beginning of the Sahara. Brilliantly orange in the late-afternoon sun, they can be gloriously desolate at sunrise. Palm groves and villages, Tafraoute. A striking tropical contrast to the barren Anti-Atlas Mountains and the agricultural plains farther north, the oases are scattered with massive, pink cement houses built by wealthy urban merchants native to this area.

 

Architecture

Refined Islamic architecture graces the imperial cities of Fez, Meknès, Marrakesh, and Rabat. Mosques and medersas (schools of Koranic studies) dating from the Middle Ages, as well as 19th-century palaces, are decorated with colorful geometric tiles, bands of Koranic verses in marble or plaster, stalactite crevices, and carved wooden ceilings. The mellahs built by Morocco's Jews with glassed-in balconies contrast with the Islamic emphasis on turning inward. French colonial architecture prevails in the Art Deco and neo-Mauresque streets of Casablanca's Quartier des Habous. Outside these strongholds of Arab influence are the pisé (rammed earth) kasbahs in the Ouarzazate–Er-Rachidia region, where structures built with local mud and clay range from deep pink to burgundy to shades of brown.

Aït-Benhaddou, near Ouarzazate. Strewn across a hillside, the red-pisé towers of this village fortress resemble a melting sand castle. Crenellated and topped with blocky towers, it's one of the most sumptuous sights in the Atlas Mountains. La Bahia Palace, Marrakesh. Built as a harem's residence, and interspersed with cypress-filled courtyards, La Bahia has the key Moroccan architectural elements—light, symmetry, decoration, and water. Bou Inania medersa, Fez. The most celebrated of the Kairaouine University's 14th-century residential colleges, Bou Inania has a roof of green tile, a ceiling of carved cedar, stalactites of white marble, and ribbons of Arabic inscription.

Morocco -- Food

One of the reasons I decided to go to Morocco was because the country is famous for its food.

According to Wikipedia, the cuisine is extremely refined, thanks to Morocco's interactions and exchanges with other cultures and nations over the centuries. Moroccan cuisine has been subject to Arab, Moorish and Berber influences. The cooks in the royal kitchens of Fes, Meknes, Marrakesh, Rabat and Tetouan refined it over the centuries and created the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today.

 

Morocco's first inhabitants, the Berbers, left their mark on the country's cuisine with staple dishes like tagines and couscous. New spices, nuts, dried fruits, and the common combination of sweet and sour tastes (such as a lamb tagine containing prunes), arrived with the Arab invasion. Olives and citrus fruits can be traced to the Moors. The Ottoman Empire can be thanked for introducing barbecue (kebabs) to Morocco. The French, although their colonization period was quite short, left behind a tradition of cafés, pastries, and wine. (Fodor's Morocco)

Drinks

Mint tea is at the very heart of not only Moroccan cuisine but of the culture itself. Whether in cosmopolitan Casablanca or a rural Berber village in the Atlas Mountains, there is one universal truth: até will be served. Recipes vary from region to region—and even from family to family—but all contain a mix of green tea, fresh mint leaves, and sugar. Coffee is served black (café noir), with a little milk (café crème), or half milk/half coffee (nuss nuss in the Morocan dialect). Orange juice, freshly squeezed, is abundantly available in cafés and restaurants.

Mint tea is a symbol of friendship and hospitality.  It is served before and after meals. business transactions. even during shopping.  Pouring tea is down with a raised pot so that air can flow through the liquid and create a foam on the top of each glass.

Tea came to Morocco through the British around 1880.     

Bread

Bread is truly the cornerstone of a traditional Moroccan meal, eaten at every meal (except with couscous) and also as a snack with mint tea. Bread is a symbol of generosity and hospitality. and it is treated with respect.  Due to bread's cultural and religious significance, it is never thrown away. Families put their leftover bread aside, either for the poor or to feed their animals.

Bread in Morocco comes in many shapes and sizes. The most common is a simple round, somewhat thick and slightly puffy, white bread with a chewy texture and soft crust.  This makes it perfect for sopping up sauces and scooping up food.  Depending on the region, this same bread can be found in a whole-wheat form. In the countryside, breads vary from village to village. Batbout, a soft, pitalike bread is often sold in bakeries stuffed with kefta (seasoned ground meat) and hard-boiled egg slices. Hacha, another type, is a panfried semolina bread.

