Following the Californian trend, Moroccans are now all over the organic and gluten-free food. The agricultural practice was established in 1986, producing organic products with fewer artificial food additives. Recently, the healthy habit has invaded the local market allowing Moroccans to buy organic vegetables and fruits, gluten-free pastry and 100% natural products through the emergence of several specialized shops and supermarkets.
Casablanca, as one of the largest cities in the Kingdom, witnessed the opening of several organic food shops, and chain stores namely La Vie Claire, a French franchise, that provides 100% organic beverages, flour and bread along with beauty products.
The store, as indicated on its official website, was first opened in 2011 in Casablanca providing 4,000 products that are mostly imported from the France-based La Vie Claire. The shelves of the organic franchise are packed with all kinds of natural and diet-style nutrition quinoa, pasta, rice and almond milk, gluten and lactose-free goodies.
The same goes for several other organic shops in the city, Moroccan Legacy is another example, a very unique grocery store located in Bourgogne, Casablanca. Speaking to Imane Sidqui, manager of Moroccan Legacy, she introduced us to the multiple and diversified set of products offered by the shop.
«We collaborate with 300 food cooperatives to bring 100% organic and Moroccan products that go from oils and fruit preserves to homemade couscous. We also sell online and export mostly to Europe.»
Diet style food
There exist a range of other places where one can shop according to their specific dietary requirements. The organic market has broadened its territory including also diet style food for those who are following strict diets due to health issues or weight management problems.
Pain Quotidien is a bakery that targets the gluten-free lovers in Morocco. Based in Marrakech on one of its busiest boulevards, the shop makes gluten-free French pastry, brownies, cookies, cakes, pancakes and pizzas. A diversified menu that Amina Elgaidi, manager at Pain Quotidien spoke to Yabiladi about : «We have a small isolated laboratory, where a specialized team produces the gluten-free dough». The Marrakchi bakery alongside production, distributes its gluten-free flour and dough to people all over the country with a price of «47 dirhams a kilo», as Amina Elgaidi indicated.
Healthy is wealthy
The healthy is wealthy habit has been welcomed by Moroccans lately and it was translated through the opening of several places that offer healthy choices for foodies. Casablanca witnessed the launch of Carrefour Gourmet, a French supermarket that was opened for the first time in Morocco in March 2017. As reported by the Huffingtonpost Maroc, the franchise is dedicated to organic, natural and fresh alimentation. Carrefour is not the only brand that is emerging in the organic market, as Marjane the Moroccan hypermarket chain is now conducting an advertisement campaign for its new BIO products that are 100% organic.
Whether it is accessible or not, organic food remains a healthy choice for people. Mohammed Ouhssine, a practitioner dietitian told Yabiladi that :
«The human body reacts positively to all kind of foods that have been grown free of chemicals and genetic manipulation because they build and nurture the cells, unlike junk food that has a negative effect on our health, making us consume more and as a result gain weight.»
It is always preferable to eat organic nutrition, however for Ouhssine these kinds of products, vegetables and fruits are not always affordable and sometimes unavailable. Most of all, Dr. Ouhssine emphasizes balance in eating and shopping, be it organic or non-organic food : «one should consume fruits and vegetables on a daily basis».
6 Moroccan Spices to Blaze a Trail of Flavor in Your Kitchen
Spices seem to hang in the air in Morocco, flavoring every experience with a heady blend of ancient flavors. Rich but not too spicy-hot, the tagines, couscous dishes, sauces and salads of Morocco are elevated with distinct blends of spices – every home cook seems to have a secret recipe. Get familiar with Moroccan spices and blaze some flavor trails of your own.
1. Turmeric (kharkoum) – A bright yellow-orange spice also used for dyeing, turmeric provides the color for many Moroccan dishes. It has an earthly, peppery flavor that is slightly bitter, and is also renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Cumin (kamoun) – Used widely in Latin American, South Asian and North African cuisines, the dried seeds of the cumin plant have a distinctive flavor and aroma. Cumin gives food a warming feel without an overt spiciness.
3. Ginger (skinjbir) – This popular South Asia root has spread across the globe, and Moroccans love adding the hot, fragrant spice to both sweet and savory dishes. Packing a peppery punch, ginger can be eaten fresh, pickled or dried, and it also features natural preservative properties.
4. Cinnamon (karfa) – Made from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree, this sweet-hot spice appears in numerous Moroccan dishes, most notably atop the pigeon pastillas (pies) of the city of Fez. Cinnamon is also used to give a deep, rich flavor to savory dishes like tagines and couscous.
5. Saffron (zaafran beldi) – Often more expensive than pure gold, this delicate spice comes from the vivid red stigmas of the crocus flower. Difficult to harvest and rare in the wild, this bright yellow spice is used sparingly and imparts a lush, unique flavor to couscous, rice dishes and stews.
6. Ras El Hanout – Ras El Hanout is the most famous blend of spices in the country and often includes more than 30 different ingredients. Translated as “the top of the shop,” this premium mixture of punchy flavors reflects the rich cultural diversity of Morocco, whose cuisine features influences from Berber, Arab and Moorish kitchens. Many of the spices are handpicked, toasted and ground before they’re mixed together.