Day 190 - Learning the Art of a Moroccan Tagine

After a few busy days, ir was a welcome opportunity to slow things down.

I was up earlier than everyone else again after another restless night. The warm weather combined with some late-night celebrations nearby made sleep a little elusive, but once the sun was up, it was time for the now-familiar routine of coffee and breakfast.

While the rest of the family eased into the day, I spent the morning catching up on work. A few emails had come through overnight, and I’ve also been spending time developing some software projects, so I settled in and chipped away at those for most of the morning. Maddie and Emmett were happy entertaining themselves with Lego and games, while Kia balanced schoolwork with a bit of trip planning and research.

The highlight of the day was a Moroccan cooking class organised through our accommodation. Originally scheduled for 2:00 pm, Moroccan timekeeping had other ideas, and our hosts arrived closer to 3:00 pm. No one minded though and the relaxed pace seems to be part of life here, and we were in no rush.

Once the cooking class began, it was well worth the wait.

We learned how to prepare a traditional Moroccan beef tagine from scratch. Under the guidance of our hosts, we chopped vegetables, prepared the meat, layered ingredients into the tagine pots and learned some of the techniques that give Moroccan cooking its distinctive flavour.

The process itself was surprisingly simple, but it was clear that patience is one of the key ingredients. Tagines are slow-cooked dishes, allowing the flavours to gradually develop and blend together.

Before long, two beautiful beef tagines were bubbling away.

When they were finally ready, we all sat down together to enjoy the meal we’d helped create. The tagines were absolutely delicious. Rich, hearty and packed with flavour. It was one of those travel experiences that gives you a deeper appreciation for a culture because you’re not just tasting the food, you’re learning the story behind it as well.

After our late lunch-turned-early dinner, the day settled back into its easy rhythm. I spent a little more time working, the kids continued playing, and everyone enjoyed a quiet afternoon around the accommodation.

With another poor night’s sleep catching up to me, an early bedtime was definitely welcomed. It wasn’t a day packed with adventure, but sometimes those slower days become some of the most memorable. Learning a new skill, sharing a meal together and simply enjoying where we are right now felt like exactly what we needed.

Tomorrow, the kids are hoping for a beach day, and judging by how much they’ve been talking about it, I think there’s a good chance that’s exactly what we’ll be doing.