Spices are also used to scent and flavor the bread.  Sesame (to make it crunch) and anise seeds (a licorice flavor) are often sprinkled in the dough.  Bread is baked fresh every day.  Many people bake their own bread. but others can get hot fresh bread from a street vendor in bakeries and in souks

Spices

Since ancient times. Moroccans have been using spices and herbs to enhance their cooking without making the dishes overly hot and spicy.  Phoenician traders passing through Morocco on ancient spice routes introduced Moroccan cooks to spices.  Centuries later. Arabian invaders. who prized spices more than jewels. added to the Moroccan people's knowledge of how to use spices.

Moroccan cooks have more than two hundred different herbs and spices to choose from.  Spice stalls in Moroccan open-air markets called souks (sooks). overflow with baskets. jars. tins. and sacks full of brightly colored herbs and spices.  Their scents perfume the air.

Several notable spices and herbs are common in Moroccan cuisine: cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, saffron, turmeric, sesame seeds, fresh parsley, cilantro, harissa (red chili pepper and garlic paste), olive oil, and olives. Preserved lemons are another key ingredient in many tagine recipes and some salads.

Moroccans rub herbs and spices on meat and fish. and add them to stews. soups. salads. breads. desserts. and beverages.  Most Moroccan dishes contain a variety of spices.  For a dish to be considered well-cooked. no single spice should ever overpower the others.  Instead. there must be a balance of flavors with each dish having its own distinctive taste. color. and perfume.  In fact. Moroccans say that they can tell what their neighbors are cooking by the aroma of the spices drifting out of their kitchens.  

Moroccans rarely measure spices.  Instead. they taste and smell whatever they are cooking to achieve the right balance.  They use different spice mixtures for different dishes.  The most popular of all Moroccan spice blends is called ras el hanout (raz-al-han-oot). which means "the shopkeepers choice."  It contains anywhere from ten to one hundred different spices; although the average is twenty-five.  Each spice vendor has his or her own secret blend.  No two are alike. and every cook has a favorite.

Breakfast

Breakfast in Morocco means mint tea or coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, bread (often topped with olive oil and/or honey), and omelets with khlea (preserved dried meat). Two delightful Moroccan breakfast treats are raif (also call msemn in certain regions), a mix between a crepe and flat pastry, made with intricately layered dough, which is then fried; and baghir, a pancakelike delicacy that is not flipped and has many tiny bubbles on the top side, due to the yeast. Both can be topped with honey or jam.

Moroccan Salads

Zaalouk in foreground with salade marocaine on top left

Moroccan salads mirror the nation's history and culture.  Salads with bulgar (a type of cracked wheat). came with the Berbers.  The Arabs introduced sweet and savory salads. while Spain contributed tomatoes and peppers.  French-style salads use uncooked greens. 

Moroccan salads may be either raw or cooked. The most typical raw Moroccan salad (often called salade marocaine) is made of finely diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley, and salt and then topped with olive oil. Cooked salads, such as zaalouk and bakoula combine different vegetables and spices, all cooked together and served either cold or hot.

Tagines

A tagine is both the name for the stew served in most Moroccan homes for lunch and dinner and the name of the traditional clay pot with a tall, cone-shaped lid in which it is generally slow cooked over low heat. This allows the liquid to thicken and become syrupy.  The flavors blend and the meat and vegetables pull-apart.  

Moroccan tagines use chicken, beef, or lamb as the base along with a variety of other ingredients. Vegetables can include carrots, peas, green beans, along with chickpeas, olives, apricots, prunes, and nuts. Typical tagines include chicken and preserved lemon; lentils with meat and prunes; chicken and almonds; and kefta and egg.

Tagines originated from the Berbers who used them as portable ovens.  They changed over time as different cultures spread their influence in the country. The pots are glazed clay vessels with heavy round bases and cone-shaped lids.  This shape retains heat and traps steam so that whatever is inside does not dry out. Sweet and savory tagines come from Arabs.  The Berbers liked butter as a key ingredient while the Spanish and Moors used olive oil. 

Couscous

Couscous is probably the most famous Moroccan dish, combining tiny little balls of steamed wheat pasta with a meat and vegetable stew that is poured on top. The meat base for the stew can be chicken, beef, or lamb and the vegetables usually include a combination of turnip, carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin, and zucchini with chickpeas and raisins sprinkled throughout. Couscous is typically a Friday lunch meal but can be served at other occasions as well.

Couscous originated with the Berbers who topped the grain with butter.  The Arabs added sauces containing chickpeas vegetables dried fruit meat and spices.  Couscous is Morocco's national dish.

