Checking in & checking out our first taste of Morocco

Ah, there really is nothing like a long, warm shower after your travels. The day had been long, and we had journeyed on everything from train, petit taxi and ocean liner inter-country ferry. Down in the lobby of Riad Fes Yamanda we are offered some mint tea and little cookies on arrival, this I could really get used to. Then we were asked if we would like to eat in the Riad tonight - it sounded perfect, not having to venture far on our first night. We came down just after 7pm, and were ushered into a little room, with a table set just for the 2 of us.



We start the meal as you do in Morocco, with a selection of little salads. There were a few little crisp pastries that were filled with a spiced vegetable mix, a Zucchini Zalouk which is cooked with onions, tomato & spice, carrots with orange & orange blossom water and a smokey eggplant. All delicious!



A basket of Moroccan bread is placed on the table which acts as a perfect eating implement to just scoop the salads up. The bread is still warm, has a nice touch of salt and light as air with a very generous coating of yellow corn meal which gives a great crunch.



We share 2 mains, the first a classic Chicken Tagine with olives and preserved lemon. As the lid is lifted, a subtle aroma fills the air - spice, the smell of roasted chicken but most prominent the salt and citrus smell of the preserved lemon.



The pastilla is a flaky pastry that is said to have originated around Fes, so it was no surprise we also chose that. This was a great introduction ... although traditionally made with pigeon, this version is made with chicken, almonds, egg & spice all filled in a light flaky pastry. A dusting of icing sugar and cinnamon give this a perfect savory and sweet combination.



Dessert is a plate of sliced apples in a rich orange reduction that seems to have a smidgen of saffron. Toasted almonds add a nice bit of crunch.



Ah, the mint tea. This stuff is amazing. Gunpowder tea with so much fresh mint it's almost busting the side of the teapot, and a few cubes of sugar. It's poured from great height to aerate and mix the tea. Some little cookies on the side as well.



What a lovely first dinner in Morocco. We are heading to bed early as we are meeting with a guide at 8:30am to venture into the craziness that is the Fes Medina.

One of the hardest things to find on our travels ...

And what would that be? A humble home-cooked meal. Home-cooked by a loved one, a friend, a Mother, a Father, an Uncle, an Aunty. Yes eating pho in Hanoi, amazing. Eating a rich coconut curry in Southern Thailand or a bowl of Khao Soi up North, amazing.

But now being able to go and enjoy a home-cooked meal, something we're familiar with and grown up with is a real treat. It is sometimes the case that these people get nervous cooking for us, because we're chef's, and think we like all that fancy stuff. But that's so far from the truth ... okay, maybe at work we have the luxury of spanking industrial kitchens with all the gadgets under the sun, crockery galore and also a whole team of people behind us to prepare these meals, but some of our most satisfying meals are cooked at home, and most importantly shared with someone/'s we love.

Our first stop while down in Nowra we were treated with a delicious beef stew. A stew where you could taste the love and care that went into chopping the vegetables, cooking for hours and adjusting the seasoning just so. Served to the side, some mashed potatoes, steamed carrots and peas. Ahhh.

Then on another occasion, my Mum and Aunty cooked a delicious Morrocan braised chicken dish, with roast almonds and chickpeas with an orange, avocado and rocket salad and lemon and raisin cous cous. So, this is not something I grew up with, but the flavours and components were familiar, and I was so impressed to see the effort and thought put into this delicious meal. So delicious, that it was finished before I even thought about taking a photo. But, just to put the cherry on the pie, home-made crumble.

The crumble was made with local Shoalhaven rhubarb and apples. They were stewed with a touch of brown sugar and some lemon. The crumbly topping revealing the delicious sweet pink stew underneath. All with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream melting down through it. Just divine!

Now matter how far or wide we roam, we still enjoy a good meal at home.