Australian Gourmet Traveller - (06)June 2019 (1)

GOURMET TRAVELLER 131

Noitinerarywillbeannounced,explainsheadbutler

Mustapha,thoughweknowthenamesofthevillaswe’ll

beoccupying.FromMaisondesArganiers,we’llheadto

Maisondel’Oasis,thentoMaisonRouge,LeCampdes

DunesandDarAhlam,nearthecityofOuarzazate,from

wherewe’llflyhome.Everythingelse– ourroute,ourtouring,

ourmeals– willberevealedafterwe’veabandonedourselves

totheunknown.“Thislettinggobringsona serenitywhich

allowsyouremotionstorespondspontaneouslytothevillages,

landscapes,foodandcultureofsouthernMorocco,”Teyssier

hadexplainedoverthatdinnerinMarrakech.

I’mwokenbythesonoroussalatal-fajr,thefirstcalltoprayer

justbeforesunrise,andanhourlaterwe’resittingona kilim

strewnwithcushionsona bluffaboveravinestintedrosebythe

risingsun.Beforeusis a breakfastpicnicofcoffeewithultra-thin

mesemmenpancakes,baghrir– yeastedbreakfastcrêpeswitha

perforatedsurfacethatperfectlysoaksupFrenchbutterandmusky

localhoney– andbriochepastriesdecoratedwithcrushedcandied

almonds,a recipebycelebratedParispâtissierPierreHermé.

WeskirtthetentacularedgesofboomingAgadir,itsshopping

centresoccupiedbyFrench-ownedchainsupermarketsand

scooterdealerships.Anhourlater,weglimpseplumesofsalty

mistchurnedbyAtlanticbreakers.Mahdi,ourmajor-domo,and

Ali,ourchauffeur,chataboutMorocco’snewhigh-speedtrain

linethatwillconnectCasablanca,thecountry’slargestcity,first

toTangier,thelocationofa hugenewRenaultcarfactorythat

Moroccansoftenciteasa signoftheirindustrialprogress,and

eventuallytoFes.IntheoldcolonialSpanishgarrisontownof

SidiIfni,westretchourlegs,eyeballtheoldgovernor’spalace

ofsalt-eatenhoney-colouredstone,andstrollthewidecliffside

promenadeabovea beachgroomedbyrollingwhitecapsfarbelow.

“Now,a surprise,”saysMahdi,andweturnoffthecoastroad

anddriveacrossa scrubbyheadland,wherea pathleadsdown

toa beachframedbycliffsandcoveredwithscallopedpilesof

wave-polishedstones.Atthefarendofthebeachis a dramatic

landbridgeandbesideit a picniclunchis laid:chilledMoroccan

rosé,grilledsardines,fishpâté,whitebeanswithtahini,couscous

salad,roast-chickensandwiches.Thesunandsaltbringona brief

napafterlunch,andwhenwewakethepicnichasbeenpacked

up. Ali and Mahdi wave to us from the cliff above.➤

LeCampdesDunes
in the Sahara.

M

or

oc

co

Spain

North

Atlantic

Algeria

Casablanca

Marrakech

Ouarzazate

Agadir

Rabat Fes