Culinary Adventures in Marrakech


Book Description

I wake up in the morning and throw the shutters open. It's dawn and the first prayers of the day have just hurled over the rooftops of Marrakech. Breakfast is home-made jam, honey, tea, freshly squeezed orange juice and a basket full of freshly baked, still warm breads - m'lawi, flat bread, pancake and croissant. And with this, the irrepressible Peta Mathias begins her culinary adventures in one of the most exotic locations on earth: Marrakech in Morocco. From the beautiful and eccentric Hôtel du Trésor and the souk at Ait Ourir, to the traditional home kitchen of Mohamed and Latifa and the exquisite cafes and pattiseries in the medina, discover the food, people and atmosphere that defines Marrakech. Based on the six-part television series Peta Unplugged in Marrakech.




Shed Couture


Book Description

‘The point of this book is to explore my ideas for sartorial satisfaction, to tell the stories associated with my love of clothes and fashion, and to share the message of accidental sustainability.’ When Peta Mathias dug through the clothes she had stored away for twenty years in her shed, she realised it was full of valuable, beautiful items that were crying out to be worn again: ‘Fashion is mysterious, irresistible and alluring . . . they are not just frocks — they are beauty, art, history, emotion, memory, identity and, above all, joy.’ From this arose a new appreciation of buying well but cannily, so your clothes will not bankrupt you nor go out of fashion. Reviving her neglected wardrobe, Peta revelled in mixing fabrics, colours and patterns, considering how to make an impact and how that dull pair of shoes can be transformed into something just a little bit fabulous.




Marrakech Flair


Book Description

It has been said that Marrakech awakens all of the senses. Whether it is seeing the intricate zellige tilework; smelling the various spices sold at the souks; hearing the call to prayer emanate from the nearby mosques; touching the supple leather used to make a pair of babouches (leather sandals); tasting a flavorful tagine, Marrakech never fails to excite. Located just west of the Atlas Mountains, the city has been inhabited by Berber farmers for centuries. It has been dubbed the “Ochre City” because of the proliferation of red sandstone buildings and the red city walls, which now enclose the Medina, home to Jemaa el-Fnaa, one of the busiest squares in Africa.




The Imperial Cities of Morocco


Book Description

"Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat are the creation of the six great dynasties that have ruled over Morocco ever since the eighth century. Situated at the heart of an empire which, at its height, extended over the whole of Andalusia and North Africa, the four great imperial cities of Morocco were used to underwrite the power and prestige of their builder-kings. Subjected to the trials and tribulations of history and the clashings of rival dynasties and factions, they were by turns protected, enhanced, or abandoned -- and even, in some cases, partially destroyed. Today, with their elaborate layout and elegant architecture, they are the jewels in the Moroccan crown. Situated at the crossroads of Moorish Spain and the Arab East, they gave rise to a rich artistic tradition, their mosques, madrasas, palaces and gardens reflecting the exceptional architectural and decorative skills of the craftsmen who built them."--




Gastronomad


Book Description

People are busting out of static residential living and boring corporate serfdom and embracing a new life of freedom, beauty, adventure and joy. The movement is the gastronomad lifestyle - endless travel out of love for food and culture. Instead of living in one place, then becoming an occasional tourist on vacation (where you're on the outside looking in), gastronomads become "temporary locals" wherever they go, immersing themselves in community and culture. But how? The secret is to travel and work at the same time! It's a world of endless possibilities. The gig economy, the sharing economy, the app economy and crowdsourced content - as well as ubiquitous internet and powerful mobile devices - enable almost anyone to live almost anywhere and still build a thriving, exciting and rewarding career. Journalist Mike Elgan has been living and writing about the gastronomad lifestyle for a decade, and shares all his secrets in this surprising book, including how to: pivot your career to become location independent grow your income and shrink your cost of living downsize to a small "home base" and spend half your rent abroad find dream locations to live in explore the world's most amazing food cultures create a new life that brings you joy Going gastronomad is much more than embracing a way of life. It's a state of mind. Whether you're just thinking about traveling more - not as a tourist but as an intentional traveler - or want to quit your job, sell your home and spend the rest of your life exploring the world, this book will transform how you think about travel, food and life itself!




Eat Smart in Morocco


Book Description

Hungry travelers to Morocco can have a perfect trip with this food guide that feeds the soul as well as the body. Peterson educates the palate and the pocketbook to take the stress and nervous stomach possibilities out of travel.




Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco


Book Description

One of the world's great cuisines lovingly and meticulously presented by an outstanding authority on food. Reveals the variety and flavor of the country itself. "The Paula Wolfert I know is an adventuress, a sensualist, a perfectionist cook, a highwire kitchen improvizationalist. And this book is the story of her love affair with Morocco." -Gael Green North Africa is the home to one of the world's great cuisines. Redolent of saffron, cumin and cilantro, Moroccan cooking can be as elegant or as down-home hearty as you want it to be. In Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco, author Paula Wolfert has collected delectable recipes that embody the essence of the cuisine. From Morocco's national dish, couscous (for which Wolfert includes more than 20 different recipes), to delicacies such as Bisteeya (a pigeon pie made with filo, eggs, and raisins among other ingredients), Wolfert describes both the background of each recipe and the best way to prepare it. As if the mouthwatering recipes weren't enough, each chapter includes some aspect of Moroccan culture or history, be it an account of Moroccan moussems, or festivals, or a description of souks, or markets. Just reading the recipes will be enough to induce ravenous hunger even on a full stomach. Once you've tried the Chicken Tagine with Prunes and Almonds, or the Seared Lamb Kebabs Cooked in Butter, Paula Wolfert's Couscous and Other Good Foods from Morocco will become a well-worn title on your cookbook shelf.




Fete Accomplie


Book Description

A New Zealander's hilarious culinary romance with France, interspersed with recipes. A New Zealand nurse opening a restaurant in Paris? Surely that would be sheer fantasy? But luck and blind determination led Peta Mathias to fulfil her long-held ambition - rising from dishwasher to French chef - and a life filled with sensuous gastronomic experiences. The wonderful recipes Peta cooked during her extraordinary time in France are intermingled here with her lively account of the exotic French lifestyle and the colourful characters she encountered. Funny, frank and fabulous, this is a delicious memoir of a charmed time in the life of the ever-popular Peta Mathias.




Never Put All Your Eggs in One Bastard


Book Description

Funny, passionate, outrageous and honest, this is a memoir about travel, house renovations, food, music, men and change. ‘I’ve escaped more houses than I’ve said Hail Marys.’ Peta Mathias has been making major moves since leaving home to train as a nurse, before living in Canada, London and later France, where she set up her own restaurant. Although she returned to New Zealand, writing food books and making television series, she continued to yoyo back to Europe and started culinary tours to Spain, Italy, Morocco, India, Vietnam, and the recurring attraction: France. In this ‘memoir of sorts’, Peta looks back at the patterns of her life while she embarks on the next big stage in it: selling her beloved cottage in Auckland to buy a dilapidated old house in Uzès in the south of France and transforming the old wreck into a stylish home and cooking school. This new domesticity is set against her nomadic instincts and past history of running away from all conventional expectations of settling down. Spiced with recipes, the thrills and tribulations of reinventing yourself and her trademark humour, this book is really about never putting all your eggs in one bastard.




Monica Pedersen Make It Beautiful


Book Description

The go-to guide for home entertaining on all budgets for all types of readers from nationally renowned HGTV host Monica Pedersen.