     Something spicy
                  is going on
                           in Morocco . . .

tuscany

. . . to dine on sensual flavors, shop for fine fabrics in the souk, and take midnight swims by candlelight. Put the finishing touches on your magic carpet, my friend, and get ready to fly. Morocco is waiting for you!

Our first day began with the staple of Moroccan cooking: couscous. An outdoor kitchen had been set up in the late morning shade of a courtyard. Our teacher was a young woman named Bahija; her dark hair tied up in a white kerchief. She seemed shy, but melted into earnest expressiveness the moment she began to speak.

" You have to work the couscous ... make sure it doesn't form lumps," she explained, spreading the dry granules on to a round platter and moistening them with fistfuls of water and a splash of vegetable oil. Her hands moved quickly over the plate, rubbing the granules lightly between flat palms as if as each one needed to be gently coaxed into action.

In between tossing chunks of aubergine, pumpkin and courgette into the couscoussier, Bahija taught us how to make two of the traditional accompaniments: tfaya, a sweet onion and raisin confit spiced with pepper and ground ginger; and a brilliantly fiery harissa made with home-grown chillies, garlic, paprika, caraway and cumin.

We became Bahija's faithful acolytes, watching her every move in awe,
and scribbling down notes.

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morocco

Sample Itinerary

DAY 1

You will be met at the airport by a private Jnane Tamsna driver. Arrival times will vary. Aperitif at 8:00 pm. Dinner served in the garden.

DAY 2

Gary Martin will meet us for a foraging tour through the Medina with Mohammed Zahidi, to gain an overview of Moroccan cuisine and cooking ingredients. Visit with Bab Fteuh to choose fresh aromatic herbs that will be blended in Moroccan mint tea upon arrival at the Ryad. Lunch in Ryad Tamsna to meet Meryanne Loum-Martin and visit the Gallery. Cooking demonstration in the courtyard. Afternoon tour of the monuments, including the Palais Bahia and the Dar Si Said Museum for Moroccan Crafts. Dinner at Dar Moha. Moroccan chef Moha, born and raised in Marrakech, and partially trained in Switzerland, will join us before dinner to share his knowledge of local cuisine.

DAY 3

After breakfast, drive across the Haouz plain to the market town of Tnine Ourika, where we will discover the Jardin de Senteurs et Cultures, a picturesque organic garden of aromatic herbs, planted by Jalil Balkamel. Here we will learn about essential oils used in aromatherapy, cuisine and massage. Before our picnic lunch under a tented shade, there will be a workshop on baking bread in traditional Tachelhit (Berber) clay ovens. Afterward, we will visit the Berber girls' school of Dar Taliba. In the late afternoon we will travel up into the Ouirgane Valley, to learn about the region's flora, including wild thyme, carob trees, Atlas figs and capers, en route to the Kasbah di Toubkal; Morocco's highest mountain. Dinner and an overnight in the Kasbah.

DAY 4

After breakfast, we'll hike along mountain slopes to visit irrigation systems, walnut groves, home gardens and terraces of the Tachelhit Berber mountain agriculture. A demonstration of lamb and fig tagine, followed by lunch at the Kasbah. Leave the Kasbah for the Palmeraie, a date palm oasis outside of Marrakech. Enter into the lovely world of Jnane Tamsna. Relax. Settle in. Candlelight dinner in the garden.

DAY 5

After breakfast, tour of the vegetable garden with Gary Martin. Prepare for a cooking class with Baija on tagine of chicken and preserved lemon with fresh vegetables from the garden. Lunch in the garden. Afternoon tour of the spice market. Learn to identify true saffron and tell the difference between various varieties of dates. Participate in the making of ras-el-hanout, the traditional mixture of herbs and spices used in many Moroccan dishes, especially tagine. Return to the Ryad for coffee spiced with ras-el-hanout. Dinner in the square at the Jema al Fna.

DAY 6

After breakfast, Baija will present a cooking class on couscous and Moroccan salads. Lunch at Jnane Tamsna in the garden. Afternoon aromatherapy and massage optional. Relax. Swim. Catch up in your journal. Read. An exploration of Thai cooking in Morocco at the Aman Jena Hotel. Late afternoon cooking demonstration with chef Siam. After a tour of the hotel and aperitifs, we will enjoy a Thai menu de degustation. Late night Saturday after dinner drink at Le Comptoir for a taste of Moroccan night life and Moulin Rouge style belly dancing.

DAY 7

After breakfast, travel two hours to the Atlantic coast. Visit Sidi Kaouki for a stroll along the beach, and have lunch outdoors in Sidi Kaouki Inn. Settle into Dar Loulema in the charming seaport town of Essaouira. Dinner at Taros.

DAY 8

After breakfast, free time to explore Essaouira. Discover its mellah (Jewish Quarter), port and souks. Visit woodcarvers who produce artifacts of fragrant arar wood. Lunch at the port on freshly grilled fish. After lunch head back to Marrakech. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Moroccan countryside. Settle back into the peacefulness of Jnane Tamsna. Rest and relax. Have a swim. Dinner in the garden.

DAY 9

After breakfast, cooking class with Baija on pastilla, kefta and light desserts. Lunch at Jnane Tamsna. Afternoon free to catch up on shopping. A Gala dinner complete with gnawa and Andulous musicians. Au revoir.

DAY 10

Departure after breakfast.