The Moroccan Cookbook

Exploring the Food of an Ancient Cuisine

by Ghillie Bașan.

Spicy and scented, fruity and sweet, offering creative combinations of cumin and ginger, honey and cinnamon, saffron and rose, chillies and turmeric, nuts, marinated olives and preserved lemons, served in painted, earthenware bowls and tagines… It is no wonder that the food of Morocco has been described as its ‘perfumed soul’. Freshly baked or griddled bread, sweetmeats and fruit are offered to welcome guests, and wherever you go a glass of hot, sweet mint tea is the essence of hospitality. The culmination of years of research, this evocative volume in an extended and updated new edition by award-winning author and cook Ghillie Basan looks in detail at the history and geography, customs and festivities, as well as all the local ingredients, and presents a mouthwatering selection of 145 classic recipes, with beautifully pictures throughout, including new footage from Alice Morrison, adventurer and photographer (and resident of Imil). Welcome to Morocco!  

About the author

Ghillie Basan is a writer, broadcaster and food anthropologist with a degree in Social Anthropology and a Cordon Bleu Diploma. She grew up in East Africa, worked as a journalist in Istanbul and as a freelance food and travel writer in India, Southeast Asia and North Africa. Her interest in culinary culture has led to fifty books (eight have featured Morocco) and she has been described as “one of the finest writers on Middle Eastern food.” Her books have been shortlisted for numerous awards, and The Lebanese Cookbook won Best in the World in the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards 2021. She has many BBC credits as a presenter and contributor and produces her own podcast, Spirit & Spice, featuring food and drink stories from Scotland. Ghillie lives in a remote part of the Scottish Highlands where she hosts food experiences for visitors from all over the world.