One of the best days we had in Morocco was with Souk Cuisine in Marrakesh. Morocco has a diverse and delicious cuisine. The food and the custom of feasting is an absolute wonder in Morocco. We wanted to take part in learning how to cook Moroccan food. We chose Souk Cuisine, run and owned by Gemma van de Burgt, a Dutch transplant who has been living in Marrakesh for almost ten years. We first started in the souks to shop for all the ingredients. Gemma has a close relationship with all the shop keepers who were excited to teach us about their products and tell us their stories. We then headed back to Gemma's place to join two dadas (chefs) in cooking up a Moroccan feast.
We start the day in the souk shopping for all the ingredients and making conversation with the shopkeepers getting to know them and their stories.
We bought our chicken fresh. Picked out the one we wanted and the shopkeeper killed and cleaned it for us right there.
We pick up our bread, fresh and still hot from the bakery, where they are baked in stone ovens. Afterwards we head back to Gemma's to begin cooking with her fellow dadas (chefs).
We finished the meal with more tea and the cookies we baked. Stomachs full, recipes to cherish, and stories to tell, we made our back to the hotel for a serious food coma nap.
SOUK CUISINE: cooking with Souk Cuisines starts at 10:00am and finishes around 4:00pm. Cost is about 50 Euros per person plus tip for the dadas. Book in advance.
SOUK CUISINE: cooking with Souk Cuisines starts at 10:00am and finishes around 4:00pm. Cost is about 50 Euros per person plus tip for the dadas. Book in advance.
MARRAKESH
TO DO AND SEE:
Souks: get lost in the souks, buy a carpet, shop for lanterns and leather shoes.
Ben Youssef Medersa: the Islamic college has some of the most impressive architecture in Marrakesh.
Majorelle Garden: for a break from bustling and hot Marrakesh, visit the gardens that Yves Saint Laurent gifted to the city he fell in love with.
Souks: get lost in the souks, buy a carpet, shop for lanterns and leather shoes.
Ben Youssef Medersa: the Islamic college has some of the most impressive architecture in Marrakesh.
Majorelle Garden: for a break from bustling and hot Marrakesh, visit the gardens that Yves Saint Laurent gifted to the city he fell in love with.
TO EAT AND DRINK:
As the sun sets, grab a seat on the rooftop of Cafe de France and watch has the main square of the medina, Jemaa El Fna, transforms into food stalls and street performers. If you're brave, grab some food at the food stalls. Don't drink the fruit juices or eat uncooked vegetables.
Cafe Clock: if you want to try camel, head to this cafe and try a camel burger, which to me, tastes just like a regular burger.
Pepe Nero: Moroccan food is delicious, but as with everything, days straight of the same thing can get tiring. Head to the newly opened Pepe Nero for an Italian-Moroccan fusion. The building it's in is worth the trip itself.
Royal Mansour: the hotel is breathtakingly beautiful but at $800/night, out of my budget. So we did the next best thing and went for some very expensive drinks. It was worth it. You are waited on by white gloved waiters and treated like Royalty.
As the sun sets, grab a seat on the rooftop of Cafe de France and watch has the main square of the medina, Jemaa El Fna, transforms into food stalls and street performers. If you're brave, grab some food at the food stalls. Don't drink the fruit juices or eat uncooked vegetables.
Cafe Clock: if you want to try camel, head to this cafe and try a camel burger, which to me, tastes just like a regular burger.
Pepe Nero: Moroccan food is delicious, but as with everything, days straight of the same thing can get tiring. Head to the newly opened Pepe Nero for an Italian-Moroccan fusion. The building it's in is worth the trip itself.
Royal Mansour: the hotel is breathtakingly beautiful but at $800/night, out of my budget. So we did the next best thing and went for some very expensive drinks. It was worth it. You are waited on by white gloved waiters and treated like Royalty.