The scent of orange blossoms:  Sephardic cuisine from Morocco

In the 15th century, the Spanish Inquisition forced many Sephardim Jews to immigrate.  Many settled in North Africa, especially Morocco creating districts called mellahs within cities such as Azemmour, Fez, Marrakesh, El Jadida, Essouira, Sale, Tangier and Tetuoun.  Others joined previously established Jewish communities in the Atlas Mountains.  The cuisine that resulted follows the traditions and biblical prohibitions of the Sephardim, and combined the foods then available in Morocco with ingredients and culinary refinements brought from Spain.   Thanks to the Jews of Spain and Portugal, ingredients such as tomatoes, potatoes and chili peppers and spices such as saffron, cinnamon, nutmeg and mace entered the Moroccan cuisine.  Today, however, primarily because of immigration and the demands of modern life, the Sephardic tradition in Morocco is disappearing.  Barely a dozen families remain in Fez’s once thriving Jewish community.  The cuisine has, however, been captured for American kitchens by FOM member Kitty Morse and Danielle Mamane of Fez, Morocco.  The book can be purchased via the Friends of Morocco web site at http://home.att.net/~morocco/Food/cookbooks.htm

The opening chapter describes the basic ingredients and methods, and the recipes that follow cover everything from soups to meat, breads to fish, and desserts to drinks.  Recipes include a salad of pomegranate seeds with walnuts, served on the second evening of Rosh Hashanah to symbolize fertility and abundance, fresh fava bean soup with cilantro for Passover, chicken couscous with orange blossom water for Yom Kippur, and honey doughnuts for Hanukkah, and couscous with onion and raisin comfit, prepared for the feast of La Mimouna, when families opened their doors to welcome Jewish and Muslim friends alike.   All illuminating the connection among food, family, and tradition.  Interspersed throughout are letters from mothers to their daughters recounting special events and personal reminiscences of Moroccan Sephardic life in communities and in kitchens. These additions to the recipes provide charming pictures of a lifestyle and culture, and make this volume an educational  read

Kitty Morse was born in Casablanca and immigrated with her family to the United States in 1964.  She is the author of eight cookbooks, four of them on the subjects of Moroccan and North African cuisine. In addition to conducting cooking classes throughout the States, Kitty organizes an annual gastronomic tour of Morocco. She now lives in Vista, California. Danielle Afalalo Mamane is a native and current resident with her husband, Jacques, of Fez. Her ancestors settled in Fez following their expulsion from Spain at the time of the inquisition. When she is not in her exclusive boutique at the legendary Palais Jamai Hotel, Danielle can be found in her kitchen, preparing delicious Sephardic meals.