Blueberry cake for day of loafing around

I doubt I’m the only person whose cooking habits change with the weather. As someone who grew up by the seaside I’ve always been a sun-worshipper, so once spring has sprung I like my meals to be ready within minutes and leave me feeling refreshed. But when it’s pouring with rain I can think of no better way to spend the day than in the warmth of my kitchen, cooking up a storm.

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.