Marrakesh, Morocco: and a Fall tale of color and Moroccan rugs

In Morocco, it's all about red.  Of course orange and yellow feature prominently too, along with rosy pink and a splash of violet.  But why?  Why red? Why yellow?

Because it's not just about beauty in Morocco, it's about meaning.  The colors have purpose and meaning and are used as such.  And red.....well, red is the color of sensuality, the color of fertility, and the color of happiness.  Oh my.  Add in the yellow and orange, representing the sun and spiritual wealth and you have......the colors of Fall.  A time when we need those symbols and meanings.  Yes?  Especially as we head into winter.

And so I give you a Moroccan carpet.  Or two Moroccan carpets.  Or perhaps three.  (Did I mention four?).  Filled with the colors of Fall and all that they mean.  A reminder of beauty and so much more.

To celebrate the season, a serious sale on lovely things the color of Fall in my shop.  Carpets, cushions, fabrics and more. Every item benefits that Do-Good cause I love so much, Project Soar.  Click here and enter the promo code FALLCOLORS at checkout.  

Happy Fall.

Marrakesh's Fall Colors: and a tale of baking Moroccan orange almond cake at Peacock Pavilions

Reds, orange, green and brown. As the colors of fall surround us, they also nourish us. What better on a crisp Moroccan fall afternoon than a little bite of orange almond cake? Earthy from the almonds, and sweet from the orange. Top it off with a dollop of chocolate, and, yummm..... 

(Note: stick along to the bottom and you'll find the recipe so you too can indulge in an afternoon treat)

---

Peacock Pavilions: Orange Almond Cake 

RECIPE: 

• 3 large navel oranges (choose oranges with unblemished skins as the whole fruit is used in this recipe) 
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups caster sugar
• 2 1/2 cups, blanched, peeled and ground almonds
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, for garnish

Preheat oven to 355°F. Grease cups of a muffin tin

Place the whole oranges in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 hour (ensure oranges remain covered with water for the entire duration). Drain and cool. Chop the oranges into quarters, discard any seeds, then place the chunks into a blender and puree until smooth. 

Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add whole, raw almonds and blanch for precisely 1 minute. Drain almonds in a colander and rinse with cool water. Remove the loosened skin from each almond. Allow almonds to dry completely before grinding.

Beat the eggs with the sugar until thick, then add the orange puree, ground almonds, and baking powder. Mix well. 

Pour into prepared pan and bake until tops are golden and slightly crisp along the edges, approximately 20-25 minutes. Leave the cakes in the tin to firm up for about 20 minutes, then remove from tin to finish cooling. This cake definitely mellows with a little time and can be prepared up to a day in advance. 

When its time to serve, heat chocolate and cream together in a double boiler, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until smooth. Spoon a generous dollop to the top of each cake and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Serve immediately. 

P.S. This cake is very rich, so a little goes a long way, especially when served after a delicious dinner!