Monday, June 11, 2012

Making Moroccan

Hola, it's Meghann! Hope you had a fantastico weekend. While Graham was out playing golf yesterday, I was in Vejer de la Frontera taking a Moroccan cooking class. Vejer is a lovely, pequeño pueblo blanco about 45 minutes from Puerto. It was inhabited by the Moors for centuries and like many towns in southern Spain, that influence is still reflected in the architecture, culture, and food. Which is why spending my Sunday making Moroccan food while sipping mint tea without having left Spain made perfect sense. 














I went with a group of 7 other women from the base community and we had a great time. Annie B, who offers a variety of cooking classes in her home, Casa Alegre, was not only an informative teacher, but also a gracious hostess. We learned how to make several starters and side dishes, preserved lemons, 2 types of cookies, a traditional marinade, and a yoghurt sauce (sorry for the lack of "action" shots, but wielding both a camera and a kitchen knife seemed potentially dangerous). The mint tea and sherry were free-flowing and in between preparing courses, we took our glasses up to the rooftop to take in some sol and the incredible views - we could even see Morocco across the water! At the end of the afternoon, we all sat down to enjoy the meal that we had put together.

This is the first formal (well, as formal as a bunch of women drinking sherry while making semi-inappropriate jokes about food can be considered) cooking class I have taken and I am hooked. I'm hoping to be able to take some of Annie's other classes (there's one dedicated to seafood - yum!) and think it would be a great day trip to make with visitors.

Have you ever taken a cooking class? What type of food would you most like to learn to prepare?

7 comments:

  1. Hello! Okay, I can't figure out how to send you an email, so this will have to do. I occasionally read Marshalls Abroad and just saw your comment. You caught my eye because in my entire life (which is 30 years to be specific), I've never met another Meghann, so HELLO. I'm also a mil wife. We are nowhere spectacular though. The AF sent us to San Antonio, which is kind of like Mexico, but not really :) Love your blog!

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    1. Hola! We Meghanns are very rare, so it's nice to (internet) meet another one. I'm almost 30, just have a few weeks left of my 20s, and I was named after the main character in the popular book The Thornbirds, maybe that explains it? We lived in Corpus Christi and Kingsville, so when I was reading your blog, I was having some Texas flashbacks. It is a little like Mexico!

      Thanks for checking out my blog and for the love! Hope you stop by often!

      Adios,
      the other Meghann

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  2. Well there you go. I was also named after good 'ol Meggie Cleary. :) Thanks for visiting my blog!

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  3. Whoa....a couple who like golf and cooking and the wonderful wonderful Vejer de la Frontera........ SNAP...... do have a look at http://www.giblogswallop.co.uk/ ....

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    1. Hola,

      Yes, golf, cooking, and Vejer are all favorites here! Thanks for checking out our blog and we've been enjoying reading yours as well. Stop by often!

      Meghann

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  4. I'm also stationed at a military base in Spain and took Annie's Moroccan cooking class about two months ago. The marinade made for the chicken was to die for! We had a wonderful time there as well.
    p.s. While my name is not Meghann, The Thornbirds is one of my favorite books/movies and Megan was considered many times as a possible name for both my girls.
    Kati

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    1. Hola Kati,

      Thanks checking out our blog and leaving a comment! Seems like it's a small, small world...at least when it comes to the military and the name Meghann/Megan. Oh, and I just read The Thornbirds for the first time a few months ago and loved it!

      Hope you stop by the blog again soon!

      Meghann

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Hola! Feel free to leave some love. Muchas gracias for stopping by!