The grain and sauce are served as one dish usually on a glistening brass tray.  The grain is arranged in a pyramid with a hollow in the top so the sauce can be poured into it.  Diners roll bits of couscous into a ball dip the ball in the sauce and pop it in their mouths--a practice that takes some skill.  "The popping motion is important becuase if performed inaccurately the ball will crumble before it makes it into your mouth" explains Moroccan chef Lahcen Beqqi.  

Seafood

Along the Moroccan coasts, fresh seafood is readily available. Seaside restaurants will serve the catch of the day grilled, fried, or in a tagine—an entire fish, baked with tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and spices.

Barbecue

In Morocco, eating establishments can basically be divided into two categories: the typical sit-down restaurant and what appears at first glance to be a questionable, seedy grill shop. Don't dismiss the grill option out of hand—they usually offer tasty, high-quality meat, at reasonable prices. Customers either buy their meat on premises or at a butcher shop next door. A nominal fee will be charged by the grill shop for grilling the meat. The shop also typically offers a menu with salads, grilled tomatoes and onions, french fries, and beverages to go along with the kabobs.

  

Pastilla

Pastilla is an elaborate meat pie combining sweet and salty flavors. Traditionally filled with pigeon, it is often prepared with shredded chicken. The meat is slow-cooked with spices and then combined with crisp, thin layers of a phyllolike dough; the mixture includes cinnamon and ground almonds. Pastilla is reserved for special occasions due to the complexity of its preparation. It can also be pre-ordered in some pastry shops.

Dessert

After a meal, Moroccan desserts are often limited to fresh seasonal fruit. Many types of Moroccan pastries and cookies exist, almost always made with almond paste. These pastries are often reserved for special occasions or are served to guests with afternoon tea. One common pastry is kaab el-ghzal ("gazelle's horns"), which is filled with almond paste and topped with sugar.

Mhencha (ma-hen-sha). or the snake. is another popular pastry with thin light dough.  It is typically a long coil of warka dough filled with almond paste. then wrapped around itself and resembling a sleeping snake.  It is topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon.




 Fekkas (fik-kas) taste more like crackers than cookies.  They are made with flour. salt. sugar. butter. sesame seeds. anise seeds. almonds. and raisins.  The dough is rolled into a log and partially baked. then left overnight to harden.  The next day the log is thinly sliced and baked again to take the moisture out of the dough.  The result is a dry. hard. crunchy. slightly sweet cookie with a licorice-like flavor--and good for dunking in tea.

Dietary Rules 

Most Moroccans are Muslim and they follow dietary rules set down by the Koran. their holy book.  Acceptable food is said to be halal. which means lawful.  Unacceptable foods are said to be haram. or forbidden.  Haram foods include pork and pork products such as gelatin. animal blood. the meat of carnivores (e.g.. dogs. wolves. rats. lions. and bears). birds of prey such as eagles. and land animals without external ears such as snakes.  Eating the meat of animals offered in religious sacrifice or those killed by other animals. beating. strangulation. or by accident is also not permitted.  Alcoholic beverages are also forbidden.

To be halal. animals must be slaughtered in a way that causes it the least pain.  This involves quickly cutting the major arteries in the animal's throat. which drains all the blood out of its body.



Proper Table Manners

Traditionally. Moroccans eat with the fingers of their right hand.  Their left hand which is used for personal hygiene is never used.  Damp warm towels are passed around before and after the meal to ensure everybody's hands are clean.  The food is placed in the center of the table for all to share.  Bread is passed around and used to scoop up food.  This picture shows the family eating with utensils--another influence from the West.


Sources copied from:
                Fodor's Travel:  http://www.fodors.com/world/africa-and-middle-east/morocco/feature_30009.html
                Barbara Sheen (2011). Foods of Morocco. Farmington Hills. MI:  Kidhaven Press.
                Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_cuisine

Morocco -- A Culinary History

Morocco

by Jeff Koehler

Moroccan cuisine reflects the country's complex history and diversity of influences. from the ancient Berbers to those who have come and stayed. come and left, or just passed through--the Phoenicians and Roman. and Arabs. Muslim and Jewish exiles from Andalucia, trans-Saharan caravans across the interior and Portuguese along the coast.  English traders who introduced tea in the eighteenth century, and French and Spanish who ruled as colonial administrators in the twentieth.  Each culture has left its mark.

