Typical food in Morocco & Tunisia

We experienced similar cuisine in both Morocco and Tunisia during a trip in July ’02. In both countries, we stayed in 2- or 3-star hotels which had adjoining or nearby restaurants. The evening menus uniformly offered two or three dishes, usually including one or two tajines, usually chicken, beef or lamb.

Tajines are similar to our “boiled dinner”— potatoes, vegetables and meat all together in the bottom of a large baking bowl. The funnel-shaped top is placed over the bowl and the combination is set over a charcoal fire. Tajine food was uniformly appetizing and tasty, but after two weeks we were interested in something more.

French fries and beef kabobs were almost always offered for noon lunch.

In Morocco, breakfasts always consisted of French bread and tea, sometimes with jam or honey added. We eventually requested orange juice, which was fresh-squeezed. After a week we realized we also could order scrambled eggs, which they called an omelet.

For dessert, we often were offered “fruits of the season,” which, at that season, meant oranges. The chef would wash and slice them about a quarter of an inch thick, lay them onto a plate and sprinkle them with cinnamon. Delicious! (Yes, I suppose they were washed with local water, but we did not get sick.)

GENE McPHERSON
Sturgis, SD