The Scent of Orange Blossoms

Book excerpt: During Spains infamous inquisition, Jews were forced to flee the country for more welcoming shores. Many of the refugees landed in Northern Africa, specifically Morocco, and a unique cuisine was born of the marriage of Spanish, Moorish and traditional Jewish culinary influences. This volume celebrates this cuisine presenting the elegant and captivating flavours passed down through generations of Moroccan Jews. It provides sample menus for all major Jewish holidays, and includes recipes for fresh fava bean soup with cilantro for Passover, chicken couscous with orange blossom water for the Day of Atonement and honey doughnuts for Hannukah. It emphaizes the connection between food, family and tradition as recipes are interspersed with letters between mothers and newly married daughters.