We have returned from
Morocco, but I’m still reflecting on the many memories. One thing I certainly
will associate with Morocco is Berber Whiskey. We drank it at every meal, it
was offered when we entered places of business and hotel lobbies. It was
available along the side of the road, and everyone drank Berber Whiskey. Tea, I’m
talking about hot tea. But it is so much more than a dunked bag, it is a
tradition and an art.
The Berbers are indigenous
people of Northern Africa which includes Morocco. Kings, wars, and the quest
for power and properties down through the years have resulted in culture jumble
in these modern times. French and Arabic languages are woven into the fabric of
Jewish and Muslim people. The result is
colorful and rich. But there is a constant, and that is tea and food.
We were students at the
Lotus Chef Cooking School in Marrakech.
As we took our seats in the garden, our lovely hostess began to set the
pace for the morning’s class… slow. We started with our “whiskey.” The tea-man
brought out his giant tea kettle of water and placed it on the small, round,
metal charcoal stove. He was seated on a floor cushion in his traditional
costume. As the water began to boil, he prepared the tiny tea glasses which
reminded me of slender jelly glasses. As a hot tea drinker myself, I was ready
to grab a mug and dunk a bag when I saw the steam curl from the spout.
But no, this was just
to heat the pot; fresh water was added and reheated to a boil. Then the hand-selected
mint leaves were dropped in the kettle along with several chunks of sugar off a
block. The tea-man poured an artistic arc of tea into the small glass. He then poured
it back into the pot. This was repeated, until the tea was deemed steeped and
ready. But not yet, as the tea had to be poured from amazing heights to mix the
sugar. It was almost a bit difficult to sit patiently
and listen as everything was explained in beautiful detail. It starts with the
tea, a slow ceremony for enjoyment.
The tea is never stirred, as that gives the
impression of being hurried and it breaks the tea leaves. The high pouring
creates foam on each glass plus helps with the cooling. The process is quite
impressive.
As we sipped our tiny
teas, our hostess explained the art of the table. I loved her statement “Food
can be nice when you have it, but it can be nicer when you share it.” Moroccans
share, usually a large portion, in the table center. No silverware is needed as
the flat bread is the fork. Lunch is the largest meal. Guests are served an
abundance of food using the best utensils and linens. Our hostess gave credit
to their long life span because of social skills with family and friends. Being
social over food can recharge tired bodies. She said that in entertaining
guests it is not polite to ask what the nature of the visit is or how long they
plan to stay until after three days.
Herbs and spices were
discussed and passed around to sniff. We have dozens of pictures of these
colorful peaks from the spice market that you can see on our Facebook page
(facebook.com/G2GwithPB). It’s hard to think there could be that much demand.
Ginger, cinnamon, cumin and “red gold” saffron. She was clear that most women
grind their herbs fresh with a mortar and pestle. When asked about using a food
processer, she smiled and replied, “No, sit down. Drink tea and make your
music.” Her little brass bowl and wooden utensil chimed in agreement to her
statement.
I hope you will take the time to drink some
tea and make some music.
