A Taste of Morocco: Our Unforgettable Cooking Class near Marrakesh
For us, truly discovering a country means also diving into its local cuisine. While we love exploring restaurants, the most thrilling way to connect with a culture is by rolling up your sleeves and learning to create the dishes yourself. We’ve had fantastic experiences doing this, like the time we bravely bought and prepared fresh seafood in Montenegro.
So, when we discovered that Morocco offers visitors the chance to join authentic cooking classes, funny enough organised by a French cook, we were absolutely delighted. It’s the perfect blend of adventure and acquiring a brilliant new skill! We immediately booked ourselves onto a session at a renowned school called Faim d’Epices, nestled in the scenic countryside near Marrakesh.
Why a Moroccan Cooking Class is a Must-Do
Moroccan food is a vibrant tapestry of flavours and aromas, a true feast for the senses. Rather than just eating it, we wanted to understand the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind the famous tagines and delicate pastries. A hands-on class promised exactly that.
For our day at Faim d’Epices we spent approximately €50 per person, which we found excellent value. This included:
• Return transportation from a convenient pick-up point in Marrakesh.
• A full-day immersive cooking experience.
• All the ingredients for preparing a complete meal.
• A fascinating spice workshop.
• Plenty of refreshing drinks throughout the day.
A quick tip for fellow travellers: they operate on a cash-only basis, so remember to have your Dirhams ready. We paid a 50% deposit in advance to secure our booking.
Our Day at Faim d’Epices: Bread, Tagines, and Pastries
The school itself is set in a beautiful, spacious kitchen with traditional charm and all the modern equipment you could need. Our task for the day was to prepare a classic Moroccan lunch from scratch. This wasn’t just one dish. We learned the art of creating an entire spread:
• Freshly baked bread from the oven, although we did not took part in that a lot.
• A zesty Moroccan salad.
• The star of the show: a slow-cooked lamb tagine with prunes and almonds.
• Delicate, sweet Moroccan pastries (Briouats).
The main dish, the lamb tagine, was an absolute revelation. The process of layering the spices and allowing it to simmer slowly was incredibly rewarding.
Beyond the Recipe: Insider Tips and the Magic of Spices
What made the class truly special were the expert tips from our French host. We gained invaluable knowledge you simply can’t get from a recipe book or elsewhere outside Morocco. We learned how to spot pure argan oil (a precious oil made from the kernels of the native argan tree) and how to identify genuine saffron (the world’s most expensive spice, derived from the crocus flower), ensuring we wouldn’t be sold any fakes on the streets in the souks.
We also discovered that every Moroccan household has its own unique blend of spices – a cherished family secret. These ras el hanout mixtures can include anything from cumin, coriander, and cinnamon to sumac, fennel, and mustard, creating the unmistakable depth of flavour found in every Moroccan home and restaurant.
More Moroccan Adventures
Our journey through this captivating country didn’t stop there. If you’d like to see more, you can watch my YouTube video about the stunning town of Tafraout, which we visited during the unusual times of 2020.
We’ve also written about our other adventures in Marrakesh, Taroudant, Agadir, the breathtaking Paradise Valley, and our unforgettable trip into the Sahara Desert – all of which you can find elsewhere on this blog. A cooking class, however, remains one of our most cherished memories of that particular trip, a skill we’ve brought home and continue to enjoy until now.