Guests in Morocco have a special status and are always greeted with hospitality into a Moroccan home. Traditionally, that hospitality means the national drink of Morocco is served along with some special treats.





Regardless of nationality, culture, or language, a typical childhood chore is to help clear the dining table and wash dishes. One lazy Saturday in the Moroccan Summer heat, I had just finished helping my mom doing just that. With my chores done, all I wanted to do was to take or nap or maybe watch my favorite American cartoon on our teeny-tiny black-and-white TV: Tom and Jerry. As I was weighing the merits of those two options, I heard a knock at the door. That triggered another one of my childhood chores, which was to answer the door. The last thing I wanted to do at that moment was to run to the other side of the house and my moment of hesitation resulted in my mom chiding me to go see who was at the door. Disobeying my mother had significant consequences, so, despite my reluctance, I rushed to the door.

Standing there were two ladies wearing colorful Moroccan djellabas, the traditional outfit that most Moroccan women wear when leaving home. The djellaba is garment that covers a person from head to toe. It is very loose-fitting with long sleeves and a hood. Many people think that djellabas are worn to be modest, which is a requirement of Islam. While that may be a minor reason, the real reason is to protect is wearer from the sun and, in earlier times, from desert sands and winds. Because it is loose-fitting, it also helps the wearer to stay cool in hot climates. As these women were wearing, some djellabas are very elaborate, with exquisite decorative embroidery. In Morocco, the quality of material and the detail of decorative designs are an indicator of family wealth and status (so much for modesty).

I guided the ladies (who I don’t think I had met before) through the hallway, to the one of the rooms in the house that serves as both a living room during the day and a bedroom at night. I remember their heavy, exotic perfumes filling the room.

After the traditional Moroccan greeting of cheek-kissing, my mother (who obviously knew the ladies) began talking about each other’s relatives, families, and so on. The ladies got comfortable and took off their djellabas to reveal very beautiful and colorful outfits. I also remember that the ladies were wearing an unusual amount of jewelry and their hands were covered with beautiful designs in henna. I felt a rush of excitement because I knew this wasn’t any ordinary visit, but I knew I had to wait quietly and patiently until I found out all the details.

Guests are treated well in every culture I can think of, but in the Moroccan culture, it’s our nature to go overboard. Considering that, there are certain treats that are standard fare in Moroccan households for special, unexpected situations such as this visit. My mother suggested tea, and then she swished me to the kitchen to help. Mint tea, served piping hot, is the undisputed national drink of Morocco (freshly-squeezed orange juice a closer runner-up), and is usually served mid-morning or mid-afternoon. For guests, it’s always served without much regard to the timing of a guest’s visit. Mint tea is usually served with something sweet, such as cookies or small pastries. Hence the need to always have treats on hand.

I ran to the kitchen and loaded a serving tray with all of the essentials for making mint tea: the one fancy teapot that we had, some Moroccan tea glasses (think shot glass size, but taller), a bunch of fresh mint leaves still on the sprig, dried loose green tea (nicknamed “gun powder” in Morocco). and sugar. I put everything on the coffee table, and then went back to the kitchen to get the kettle with boiling water and, of course, some of my mother’s home-made cookies called “Ghoriba.” At least once a month, my mom would make these delicious cookies in huge quantities. She would line ball after ball of cookie dough up in long cookie baking sheets and then send me off to the public bakery.

After every one had a cup of tea, the guests announced that the reason for their visit was to invite us to my cousin’s wedding. This method of wedding invitation is typical in Morocco. Two women are chosen by each side of the wedding party and their mission is to go to the house of each one on the guest list and personally invite them to come to the wedding. My mother accepted the invitation and I jumped from happiness. For me, this meant that I would be going with my mother to fancy wedding, which, in Morocco, usually lasts three days. I would get to wear a fancy Moroccan dress, dance and play with other children to live music, and, most importantly, eat some of the best Moroccan cuisine that is usually only served at celebrations. One of my favorite celebration foods is “Bastilla” (which is another dish that I highly recommend), but that’s another story. For the rest of that afternoon, I was bouncing off of the walls out of happiness and an abundance of sugar from the mint tea and cookies.

Whether you have guests or just want to spoil yourself, you might want to try my recipe for the national drink of Morocco and Ghoriba.

Ghoriba

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 zest of lemon
• 2 cups finely chopped almonds
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (substitute 3 – 4 drops of orange oil extract)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose floor
• 1 teaspoon softened butter

Directions

• Gently mix 3 egg yolks and 1 whole egg (reserve the egg white).
• Add the remaining ingredients except for the powdered sugar, mixing well until a soft dough forms.
• Dampen fingers with water, rolling pieces of dough into small balls the size of a American quarter. Flatten slightly onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.
• Brush with egg white reserve and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• Bake at 350F in a preheated oven until golden (about 20 minutes).
• Serves 3 – 4.

Mint Tea

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 12 sprig fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon loose green tea
• 4 cups boiling water

Directions

• In a teapot, combine the mint sprigs, the loose tea, and 1 cup of boiling water. The sprigs will likely need to be bent and forced into the teapot.
• Let sit for 1 minute and then discard the liquid.
• Add the sugar and fill the teapot with the remaining boiling water. Let brew for 3 minutes.
• Fill one glass of tea and pour back into the pot 2 – 3 times to help stir the tea.
• Taste the tea and add sugar as necessary.
• In Morocco, the tea is poured into glasses with the teapot significantly higher than the glasses. You can do this for dramatic effect, but become practiced at it before attempting with guests.
• Serves 3 – 4.