Dining Essentials

In Morocco eating is something that is taken very seriously and this has resulted in a rich tradition of delicious food. If you are lucky enough to be invited to eat with a Moroccan family you are in for a lovely experience... but there are a few things to remember. The most important is not to wear anything too tight. You will be encouraged to eat till you pop so try and remember to pace yourself! It is also a good idea to remember that you will probably be sitting on low chairs or even cushions on the floor so for ladies, mini-skirts and low cut tops are going to be more revealing than you intended and should probably be avoided.

On arrival (remembering to slip off your shoes as you enter the carpeted room) you will be offered mint tea and little cakes or biscuits.

Before you eat you wash your hands. A splendid kettle of warm water is carried round, usually by a younger member of the household, and as you hold out your hands over an equally splendid basin they will pour a stream of water for you to wash in. This is repeated at the end of the meal and sometimes between courses.

You can expect to be served salad followed by tajine followed by couscous followed by a mountain of fresh fruit. The tajine and couscous will be served in a large communal bowl in the centre of the table. Although you can hold your bread in your left hand you must remember to eat only with your right. You can scoop up the tajine using small pieces of bread, but couscous is much trickier. With luck you will be given a spoon while the more skilful roll a small handful into a ball and pop it into their mouth. You eat only the food in front of you and remember to leave the meat till last. Although no one will say anything, it is really bad form to reach over the table and scoop that succulent bit of carrot from in front of someone else. In all likelihood your host will keep pushing tender morsels over to you and “La Shukran... Baraka... Saffi”* will probably be some of the most used words in your Arabic vocabulary.

It is quite OK, and probably wise, to leave soon after eating, if you stay too long your hosts will feed you again (even though you feel as if you don’t need to eat for another week). As you try to leave your host will hold you by the hand and beg you to stay for another meal, the night, a week.... So be prepared, have a good excuse ready and remember the incredibly useful phrase “Inshallah” is an acceptable response when you are asked to come back soon.

*no thank you... enough... really enough