bon appetit

i've been enjoying the moroccan cuisine here, and have gotten to try a number of different traditional dishes. my favorite thus far is the cous cous, an enormous bowl of fine grain rice topped with steamed vegetables, and sometimes with a delicious sugary raisin dressing.





















the staple here is definitely خبز, traditional moroccan bread that is baked in flat round loaves. "hobz" or baguette is served with every meal, and seems to reflect the moroccan style of practicality as it is cheap and filling. bread here is rarely, if ever, thrown away.

meals with the family usually involve one large, round dish in the middle of the table, with each person equipped with a spoon and a napkin. i've gotten quite used to this style of eating, and in fact it's easier for me to avoid the mystery meat that is often at the center of the dish (most likely lamb). i haven't gotten sick here yet, but if i ate much more than chicken i'm pretty sure that would change..

living in the ville nouvelle is quite convenient because i'm only about a 10-15 minute walk from school, but also because i can drink the tap water here. staying hydrated in 100+ degree weather on bottled water would, at least for me, be extremely difficult.


there is a wonderful abundance of fruit here, including apricots, peaches, nectarines, bananas, cherries, plums, oranges, strawberries, and lots of watermelon. some of the vegetables here i don't even recognize, and don't (as far as i know) have English translations.
























lunch is the largest meal of the day, and most stores, businesses, and schools close between 12-3 so families can eat together. tea time (similar to breakfast) is served around 5, and "dinner", usually a light soup, porridge or another round of bread, is served between 9-11 pm.

mint tea is everywhere, and you can expect to be served when making an important purchase in a store, or if you just stop in and talk awhile with the shopkeeper. it is served at almost every meal, when you go to visit a friend or neighbor, and you can order it at just about any establishment. other herbs and flavors can be added to it, but it tastes more or less the same whereve you go. it also has an unfortunate amount of sugar in it, and i have a sneaking suspicion that the same goes for the homemade jam i've been having at every breakfast..