2007 Saffron harvest

The week was beautiful in Taliwine. Bilal was working with a 2M team shooting a reportage for Toubkal, and ourselves, after heavy and delicious beginnings in Marrakech (tanjia, pastilla, figues tajine...) were pursuing our tour focused on "learning Moroccan cooking", with the objective of taking part in the harvest.

In the saffron fields at dawn

Agriculture and weather don't care of tourism constraints, and the fields were we intended to work displayed only a few flowers. The first day was spent into visiting the area and looking for blooming fields. There were some in Tinfert and in the direction to Askaoun, it was finally on one of these haut-plateaux that we came back on the morrow, kindly welcomed by a family of three producers, whose kindness warmed more than our fingers that were suffering from the cold before sun rise.

Saffron flowers at dawn

The end of our three days was marked by an exceptionnal mechwui (roasted mutton) prepared with saffron, in the kitchen of l'auberge du Safran, and savoured in the evening with the nce Mahfoud, who made our stay wonderful !

Cooking at the Roses Festival

Besides tour around the Roses Festival, that we will offer again next year, we supported the making of a cooking TV show that will be broadcasted this summer on French television. Julie Andrieu is well known in France, a little bit like the Naked Chef in England, and makes some shows where she interacts with people. Two weeks in Morocco were necessary to prepare a 52 minutes for this summer. We helped in finding places, people, and original recipies. Like for example, a tajine with roses water, and a special soup made with saffron and argan oil.

Good places in Ouarzazate

A wonderful adress for a good meal, traditional tajine, pizza or even kefta sandwich (with grilled meat) "La Halte" has a large sunny terrace where you can seat quietly in the newly renovated pedestrian area of Ouarzazate near avenue Mohammed V.



A few meters away from avenue Mohammed V and the shops of "The Prince" you can have a pleasant lunch after (or before) your last shopping and the endless negotiations with carpet sellers.

As starters, morrocan salads, tuna plates, "salades variées", for 15 dirhams, then omelettes, sandwiches (25 dirhams, a moroccan sandwich is a real meal), tajines, couscous, and a large choice of delicious pizzas, between 25 and 35 dirhams.
And of course, all of that with the kindness and smile of Saïd and his team !

For a dessert, you can have oranges with cinnamon, a wonderful feast for 12 dirhams. These oranges are really juicy and tasty, coming directly from the fruit gardens of the Souss and the area of Agadir, where they are harvested ripe, and directly sent to the market. Those for the european market are taken between 3 and 6 weeks before term, and finish to "ripe" in refrigerated rooms !
Or my preferred dessert, a home-made yoghourt with a few drops of roses water just before serving... that's really wonderful !

Saïd also offers menus, salad + tajine + moroccan pastry for 60 dirhams, and a breakfast in the sun, hot drink, fresh oranges juice, bread, jam and the small honey pancake which is called msamem, for 25 dirhams.

Restaurant Pizzeria La Halte
Chez Essamlali

Moroccan and international Cooking

Place Al Mouahidine
45000 Ouarzazate

Phone : 024.89.03.28
Mobile : 062.13.41.17