Marrakech: and a tale of dinner at the Royal Mansour

Yes, it was at the Royal Mansour in {of course} Marrakech.

A gate fit for, well, a king.  

The Moroccan restaurant seemed straight from an enchanting old film. All marble floors, mosaic tiled walls, and filigree lanterns...

{The bottles with their amber elixirs gleamed.}

In pristine Moroccan jellabas and ivory silken caftans, they played their part to, well, perfection.

With the lanterns casting mesmerizing patterns on the walls, he took our order.

and {with white gloves} we were served...

on an inlaid table with cut crystal, porcelain pedestals and golden rims.....

only the most beautiful fish....

Yes, the Moroccan restaurant at the Royal Mansour in Marrakech.  Supervised by the celebrated three-Michelin-star chef, Yannick Alléno

Be forewarned....only for those with the sparkliest jewels, the highest heels, and the fattest wallets.  

www.royalmansour.com
info@royalmansour.ma
T: + 212 5 29 80 80 80. F: + 212 5 29 80 80 91 

Marrakesh: and a tale of Peacock Pavilions & Moroccan recipes in Food & Wine Magazine

Dear Friends,

There's a 12 pages feature in the January 2013 issue of Food & Wine Magazine on a special Moroccan dinner party I hosted at Peacock Pavilions, with friend and chef Mourad Lahlou of Aziza fame (the first Moroccan restaurant to receive a Michelin Star).  (Pinch me!)

Recipes! Inspiration! Magic!  Oui.....

It was a night to remember.  The food was so very beautiful and so very delicious. And I was thrilled that it was styled with my collection of dishes and cutlery as well as patterns I stenciled from Royal Design Studio. 

Silky Eggplant Soup with Baby Peas and Radishes 

Toasted Farro and Scallions with Cauliflower and Egg

Braised Squid with Chermoula, Olives and Pine Nuts

Pick up a copy of the January Food & Wine Magazine on your newstands and throw your very own Moroccan dinner party!  It's a perfect way to take up that New Year's resolution, Spend more quality time with the friends and family you love (and if that's not your New Year's resolution, maybe it should be!).

Many, many thanks to the uber-talented team that helped put the story together: Writer Gisela Williams, Photographer Lisa Linder, Photography Assistant Rita Platt, Food Stylist Susie Theodorou, Assistant Food Stylist Camillia Baynham  and of course, Mourad Lahlou (You can also purchase Mourad's cookbook, Mourad: New Moroccan right here.)  

With love from an olive grove in Marrakech,

          Maryam

PS Also check out this story by the adorable and stylish Brittany Cobb about Peacock Pavilions and Moroccan Design in the Dallas Morning News.

Marrakech: and a tale of an Indian pop up dinner at the Four Seasons

It was an Indian pop up dinner at the Four Seasons in Marrakech....
Drama?  Yes.....

We walked under those majestic palms to arrive at windows all aglow.  
A personal gin & tonic bar awaited us.  Oh!

My drink was, well, perfect.

In the room next door was a scene that looked like a fantastical Bollywood film (with a Moroccan touch)....

Past the dancing girls we went, and we were seated.  For dinner.....

We ate and ate and ate....

......the shrimp, the curries, the biriyani, the nan, the chutneys..... It was all so very delicious.

Later, much later, the girls were still dancing when we left....

Perhaps that explained the smiling faces....

Not to be missed:  the pop up dinners at the Four Seasons Marrakech  Check availability because now you see them...

                        now you don't.....

Cairo: and a metaphorical tale of a multi-layered cake

Dateline Egypt:  In a dark time, in a complicated time, let us learn a lesson from cake.

Let us appreciate the cake's many layers and complex flavors.  

And  not make hasty cuts that destroy the cake's integrity.

Let ue serve each piece with caution, lest it all come toppling down and {Oh} be ruined.

And most of all, let us make sure that the cake is shared, not gobbled greedily by just one person.  

Recipe for vinatarte.

Learn more about what is happening in Egypt here.