Ahlan and welcome to my attempt to share my love and (limited) knowledge of Moroccan food with the world (or at least cyberspace).
Before you ask, no, I’m not Moroccan. I’m an American of Italian descent and I’ve just returned to the U.S. after two years in Casablanca. (My husband IS Moroccan).
I love Morocco with all my heart: the people, the traditions, the language(s), the food…
Let’s see a show of hands: how many of you think “Moroccan food” includes hummus and falafel? How many of you have been told that it’s polite to burp at the table in Moroccan homes? How many of you think that those Lebanese-owned restaurants here in the U.S. offering “typical” Moroccan 12-course meals are the real deal?
NO NO NO! WRONG WRONG WRONG! (Sorry, do I seem upset?)
Moroccan food, while at times borrowing from Middle Eastern culinary tradition, really doesn’t have too much in common with, say, the cuisines of Egypt or Lebanon. In my humble opinion, Morocco and Iran have more in common, food-wise, than Morocco and other “Arab” nations. Both Moroccan and Iranian cooks like to mix savory and sweet flavors. I don’t know of too many other countries (in fact, I can’t really think of any) where meat and fruit appear in the same dish. (Trust me, it’s delicious).
Which brings up the issue of Morocco’s “Arab” identity. You see, Morocco isn’t really an “Arab” country, at least, not 100%. The reality is far more complex, which makes for great fun in the kitchen. Berbers (or Amizighen) were the first inhabitants of this country, and they have, to this day, their own way of preparing food. Due to the French “protectorate” and centuries of Spanish presence in the north and other areas, European influences crept in as well–croissants are a staple, even in more remote areas. Even nations further afield left their mark: shrimp briwats (their similarity to springrolls is no coincidence) were likely brought over to Morocco as soldiers fighting in what was then known as Indo-China came back home.
I’m not claiming to be an expert on Moroccan food. I hesitate to even use the term “Moroccan food”, because the cuisine certainly cannot be pigeonholed into one neat category. The regional varieties of preparation are countless. I am claiming, nay, declaring, to love Moroccan food, and this is my humble attempt to introduce others who may be interested in learning more about it to its wonderful diversity and exoticism.
Bismillah! It’s time to eat!
1 comment:
"casher"---is that what it was? Ughhh! Are there any other forms of lunchmeats there? That was all I had, in a lovely sandwich full of crazy things not found in american sandwiches. It was good altogether, but that pink rubber stuff by itself is pretty bad.
Aischa
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