Marrakech's Peacock Pavilions: and a tale of Chef Ellis and cooking

Our plates were empty.

And then Chef Ellis came to town.   A volunteer for 6 weeks to help Peacock Pavilions.  Oh cupboard rearranging, Oh menu planning, Oh cook training.  Oh yay.

 
Now our plates are full.

Moroccan vegetable and beef tagine..

Pasta with roasted vegetables, herbs from the garden, and olive oil from our own olive trees.

 
  Orange and poached pear vanilla custard tart.  

Oh yum.

************

Looking for the perfect Peacock Pavilions cocktail.  Ideas for me?  Wanting cocktails that have one or more of these ingredients:  mint, pomegranate, honey, oranges.  Please email me at moroccanmaryam[at]yahoo.com.

Peacock Pavilions: and the tale of a little Moroccan dinner party

It began with flowers from the Peacock Pavilions rose garden. 

Cat Blinky oversaw their placement in the fountain. ...

  

and in vases on the table. 

 
Chef Ellis from Australia, was concocting in the kitchen.

Mmmm....

The wine was poured.

And the food was served in Moroccan mosaic patterned dishes.

 

There was eating.

And, then of course, dessert.

Talking went on late into the night. 

And in the end all that was left as a reminder were the lanterns -- still lit -- swinging from the ceiling.

  

Where to eat in Marrakech: Andrea's Grill, a tale of risk

There was a boulevard in Marrakech named after his grandfather -- a man who had put his life on the line for a noble cause, fought off marauders of a terrible kind, and protected those who needed it most.  You know the sort:  a risk-taker, a gambler, a hero.

The grandson was a lawyer, by profession.  The type who used to fly first class from country to country, meeting clients, brokering deals, and doing the complicated things that lawyers do.  But he was more than that, much more.  Perhaps that's why he had given up lawyering to become what he wanted most-- a chef.  Not just any chef, mind you but a Harley Davidson riding barbecue chef.  After all, he was a man who was crazy about speed and crazy about barbecue.  But most of all, he was crazy enough to know that a life not worth risking for is not much of a life at all. 

He was his grandfather's grandson, after all.

A cook of the most intuitive kind, his love for the ingredients was felt, was tasted, in the food itself.  A man who milked his own cow, grew his own vegetables, and made his own butter.  Only the most delectable sauces, only the most tender meat, only the most delicious sides.   So you stood up from the table not only feeling full, but also deeply content.  Then you scratched your head and wondered when you had last eaten a meal so good.

Andrea's Grill.  Open June 15, 2010 in the Marrakech country side ..... 
Relaxed lunch only.  Casual dress. 

Bring your children, but leave the marauders behind.........

 

Andrea's Grill
Route de Ouarzazate
Km 9
Marrakech 

Come hungry. Leave happy.

Kabul, Afghanistan: and a tale of cafes, restaurants and bars

Oh, I had seen that look before.  In a different place, in a different war.  

It was the look of captivity. The eyes of those who needed to get out before paranoia and claustrophobia set in. 

Too much time indoors, too much time waiting for bad news, too much time staring at a screen. 

Too many sad memories from too many tragic tales from too much needless violence.

Thank goodness for the sanctuaries.  For those spots where you could forget for an hour or two that anything could happen at any time because you were in Kabul.

LeBistro.  For brunch or dinner.

Cabul Coffeehouse & Cafe.  For a snack, coffee, or lunch.

L'Atmosphere.  For drinks, dinner, and a laugh.

Le Bistro:  One street up from Chicken Street, Behind the MOI, Shar-e-Naw, Tel:0799-598852

Cabul Coffehouse & Cafe: Street 6, on the left, Qale-e Fatullah, Tel: 0752005275

L'Atmosphere, Street 4, Taimani, Tel: 0798224982, 0798413872