Learn a Moroccan trade or craft

18 Feb Learn a Moroccan trade or craft

By Mandy Sinclair

We are always on the look out for opportunities to truly absorb Moroccan culture.  After all, we have one wish for our guests staying at RIad Living – that they don’t just stay, they experience.  And this time we’ve been doing the rounds for interesting activities to further explore Moroccan arts and crafts.

Moroccan patisseries
For those with a sweet tooth, we highly recommend learning the secrets of Moroccan patisseries, the perfect accompaniment to a glass of mint tea.  Locally sourced almonds, rose water and even orange blossom water are common ingredients in preparing these sweet delicacies.  Our favourites include the crescent-shaped corne des gazelles filled with almond paste and orange blossom water, ghoriba a round cookie with either a shortbread-like or macaroon consistency, and even m’hancha a phyllo pastry filled with spiced almond blend.  And the bright kitchen at Café Clock is the ideal place to prepare the goodies before nibbling away and enjoying the view on the rooftop terrace.

Cost: 600.00MAD per person
Booking details: info@cafeclock.com

Tadelakt
A popular finishing technique for its smooth finish and waterproof qualities this technique is common in riads throughout Marrakech, particularly in bathrooms and hammams.  The process starts by blending the plaster powder with water for up to 15 hours and then adding the pigment.  Once the thick coat of plaster has been applied, the walls are polished and then sealed with traditional black soap.

If you are impressed and intrigued by this technique why not sign up for hands-on course at Ateliers D’Ailleurs where you can tadelakt your own piece of pottery to take home.

Cost: 540.00MAD for a three-hour lesson + transport
Booking instructions: +212 672 81 20 46 or contact@ateliersailleurs.com

Calligraphy
Pick up a quill and learn to write beautiful and harmonic Arabic script.  But it doesn’t stop there, your instructor will teach you about the importance of size of each letter, the influence of colour and how to distinguish vowels.

To learn more, read about our experiences of getting creative at Dar Cherifa.

Cost: 850.00MAD per person, minimum 2 persons for one-hour lessons
Booking instructions: reservations@marrakech-riads.com

Oud
An integral part of Andalusian music, you may have enjoyed the lovely sounds of the oud while dining in a riad.  Or you may have seen them for purchase in the musical instruments area of the medina.  But with private lessons offered at Café Clock in the Kasbah district of the Marrakech medina, visitors can learn how to play this pear-shaped guitar-like instrument.

Cost: 250.00MAD for a 1.5 hour lesson and drink
Booking details: info@cafeclock.com

Moroccan cuisine
Go beyond the traditional tajine and learn to make a pastilla, couscous and even some of our favourite Moroccan salads during a cooking lesson at Riad Living. During this hands-on lesson, eager “students” get a chance to roll up their sleeves and learn about all aspects of Moroccan cuisine, including the spice used to create the mouth-watering dishes.

Booking details: info@riad72.com