Beginnings
The country's storied past begins with the indigenous Berbers.  A sizable percentage of the country's population today identify themselves as Berber, with many more having Berber ancestry.  Berbers are found predominantly in the mountainous regions and the fringes of the Sahara, where they have retained their own language and customs while absorbing waves of influences.  Great Berber dynasties once controlled not only Morocco but south into western Africa and north into Spain.

The name Berber possibly derives from a Greek and Roman expression referring to those who did not speak the Greek or Roman language, and was later popularized in other languages.  While the name has lost its pejorative connotations (the same root spawned barbarian), many Berbers prefer to call themselves Imazighen (or similar, depending on the dialect), which means "free men" or "noble men."  Berbers are not a homogenous people. and their language has three main dialects:  Tachelhai, in the southwest, the High Atlas, Draa Valley, and Souss; Tamazight, in the Middle Atlas; and Tarifit (or Riffi), in the Rif Mountains.  "But we have many shared characteristics," one High Atlas Berber explained to me.  "A shared history, the same roots, similar characters in many respects, lifestyles, food..."

Berber cuisine remains generally rustic, sometimes almost frugal. reflecting the often harsh conditions and austere landscape where they live, but also a deep history that was once nomadic and seminomadic, with little time for various courses or flourish.  They might have settled, but the ancestral cuisine remains.  Grains, legumes, and vegetables continue to be mainstays of the diet.  "We are largely vegetarian not by choice but by poverty," a man in one arid valley wryly told me.  But Berbers are credited with developing some of Morocco's most prominent dishes, including the tagine and couscous, which they call sksou.  Berber versions of these dishes are, not surprisingly, typically hearty with vegetables (and flavored with a bit of lamb or beef. even turkey) and show little of the complex seasoning found in other, more urban places like Fez.

Berbers are also credited with two national comfort food. the smooth. tomato-based soup called barira and bessara, a puree of fava beans thinned into soup and spiced with cumin and paprika and served with olive oil, as well as strips of preserved meat called khlea.  They are also known for a number of interesting flatbreads, including a layered one called rghayif  that is eaten with honey.

The moussem, or saints' day celebration. often celebrated around a pilgrimage to a mausoleum. remains important.  These celebrations are firstly religious and secondly social and commercial, and involve days of music, dancing, and festivities, with the rather exuberant Berber character coming through.  In verdant areas abundant with flocks of grazing sheep, the centerpiece of the feast is often a whole spit-roasted lamb, or mechoui, surely one of the country's greatest culinary experiences.  Some of the more high-spirited moussems are in Tan Tan, famous for its camel and horse fantasia that gathers numerous nomadic Saharan tribes together, one based around the rose harvest in the Anti-Atlas town of El Kelaa des M'Gouna. and in Moulay Idriss in the hills above Meknes.  

Phoenicians. Romans. and the Early Invaders
Morocco has a number of Phoenician and Roman settlements.  Along the coast, ancient Punic colonies or city-states--namely Lixus (near modern-day Larache), Tingis (Tangier), Chellah (Rabat). Mogador (Essaouira)--brought advances in farming and agriculture techniques, and settlers planted olives, vines, and fruit orchards.  After the fall of Carthage (in modern-day Tunisia) in 146 BCE. Rome secured its influence in the region, established Roman North Africa, and ruled from the Nile to the Atlantic across the top of the continent.  In Morocco. Romans rebuilt the city of Volubilis (outside Meknes), expanded wheat and olive production and vineyards, and produced their beloved fermented fish paste called garum.  These foods helped feed the vast Roman Empire until its collapse at the end of the fifth century.  It's also likely that during their time in the area. Romans introduced cooking in clay vessels, which Berbers later adapted into tagines.

Arabs
After the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632 CE. Islam swept westward from the Arabian Peninsula through the Middle East and Egypt and into North Africa by the beginning of the eighth century.  Along with a new religion (and its dietary restrictions), a new language, a new model of government, and a sophisticated level of culture. the Arabs brought spices from the east--cinnamon. nutmeg, ginger, turmeric--and gradually introduced Persian and Arabic cooking influences.  These included cooking meats with sweet fruit. using a mixture of spices as well as aromatics, a fondness for using nuts in cooking, and a passion for delicate sweetmeats with almonds. honey, and sesame seeds.  Almost immediately, the Arabs established the great city of Fez, the heart of Morocco's Arabic--as opposed to Berber--culture.

