Growing up in a large Moroccan family requires you to help in the kitchen and that is how Maria learned to cook. She fondly remembers her grandmother teaching her family recipes and classics like lamb tagine with cardoons during summer vacation. Maria recently retired and now has more time to pursue her passion for cooking and meeting people from all over the world. She lives with her 9 year old son, his nanny and her sister. Maria has traveled a lot, experiencing different cuisines and cultures, which has made her more appreciative of her own heritage. She now wishes to share her culture and cuisine with travelers visiting her city! After you are picked-up, Maria will help you navigate the market which can be overwhelming to explore on your own. Maria can also help you do a bit of shopping if you’re searching for a certain ingredient before driving you home. Maria lives in a modern, luxurious villa in a gated community in a suburb of Casablanca. She will welcome you with some Moroccan tea and, while you sip on your welcome drink, share more about life in Morocco, its history, culture and cuisine. Next join Maria in her kitchen to prepare her favorite family recipes in a hands-on cooking class. You’ll cook together for about an hour, and will learn to make two authentic Moroccan dishes such as chicken tagine and a chickpea and couscous salad, before enjoying the dishes you helped prepare. Your meal will also include other dishes prepared by Maria in advance such as harira (a traditional soup) and pastille (a type of Moroccan meat pie, filled with spiced meat and apricots) served with homemade bread. Your meal will conclude with a dessert such as oranges with cinnamon or cake.