Morocco food

Morocco food is often considered one of the best in the world. It is rich

 and varied with its influence by different cultures, from Africa, Arabia and Mediterranean.

Morocco food is characterized by a very wide variety of dishes as couscous, tagines, pastilla and many other dishes often known only to Moroccans, but equally delicious: the tagine mrouzia, the tangia, harira.

Abundant fresh vegetables and variety of meat such as lamb, beef and camel and seafood are all permeated with spices.

Spices such as saffron, Cinnamon, Cumin, Ginger, Black Pepper and special mixture called Ras-Alhanout are used to enhance, rather than mask the flavor and the fragrance of their dishes.

Rice, Semolina, Wheat, Grains are used in different dishes. They are used to complete the dishes as starch or to make variety of bread such as rounded bread called “Khoubz”, Baghrir, Msammen and baguette.

A typical Moroccan meal start with something light such as cold or cooked salad. The main course is usually a large pot or Tagine. After the main course a variety of fruits are arranged on the table. Mint tea is served after the meal. Moroccans usually eat with their hands and use bread as a utensil.

Here is a common Morocco food items you will certainly come cross during your travel.

Breakfast:

Baghrir: Moroccan pancakes or crepes.

Harsha: Moroccan pan-fried bread made from semolina flour, butter and milk. Although it looks a bit like an English muffin, it's more like cornbread in texture and taste.

Melwi: are round Moroccan pancakes (rghaif) that are shaped by rolling a folded strip of dough up like a rug, and then flattening the upright coil into a circle. They can be eaten plain or with syrup made from butter and honey.

Msemman: Square-Shaped Moroccan Pancakes (Rghaif)

Lunch and Dinner:

Harira: Morocco’s famous tomato and lentil soup. It’s fragrantly seasoned with ginger, pepper, and cinnamon, and also boasts a robust quantity of fresh herbs: cilantro, parsley, celery and onion.

Couscous: Steamed Semolina served with meat and vegetables.

Tagine: Tagines are primarily used to slow-cook savory stews and vegetable dishes.

Bastilla: Morocco’s famous chicken or seafood pie with a crispy pastry shell.

Brochette: Kebabs with Lamb, beef or kefta grilled over charcoal fire.Kefta: type of ground seasoned meat shaped into meatball, sausage or brochette.

Khubz: Rounded flat loaf of bread.

Mechoui: Roasted whole lamb or beef.

Zaalouk: cooked salad made with eggplant, tomatoes, garlic and olives.

Restaurant:
Most Moroccan prefer to eat lunch at home, it is considered the most important meal of the day, but there is plenty of restaurants to accommodate travelers that are away from home or they are enable to make it home for lunch.

Restaurants in Morocco play big rule to introduce Moroccan cuisine to the travelers.

There are four categories of restaurant that you will encounter on your journey in Morocco and they are arranged by price:

Very expensive are from 250 Dh and above.

Expensive are from 160 Dh to 250 Dh.

Moderate are from 75 Dh to 160 Dh.

Inexpensive are less than 75 Dh.

Tips are not included with the price of the meal. A tip is at least 10% is expected.

Most Restaurants do not accept Credit Cards in their establishment. Don’t get surprised if they ask you to pay cash instead of using your Credit Card.

Morocco Accommodation

Morocco Accommodation: Morocco offers the travelers an extremely

 range of accommodation options to suit every budget and traveling style, including luxury hotels, Riads, beach resorts, Youth hostels and more….


Morocco Hotels:
Hotels in Morocco are cheap and good value, they are distinguished between those that are classified, which are given star by Moroccan Tourist Board and unclassified Hotels.

The unclassified hotels are cheap and with few facilities. For any level of comfort you will want classified hotels.

The following is brief description of what each star represents:
1 Star: Basic Double Room with sink

2 & 3 Stars: A double with shower and lavatory. This category of Hotels is comfortable and good value for your money.

4 Stars: Are the same as the European Standards and are used by the most of the travel tours. They offer excellent comfort and high standard of service.

5 Stars: Luxurious Hotels. They offer exceptional quality and highest standards of service.


Morocco 4 and 5 Stars hotels can be compared with best of the world.

Many of the leading world hotel chains like the Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt have hotels in Morocco.

It is an important matter when planning your visit to the country, advance reservation is recommended during the holiday season from July to September as well Christmas and New Year period.





 
Riads:
The imperial cities have been the focus of the tourism in the recent two decades especially in the term of Morocco accommodation.
Inside the walled cities there are two sort of residence called Riads and Dars.

In general Riads and Dars are similar in certain description, they have no exterior windows and both have courtyard in the middle of the house with a fountain and plants.

The word Riad in Arabic means garden, which all the Riads have garden and some citrus trees.

The Dar is literary smaller than Riad and has fewer plants.

At the beginning of the 20th century the French protectorate built new cities outside the walled cities and called them “Ville Nouvelle” and encourages the Medina residence to move and live in the apartments and villas in the new city.
In the 1990’s it was an urge from some French and Moroccan entrepreneurs to restore riads and make them fit to accommodate the needs of tourists and called them either Riad or “Maison D’hote”“guest House”.

Riads are eighteen and nineteen century homes and can only be accessed by foot which will give the traveler the chance to see the majority of sights and attraction by walking distance.

Riads are in expensive and very expensive price range offering services similar to 4 and 5 stars hotels. Advance reservation is required especially in the cities of Marrakech, Essaouira and Fez.




Morocco Hostels :
Hostels in Morocco offer comfortable and affordable accommodation with price range from 30Dh to 60Dh ($4.00 to $8.00) a night.

Reservation is required during the months of January, March, April, July, August and December.

Membership card and photo ID are required at Check In.

Morocco Accommodation offer plenty of options with 13 youth hostels in this fascinating country.

You could find them in the following cities: Asni, Azrou, Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Fez, Goulmima, Laayoune, Marrakech, Meknes, Ouarzazate, Rabat, Rissani and Tenghir.