Have you ever seen "Road to Morocco", the 1942 film with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope? It's hilarious. Probably my favorite in the quirky yet hilarious "Road To" series.
Hilarious old films aside I'm really looking forward to cooking Moroccan food at home. Probably the most famous dish is the tagine. Think of it like a healthy casserole or a hearty exotic stew. Tagines are traditionally baked in clay pots that have a cone-shaped lid.
I read that traditionally there's a hot or cold salad (or both), followed by a tagine with couscous for most meals. Bread is of course included. There are other options that involve more cooking for more formal meals. But my goal isn't formality here! I want a warm, cozy meal that's fairly easy to make a family friendly. And one with flavors that knock my socks off!
The spices used in Moroccan cooking certainly fill the kitchen with an even more complex, delicious aroma than our traditional, American, cream-of-soup casseroles. Imagine cooking dinner with cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger, paprika, anise seed, coriander, mint, and saffron. Fruits like dates, oranges, figs, olives, or preserved lemons are a common addition to an otherwise savory meal. I can just smell it now. Who needs scented candles when the kitchen is filled with exotic spices?!
I LOVE the "road to" movies! My Grandad who died a couple years ago loved to watch them and it seems like they were always on at his house. SO besides being funny because Bing and Bob are, those movies are also sentimental for me :)
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