Join Author and Chef Jeff Koehler for a Gourmet Tour of Morocco
Travel and Real Estate
Marrakech, Morocco – Reported by Erin Riley for Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazineIn celebration of his recently released Moroccan cookbook, chef Jeff Koehler is collaborating with travel specialists Heritage Tours Private Travel to guide a one-of-a-kind tour through Morocco from February 8 to 18, 2013, inviting food-lovers the world over to journey and savor the country’s most authentic culinary secrets.
Travelers on this exclusive, luxury tour will join Jeff for a sumptuous 11-day expedition that begins in Marrakech, the country’s most historic and sensuous city, where discovering the pastel-walled Old City filled with vibrant souks will captivate shoppers and observers alike. Time to roam freely and explore is complemented by Koehler’s insider picks, which include interactive lessons at La Maison Arabe’s renowned cooking institution, visiting the private organic herb garden owned by one of the country’s foremost specialists and baking Moroccan flatbread in a traditional outdoor oven.
At a point where most tours end, travelers with Heritage Tours venture across the heroic High Atlas Mountains, home to the legendary Berber warrior clans. Next, a stop at the lush oases and earthen architecture of the Sahara desert where the magnificent sight of the shadows that drape across the dunes at sunrise is viewed from camel-back. When all is said and done, travelers get to return to luxurious abodes in the form of a private tented campground.
The spiritual capital of Morocco, Fès has been described as the world’s closest example to a living medieval city and a must for any culinary enthusiast looking to experience a cuisine derived from a melting pot of cultures. Under Koehler’s guidance, visitors can enjoy the renowned fares of La Maison Bleue, as well as its recently opened cooking classes and the deluxe accommodations of its sister property, Riad Maison Bleue. Scheduled thereafter is a visit to the adjacent city of Meknès, the heart of Morocco’s wine industry, as well as a stop at the Roman ruins at Volubulis before the trip culminates with the grandeur that is Casablanca.
For a select group of 16, Jeff will impart his personal tricks of the trade that he has accumulated from years of traveling around and writing about Morocco, as seen in his most recent book, Morroco: A Culinary Journey with Recipes from the Spice-Scented Market of Marrakech to the Date-Filled Oasis of Zagora.
“The food is rich and sensual, colorful and sophisticated and always artfully presented. Moroccan cooks blend spices with finesse and use a generous hand with fresh herbs. Add to that a long tradition of vegetable dishes, falling-off-the-bone meats with harmonious blending of sweet and savory, abundant seafood and a complex history of sweets,” said Jeff Koehler.
