It is a rewarding country to visit if you can find the authentic Morocco. Here are some places I found it: S U G G E S T I O N S Couscous on a Friday The steam that escapes from frothing stovetop pots and then out into the street carrying the sweet smell of Moroccan spices will guide you to a couscous cookup on a Friday lunchtime. It takes hours to prepare and cook couscous, which is why it is served on prayer day – typically a day off for many muslims. You can, however, order couscous on any day of the week at most restaurants – it adds to the romance to eat just like the locals, though. In a grand taxi Squashed between three fellow travellers in the back seat of a Mercedes-Benz W123 sedan as it rumbles carefully through desert plains, along highways, or through mountain valleys, you gain an intimate insight into your fellow travellers and local people. For once, it is possible to strike up a conversation with some confidence that it is not a setup for a scam. As a tourist, it was refreshing to be ignored, and be able to sit back and listen to the chat. Just try to ignore the aching elbows and squashed legs. Grand taxis are distinct from petit taxis because they travel between towns and cities. Fares are sold by the seat, and can be negotiated. Outside Rabat and Casablanca, the grand taxis are almost exclusively old Mercedes- Benz W123 sedans, and are colour coded to their city of origin. Each one will carry a maximum of seven people including the driver with four on the back bench, and two on the front passenger seat. Eating a tagine with fingers and bread Tagines are heavy, conical-shaped earthenware pots that Moroccans use to cook just about every meal. A tagine is not a specific meal, but a method of cooking a variety of meals. The hearty, slow- cooked flavours are best soaked up with flatbread in a kind of scrunching motion between the thumb and forefingers, grabbing what meat and vegetables are available in your section of the pot. It’s such a social and efficient way of eating, as it brings everyone together around the same plate. So eat it the proper way where you can, don’t scoop the food onto your own plate to eat it with a knife and fork. Drinking Moroccan tea To make Moroccan tea, take a small handful of tea leaves – the ‘gunpowder’ type is the best - and place them in the teapot. Fill it with water and bring it to the boil. Add a few sprigs of mint leaves and an obscene amount of sugar. Simmer for another couple of minutes before arranging the small tea glasses. The tea should be poured from a great height. Start pouring close to the glass, and then raise the teapot as high as you can without spilling it everywhere. The process of serving the tea is entertainment in itself. Pouring from up high generates froth, which is the sign of a well-made cuppa. Pour two cups, discard the second cup, then tip the first cup back into the teapot (the second cup apparently contains toxins that should be removed from the brew). Now you can pour tea for your guests. At Bar Le Trou in Essaouira Down a dead-end alley in the historic medina of Essaouira – a windy seaside resort and fishing town – is a hole in the wall, and inside is one of the few good bars in the entire country of Morocco. In French it is known as Bar Le Trou, or, in English, simply The Hole. It’s a smoky den with tiled walls and table service from a well-dressed waiter with a moustache, who will deliver local beers Flag or Stork. There are several bars in Essaouira – more than you will find almost anywhere else in the country - but Bar Le Trou, a relic from the French occupation, is the only one that feels natural. Sit down for a session and enjoy the regular bar snacks (beans) and appearances by Berber street musicians, and the company of your fellow clochards. As a whole, Essaouira is friendlier than Marrakech with the same types of trinkets for sale in the medina, and better local produce. There are several bars in Essaouira – more than you will find almost anywhere else in the country - but Bar Le Trou, a relic from the French occupation, is the only one that feels natural. D E S P A T C H E S FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE 51 M B G C 50