In Tunisia, after saying “hello, how are you” multiple times, the next question everyone (I was about to say nearly, but it really is everyone) you meet asks, “have you eaten couscous?” In Morocco, at least in Rabat, people tend not to ask so many questions, but the other day I stopped by this grill where they have every kind of meat, except goat and pig… (sorry all you vegetarians and vegans when you look at the next photo). As I was waiting for my two little kabobs to be grilled, couscous was served behind the counter to the crew working there. As one of them called to the other to come eat, they both looked at me in delight and said, “have you eaten couscous?!?” and invited me to sit down with them! If you’ve never had couscous, that’s the word for grain as well as the dish, which is mostly vegetables (and I generally fix all veggie at home in the US, except when Mom was anemic and I started using lamb). In Tunisia, they often serve it so that there is one large piece of each veggie and a piece of meat for each person. It might have beef, chicken, lamb, or fish, even sausage sometimes. In Morocco, they often serve it with a mixture of raisins and onions dolloped on top, along with some warming spices in the sauce (such as cinnamon), and seems like they tend to bake it in the tajine clay pot, too. In Tunisia it usually has lots of chickpeas, but you can just see the foul (fava bean) at the front of the dish…yum!I had hoped to get who I believe is the owner in the photo, but he stepped back, though gave the ok for the photo. I’d only stopped by once before, the first time I noticed the shop, and he explained that day what everything was. In the front, it’s chicken, then rat (I found this BBC piece https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151207-the-countries-where-rats-are-on-the-menu), then brain (presumably of beef), then each of the meat skewer sets are specific parts like heart or liver, then turkey with turmeric). There are really beautiful rats across the street from me that live with the cats and I only recently learned that we have some native rats (woodrats) in Greensboro that are also tremendously cute, which are actually species of concern in the state (https://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Conserving/documents/Protected-Wildlife-Species-of-NC.pdf). I’ve always had that typical stepping back reaction to city rats, but these are like big field mice.This is where I typically stop and have dinner or fresh orange juice. These tiny little Mom & Pop shops have whatever they happened to fix that day on hand. The birds were new and older son was pretty perky after having the summer flu the last few times I stopped by. His younger brother really wanted to climb up there, too…More often they were sitting toward the back of the shop with Mom cooking in the room behind, so it’s been nice to see them out playing more (maybe it was just because of the cold/flu). Dad always serves me, but Mom is super warm and friendly and hope I’m able to get their photo one of these days, too…Dad’s more reserved but clearly very kind-hearted, and it’s always pleasant to sit there for a few moments, right next to the outdoor market. The king’s photo is in every store.There’s a woodworking shop next door and I’m so impressed by the intricate work they do. That’s an old Christian church at the end of the street, converted into a community center.Here are some of the typical meals c/o this sweet Mom and Pop shop–some of the tastiest meals I’ve had in Rabat! Eggplant is one of my favorites and this day they had a somewhat spicy greens dish (not sure exactly what), plus Spanish-style “tortilla,” a potato and egg omelette with parsley and onion, a treat for me having lived with a family in northern Spain very briefly as a teen.I wasn’t very hungry when he served this and I tried to decline the little fried potato piece on the left, but the Dad insisted, saying it was something special by his family and delicious, and it was–Indian style (to me) mix of potatoes and spices, totally yummy! I guess the fish is a kind of flounder–any of you anglers know? I’ve only seen it there once, but I tend to arrive later in the day and suspect they mainly serve lunch.This is the fancy breakfast at a cafe down the street from me, where I’ve gone on the weekend sometimes. I have to be really hungry to eat all this!! Friend Pat asked me about breakfast–I never would have thought to take photos of meals…
This is typical breakfast soup of crushed barley topped with olive oil called belboula. More than enough. Notice the ashtray. That’s the one thing about here that would make it hard or impossible for some to visit. Although several people have mentioned not using or at least reducing sugar in tea (and encourage me to decline sugar) because of awareness of diabetes problems (usually a relative), smoking is rampant, like 30 or 40 years ago in the US.
Well, I started this blog with the couscous invitation and wanted to end with a Bridge Over Troubled Water. I’ve been having some sciatica issues and understanding some walking is good, plus I especially love to walk along the coast in the mornings, so I’ve been doing that, but then catching a cab once I turn inland at the first road up the way (normally I’d walk about 2 km or so to the tramway and have been doing that still on the way home when less in a hurry).
The other day, as soon as the taxi driver learned I was American, he started speaking in English and the first thing he said was, “do you know Bridge Over Troubled Water?” then he talked about all the other American songs he loves. I tend to think of carpenters as philosophers, but I suppose cab drivers have a lot of time to think, too. Well, he was my Sufi blessing for the day, and I hummed “Almost heaven West Virginia…” which for some reason kept taking over every time I tried to remember “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” the rest of the day. Mustafa has been driving a cab in Morocco for 24 years and no doubt he’s been bringing joy and peace to people his whole life.
Wild Bee Plantings 