Cooking and Cleaning

​Friday, January 23, 2026 — Fez, Morocco

We flew into Fez at 11:30 last night.  Based on our 20 minute drive from the airport and 5 minute walk into the Medina, the difference between Fez and Marrakech could not be more clear. The smooth pavement, wide multi-lanes road, bright streetlights, wide sidewalks, and cement curbs made us almost feel like we were home again. Once we parked the car and walked into the Medina, however, it was clear that this too is indeed an ancient city (more than 1200 years old!) Unlike Marrakech, however, it appeared to be very well maintained… and, praise Allah, no mopeds allowed!  

Seffarine Square

No mopeds sllowed!

The only tour we booked before leaving home was a cooking class I saw on TripAdvisor — Cooking with Grandmother, which turned out to be fantastic. We met Fatima at the Blue Gate at 11:00, then stopped to pick up some fresh produce, before walking to the guest house, which she and her husband run. This converted home is known as a Dar, which differs from a Riad in that the central courtyard is smaller.  However, the home is still multi-storied and the rooms inward-facing. The original structure was built in 1366!

The “Blue” gate (green on the other side)

Fatima at the market

Inner courtyard of the Dat

Originally constructed in 1366!

We cooked on the rooftop of the building, which provided a fabulous view overlooking the Medina. Fatima’s grandmother, referred to as Haja (because she has completed her pilgrimage to Mecca) was the real star of the show. She did not speak English, but was a whirlwind in the rooftop kitchen. At 82, we learned, she lives and takes care of her mother who is over 100!  Wow, talk about healthy living. We made bread, couscous with vegetables and beef, chicken pastilla (a sort of minced meat pie with shredded chicken and almonds wrapped with phyllo dough and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar), a cooked zucchini and cilantro salad, and pickled carrots. Theoretically we were there to help prepare the meal, but in reality, Haja hardly needed our help and we only slowed her down. Fatima, answered questions, gave us a list of sights to see, and talked about her family while the food was prepared.

Meg sprinkling sugar on the chicken pastilla

Haja, happy in here element

View overlooking the medina

What a feast

While we were with Fatima, she recommended we visit a Moroccan hamman or public bathhouse.  We were game so she made reservations for us at 4:00 for a traditional private bath — this was quite the experience. 

Ready for a bath

I was never quite sure what I was supposed to do during the process. First, Meg and I were led upstairs to a small waiting room, then to some wooden lockers to store our belongings, and then to separate changing rooms. Meg would be bathed by a woman and me by a man. The first hurdle was trying to figure out the pair of disposable underwear — I couldn’t get them peeled apart to put them on.

Said, my attendant, was a young, fit, bearded man also in underwear, though his were not the baggy, black paper ones I was sporting. He led me to a small, private room covered in marble and tile. On each side were heated marble platforms and on the back wall a semi-circular basin filled with water with taps for hot and cold water. He introduced himself, shook my hand, and then directed me to lie down on my stomach or back, to sit, or stand as needed. 

On at least three occasions, I figured we were done and thanked Said only to find there was more! This was, afterall, a very thorough, multi-step process: apply black soap, rinse, exfoliate, rinse, exfoliate again, rinse, apply lotion, shampoo, rinse again. The exfoliation, the core of the procedure, involved “vigorous scrubbing.”Said used a course blue mitt, which, from the feel of it, was covered with 40 grit sandpaper! Imagine the pressure and force you would use to sand the paint off of a piece of furniture, and you get the idea.

Clean and happy

In truth, it was a very unique and not completely unenjoyable experience. I’m sure we’ve never been cleaner.