This collection of research years, this expressive volume thoroughly examines the history and geography, customs and celebrations, as well as all the local materials, and presents a delicious selection of classic recipes, beautifully photographed.

Hospitality is extremely important in Morocco. Offering, sharing, and acceptance are interconnected and, even in the humblest homes, guests are offered dates to dip into milk or a simple glass of rosewater-flavored milk, sometimes with delicate flower petals floating on top. Fresh baked or roasted bread, fragrant sweets, or fruits may also be offered to welcome guests, and wherever you go in the country, a glass of warm, sweet mint tea is the essence of hospitality, friendship, family gatherings, and trade. This is just the beginning. What lies ahead is a celebration of the senses.

Spiced and fragrant, fruity and sweet, offering creative combinations of cumin and ginger, honey and cinnamon, saffron and pink peppercorns, turmeric, nuts, marinated olives, and preserved lemons, served in painted clay bowls and tagines, Moroccan cuisine is as exciting as it is inspired. It’s no wonder that the cuisine has been described as the "spiced soul" of the culture.

A dining table full of a Moroccan meal can tell the fascinating story of the country and its people, along with influences from ancient and medieval cultures that have left their mark in the region. At the root of the culinary culture are the indigenous Amazigh, the Berber communities, with their traditions of tagine and couscous; the nomadic Bedouins from the desert who brought dates, milk, and cereals; Muslims who were expelled from Spain and relied on olives and olive oil, bringing with them the Andalusian flavors of paprika and herbs; Sephardic Jews with their preservation techniques using salt; Arabs who introduced the complex cuisine from the Middle East along with Islamic culinary restrictions; slaves from Central Africa with their ethnic secrets; the Ottoman influence of kebabs and dough preparations; and the finesse of the French. Combining sensually the ancient and medieval influence with modern elements, Moroccan cuisine is considered the most exquisite and refined of the Maghreb, which includes Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Mauritania.

“While walking towards the Toubkal Kasbah, a beautiful mountainous refuge in the Atlas Alps, my young children were carried on the back of a gentle donkey. Chatting and laughing, they were free from the heat, but I was grateful when we reached the walls of the ancient sanctuary. In the shade and shelter of the beautiful courtyard garden, with a palette of colors from lush herbs and fragrant pink roses, they greeted us warmly with a refreshing rosewater spray to refresh our hands, faces, and necks, and the juiciest dates I have ever tasted, dipped in a bowl of milk – a traditional Berber hospitality. Welcome to Morocco!”