The Muslim conquest continued on to the Iberian peninsula in 711 and in a decade had penetrated into France.  (Muslim rule gradually shrank southward over the next 750 years.)  Al-Andalus, as Muslim Spain and Portugal was known, was a sophisticated, cosmopolitan meeting place of the Orient and Occident where the art of cooking reached lofty heights.  The region would be interlinked with Morocco until the final collapse of Muslim rule on the Iberian peninsula at the end of the fifteenth century.

Imperial Morocco
Under a succession of imperial Berber dynasties, the region gradually moved from a patchwork of states into a unified entity with a sense of identity.  The Almoravid Empire (1062-1145) stretched at its peak north into Spain, east to Algiers. and far south into what is today Mauritania. Mali. and northern Senegal, some 2.000 miles from north to south.  Perhaps, though, its greatest accomplishment was founding Marrakech.  The Almohad Empire (1145-1248) showed Morocco at its most potent, controlling territory that reached north into Spain, south into Mauritania, and east all the way across modern-day Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.  The Marinid Empire (1248-1465). though lacking the vast geographic range of its predecessors. managed to hold Morocco together for nearly two hundred years from its base in the great medieval city of Fez.  An Arab dynasty. for the first time, took control in the mid-sixteenth century.  The Saadians (1554-1659) traced their lineage back to the prophet Muhammad, as do their successors, the Alaouites (1665- ) who remain in power today.  Both began their consolidation of power in the south. at the fringes of the desert with access to the trans-Saharan trade routes.

This was also the age of the great Saharan caravans that traveled north from Mali, Ghana, and Senegal with gold, slaves, cloth, and spices, and carried salt in the other direction.  The peak of the trans-Saharan trade lasted from the eighth century until the end of the sixteenth century, with the collapse of the great Songhai Empire in West Africa and trade shifting more to the Atlantic.  (Railroads at the beginning of the twentieth century and Land Rovers essentially smothered out what remained.)  Goods carried on ancient caravans of long columns of laden camels passed through oasis towns like Sijilmasa (in the Tafilalt oasis, but today merely ruins) to Marrakech, Fez, and Meknes, to Tanger, and onto Mediterranean Europe, where the demand for gold coinage was nearly insatiable.  Those in Morocco called the area to the south Bilad al-Sudan, "the Land of the Blacks."  The name refers not to the modern-day country of Sudan, but to the geographic region stretching across North Africa from the Atlantic to the Nile, from the southern edge of the Sahara to the tropical equatorial region.  A handful of products retain the legacy of this African trade in their names, most prominently hot red pepper, felfla soudaniya, or often just called soudaniya.

Reconquista and (Re)Settling
Almost immediately after the eighth-century invasion of Spain began the long and steady Catholic reconquista, a gradual process that ended in 1492 with the fall of Granada.  When Spanish rulers expelled Muslims--after Granada's fall, and then with edicts over the next few centuries--many headed south to North Africa.  Historians figure that some 800000 Andalusians settled in Morocco, where they added new "Andalusian" neighborhoods to cities such as Fez, and built whole new cities such as Chefchaouen or Tetouan, which they rebuilt over ruins.  The refugees brought with them the Arabic-Berber (sometimes called Moorish) flavors that had been refined and heightened in Spain.  These can be tasted in, for instance, the blending of the sweet and savory (or even sour), certain spice mixes. and ways of preserving fruits.

Jews
Expelled from Spain along with Muslims, many Jews immigrated to Morocco.  Although their presence in Morocco dates to Roman North Africa in the early centuries of the Common Era, various large waves of these immigrants from Spain made the greatest impact.  Controlling much of the trade of Morocco's two great commodities--sugar and salt--they often lived in mellahs, Jewish residential quarters.  Mellah comes from the Arabic word for "salt."  Some historians think this name originated not with the role of Jewish immigrants as salt traders but with the salty stream running through Fez's Jewish quarter, or even with the community's onetime role in salting the heads of executed criminals to display on city walls. 

The Moroccoan Jewish community was once formidable.  A 1936 census counted 161,942 Jews in the country.  By 1948--the peak--the Jewish population is generally given as 265,000, with flourishing communities in Fez and Marrakech. in the coastal cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Essaouira, and Safi, and inland in Tiznit. where Jewish craftspeople were renowned for their silver jewelry.  That year. with the creation of Israel, the first exodus left the country.  Another wave departed in 1963, once the suspension on emigration (enacted with independence in 1956) was lifted, and more followed with the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.  Perhaps fewer than five thousand remain today, with most living in Casablanca.

