An absolutely perfect way for me to end my hectic travels in the fabulous country of Morocco was by taking a cooking class in traditional Moroccan cuisine.

La Maison Arabe was one of the cities most legendary restaurants, which later became one of the first Riads to open its doors to guests in Marrakech.

They now have a cooking school where visitors can participate in a hands-on session conducted by the Dada (a traditional Moroccan cook).

The workshop is designed such that the participants learn to prepare an appetizer and a main dish and then dine alfresco on the meal prepared – paired with wonderful wines. 

Our session began with a brief introduction to the customs of traditional Moroccan cuisine and ingredients. Our hosts were the wonderful Wafa and our fabulous Dada, Fatima.

We then participated in a tea ceremony where we were served delicious mint tea along with the traditional bread called such khübz.

Our group chose to learn how to make Chicken Pastilla/ Bastilla which is which is basically a meat pie wrapped in a phyllo type dough called (werqa) and is filled with chicken, pigeon, seafood or vegetables. It is really delicious – the combination of savory, sweet, soft and crisp works beautifully.

We also learned how to make my favorite of the Moroccan’s vast array of salads – the Zaalouk salad which is a tangy eggplant dip.

Once the meal was completed we settled in to dine alfresco, under the beautiful trees and amidst the fresh herb gardens of La Maison Arabe’s cooking school.

The day ended with each of us receiving our very own miniature tagine dish and an unforgettable experience that was filled with warmth and delicious food.