There were six of us who headed out that weekend to Val D'Argan, the lovely winery just 20 minutes from Essaouira, Morocco.
Oh, the vineyards stretched as far as the eye could see.... a reminder of the bottles and bottles of wine soon to come. (Please don't ask how many -- I'd be too embarassed to tell.)
And just as memorable as the wine, was the food! It started out with the most charming handmade Moroccan dishes.
The darling girls in the kitchen made all the starters and sides. Peppers, lentils, beets, tomatoes and everything delicious. Yum!
And the rest of the meal...............oh my, epic. (Did I mention that there were three smart aleck-y foodie types from the Four Seasons in Marrakech in our motley little band? They did all the cooking. We provisioned ourselves appropriately in Essaouira right before. )
There were fresh sardines, grilled to perfection.
And tender shrimp, quickly sauteed.
The hugest lobsters. Oh!
And truly, the most beautiful fish.
Dessert made by the accomodating Val D'Argan staff:-)
Oh, the food never stopped that weekend. And, cough, neither did the Val D'Argan wine.....
The perfect setting for naughty stories and raucous laughter:-)
And so I lift my glass and say Bravo to the Val D'Argan! And Bravo again to the moonlighting chefs! (Shh...this one is secretly the Four Seasons Marrakech Hotel Manager. Ahem, don't tell his boss. )
The Val D"Argan (contact@valdargan.com)
Don't miss it if you're heading towards Essaouira, Morocco. For lunch, dinner, and spending a night or two. I'll see you there.