Many traditional Jewish dishes were lost when the community left, such as dafina. a spicy-sweet stew traditionally cooked on the Sabbath with calves' foot and tongue. dumplings, and dates.  A handful of dishes have been integrated, however, and are not considered strictly Jewish today, including hargma, a popular stew of calves' feet and chickpeas.  Jewish influence can also be seen in ways of preserving foods and in some pastries.

European Influence
In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Portuguese punctuated the Atlantic coast with a number of fortified ports, including Tanger, Asilah, Anfa (now Casablanca), Azemmour, Mazagan (now El Jadida), Safi, Essaouira, and Agadir.  They sought direct trade from south of the Sahara for gold, and coastal outlets that would allow them to avoid the Genoese dominance of Mediterranean maritime trade.  They also wanted to tap into Morocco's rich lands of cereals and fish.

In 1830. France took control of neighboring Algiers from the Ottomans, who had ruled since 1520.  With the exception of the norhteastern border city of Oujda, Morocco was able to hold them at bay until the early twentieth century.  French occupation began in 1907 with Casablanca, and in 1912 the country was partitioned into two Protectorates governed individually by France and Spain, with Tanger designated an international zone.  France ruled the majority of the country from its new capital in Rabat.  The French built ports in Casablanca and Kenitra and new towns in Rabat, Fez, Meknes, Marrakech, and elsewhere, largely leaving the ancient medians untouched.  They introduced baguettes among flatbreads and morning croissants among rhayif; a slightly different version of cafe culture, with the terraces sprawled out on wide, ville nouvelle boulevards; and a wine industry.

Spain's early impact in Morocco came in the Mediterranean coastal enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta, which Spain held beginning in the fifteenth century.  Under the Protectorate. Spain ruled the Mediterranean north of the country, with Tetouan as its capital, until the 1956 independence.  For a large part of the twentieth century, Spain also controlled the deep south with the colony of the Sahara Occidental (Western Sahara. until 1976), the Tarfaya Strip to its north (until 1958), and the beach town of Sido Ifni (until 1969).

The lingering Spanish influence remains clearest in the north, where tomatoes and paprika are more widespread in the cooking than in the south. and where fish is frequently fried without a spicy marinade.  Today, many Moroccan immigrants to Spain come from the north.  When they return--to spend their holidays or to live--they bring with them a new layer of influence.

Independent Morocco
Morocco became independent in 1956 and has been led by a series of kings--Mohammed V. Hassan II, and, since 1999, Mohammed VI.

During the centuries of imperial rule. royal kitchens have ensured a high-level consciousness of the culinary arts.  In 1979, King Hassan II set up a royal cooking school on the grounds of the palace in Rabat.  It continues to run and each year accepts forty Moroccan girls under twenty-five years of age (many from the countryside) for the two-year program.  The girls are trained in the high art of classical Moroccan cooking by sheer repetition.

Morocco continues to assimilate influences in the kitchen while keeping its unique culinary identity.  A recent, important influence is a woman known as Choumicha.  One of the best-known personalities in the country, Choumicha has become something of a culinary media empire, with books, TV programs, and, for a time, a cooking magazine.  On TV. she prepares traditional recipes with elderly women around the country and also adapts Moroccan dishes for a modern, more time-pressed audience.  She has published a large, lovely cookbook, though it's her small, inexpensive booklets with recipes focusing on a single theme such as tagines or desserts that are hugely popular with Moroccans.

For many years. travelers heard that to eat well in Morocco, to eat authentic Moroccan cuisine, they had to dine in a private home, something that is difficult for the casual visitor.  But that has happily changed with the explosion of riads--a style of house that opens to a courtyard. and now refers to a small bed-and-breakfast, with just a couple of rooms, in the median.  A local cook or two prepare meals for a handful of clients, using ingredients bought in the neighborhood markets, and the meals are frequently served family style.  The experience feels like being a privileged guest in a private home.

And there is the surprising. and welcome. trend of very good, inexpensive eateries in gas stations along motorways and on the edges of towns.  At many Petromin, Baraka, Petrom, Afriquia, and Shell stations across the country, rows of tagines slow-cook on embers while freshly made flatbreads bake in traditional earthen ovens.  You can tell the best ones by the number of cars in the parking lot.

International supermarkets can be found on the outskirts of larger cities, with Marjane (considered the best), Carrefour, Acima, and a local chain called Aswak Assalam offering both local products and imported ones. usually from Europe.

The culinary mosaic continues.  To grow, sure, but also to be more accessible.