Souk-scented chicken tagine and fruity couscous

Marrakech is the holiday equivalent of Marmite. For some people, the cacophony of sensations that hit you as soon as you arrive in the Djemaa El Fna square are just too overwhelming – the traders’ attention-grabbing hollering is too loud, the labyrinth of overflowing stalls is too claustrophobic, the bustle of busy shoppers and speeding mopeds is too chaotic.


But just as I was hooked on Marmite the first time I tasted it sandwiched between crunchy toast and nutty cheddar cheese, so I fell in love with Marrakech the moment I stepped into the souk.

Brunching at The Breakfast Club

 

Food plays a starring role in all of my social interactions these days. Whether it’s organising a gossip session with my girlfriends or planning a romantic date with my sweetheart, my thoughts will instantly turn to what meal the occasion should revolve around. I’ve even started ranking London’s plethora of museums and galleries based on the standard of their dining facilities (the V & A currently tops the list, thanks to its outstanding selection of baked goodies).

Whilst I’m never one to turn down the offer of a nice cuppa tea and slice of cake, my first preference for combining feasting and friendship will always be brunch. Maybe it’s because I normally restrict my breakfast intake to healthy fruit and oats, but feel justified in pushing the boat out when I’m technically merging two meals into one. Maybe it’s because I recognise that most people aren’t as bouncy as I am at the crack of dawn and would probably appreciate a lie-in. Maybe it’s just because I like the word. Whatever the reason for my love of br[eakfast / l]unch, I’ve made it my mission to munch my way around my new hometown with my nearest and dearest.

Spicy sausage stew for a sunny day in Spain

The weather gods appear to have misunderstood the meaning of British Summer Time. This year we lost an hour as normal, but didn’t seem to be gaining any increase in temperature in return. So when my boyfriend told me we had the chance to escape breezy Britain for a trip to sunny Spain with his family, I jumped at the chance.

I’d been caught out in the rain so many times over the past couple of months, I’d finally accepted there was no point in purchasing the Gladiator sandals I’d promised myself – so this sojourn sounded like a dream come true. As someone who grew up by the sea, there’s nothing I love better than siesta-ing on a soft sandy beach, listening to the backing track of waves lapping the shore. However, he confessed there was just one tiny thing about the holiday I should probably know in advance…