Dar Liqama - The Arrival

After a bit of a hurried dash to the gate in Madrid to catch our flight and a very bumpy ride to Marrakech, we arrived.

Because our flight leaving Barcelona to Madrid was late, Colin's bag didn't make it onto the flight.  Luckily Iberia did find it and we will receive it tomorrow.

Once at Dar Liquama, our hosts and the other guests were kindly waiting for us to begin lunch service.   A glass of local Rose or Champagne was handed to us and we quickly got to know the rest of the group.

Dar Liqama

The Riad of Dar Liqama

We have a great group of very nice people from around the world.  London, South Africa and Arkansas, California, Wisconsin, North Carolina and everybody is having fun and prepared enjoy the adventure.

Lunch of salad and local cheese, chicken with sun-dried tomatoes, herbs and spices, and dessert of date and almond cream was delicious. 

After lunch we went to our room took a moment to relax.  Our first class was about to start.

Rafik will be instructing the class, while Jamella cooks.  Jamella is local to the area and doesn't speak english, so Rafik will translate as she demonstrates the preparations.

Tonight's menu is Vegetable Soup with a creme fraishe base, vegetable tagine, semolina cookies.

Our Instructors, Rafik and Jamilla

Prepping Vegetable Tagine

Our tagines are cooking for dinner

Dinner is served

Once dinner is prepared and the tagines are on the coals, we go to the upper balcony for cocktail hour and talk with the group.  Khalil, our server is taking care of every need and a glass is never empty!  

Dining room at Dar Liqama

Dinner served and we go to the beautifully appointed grand Salle a Manger  where, again, Khalil again is making sure everything we prepared earlier is served perfectly.

I think we're going to drink some wine!

MIke Rhode, the owner of the Villa and Rhodes Cooking school, has joined us for dinner with his companion, Barbara.