The View from Fez - Photo Journal: Culture

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Moroccan Photo Competition Final Results

At Cafe Clock the judges announced their decisions in the Moroccan Photography Competition. The competition was run as part of the 5th birthday festivities for The View from Fez

Out of the 102 finalists, the judges made special mention and commended the following photographs.
#1 Fez photo by Nigel Tradwell. "Beautiful composition and use of natural light"
#19 Woman on rooftop by Harry Eyre "Chic shot capturing a priceless moment"
#26 Fantasia by Lynn Evans Davidson "Superb non-clichéd high action shot"
#31 The cistern in El Jadida by Elizabeth Gracon. "A jewel of a photo using natural light"
#37 "1912" Old Medina, Fez: by Rita Houari - "Wonderfully moody, timeless black and white"
#46 Soldier in Rabat: by A.J. Jamal "Wonderful composition"
#78 In the souk in Casablanca: by Terry Gordon. "A rare moment. Captivating and funny"
#91 Sahara: by Gigi Stoll "Texture is everything in this superb pic"
#93 Window to the world, Tangier. by Koós Kinga "Timeless Tangier in sepia. Fine work"

The judges also awarded a "Highly Commended Award" to local photographer Omar Chennafi for his "Fez Doorway." "A photo that can be read in so many ways. Memory, hope for the future... a simple but arresting image."

Omar Chennafi - "Fez Doorway."

And the winners of the two categories The People's Choice and The Judges Award....

To complicate matters, The People’s Choice and the Judges had selected exactly the same first and second place photos.

2nd Place in both categories was Vanessa Bonnin’s "Volubilis after rain". "Talk about how to make the Roman look Gothic! Sensing the light would be perfect, Vanessa raced off to Volubilis and got a photograph to be proud of".

1st Place in both categories was Thami Benkirane's "A farnatche in Fez" The judges said "Thami Benkirane used no tripod, was shooting on film and going where most of us would not even think of.. the photo is stunning."

All 102 finalists in the competition can be viewed HERE

THANKS!
The View from Fez would like to thank Cafe Clock for the hospitality! Also our sponsors who provided prizes: a very generous accommodation package for two in Fez, donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a two sumptuous meals for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam provided by Riad Laaroussa. And thank you to all those who entered photographs, it was wonderful to be able to show your images to thousands of people around the world.

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Eid Festival in Fez.

The View from Fez team were invited into a local Moroccan home to celebrate Eid. Our host was the gracious Thami from Thami's Restaurant. Just after we arrived two visitors to Fez also were invited in. One was from Mexico and the other was Tess, from Sydney, Australia.

Needless to say the visitors were amazed at their good fortune and the opportunity to experience a genuine cultural event. The View from Fez would like to thank Thami and his family for their warm generosity.

The first of three sheep makes its entrance

Sheep wrangling? No problem.

Preparing to skin the sheep

The third sheep is sacrificed

"They will never believe this back in Sydney" Tess.

"Not what I do in my living room... but..." Tess.

Preparing the kebabs of heart and liver

Fanning the flames

Thami does the barbecue

Everyone dressed up.

A satisfied Tess succumbs to the hospitality!

Meanwhile, out on the streets, every corner and spare space seems to have a fire underneath old mattress frames. Goats and sheep heads are being cooked everywhere causing a haze of smoke over the Medina.

The local boys in R'cif

Image from Imelda O'Reilly's -Bricks, Beds and Sheep's Heads

For those who would like to see more of the Eid celebrations we recommend viewing Imelda O'Reilly's short film Bricks, Beds and Sheep's Heads

Some basic facts: Cost of a sheep can be up to 3000 dirhams. Cost of having a professional kill and skin it has risen from 50 dirhams three years ago to 150 this year.

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Making B'stilla (P'stilla) ~ Photo Essay

The View from Fez has had the pleasure in the last few weeks of hosting legendary young Australian chef Katerina Annels. While in Fez we sent her out on assignment to discover the traditional way to make b'stilla. This is one of the signature dishes of Morocco and as Katerina reports it is relatively simple to make. Here is her report and her photographs.

While in Fez I have discovered warika, a paper thin bread used for both savouries and sweets. Somewhat like filo ( if you use a few layers) - this stuff is fantastic! Experimenting with ways to use warika (do i feel another article coming on?) I have decided that I like it better then filo, as it gives a beautiful crisp golden exterior when baked. Yum

Imagine my delight when Thami, from Thami's restaurant, on learning of my quest to find alternative uses of warika, offered to show me the process of making traditional P'stilla.

Warika and almonds ready for p'stilla

I arive early in the morning, Thami is out shoping, buying everthing fresh for that day. Hasania is in the kitchen preparing the vegetable dishes, (before the meat arives). When Thami comes back from shoping I am greated with a smile, a tour of the kitchen, a taste of everything that going (cooked or not) and a big bag of spices, 'so I can cook good Moroccan food at home'. Next I am dragged down the street, sat down and given a bowl of heated preserved camel meat with eggs. Before I can take more than a bite (suprisingly eddible) I am whisked back up the street again. All the niceties taken care of, we are ready to begin making the p'stilla

A small handfull of almonds is ground down to crumbs in an old brass mortar and pestle.

A hand full of rice, and some pre-socked turmeric raisins and onions are added to the mix

...a dash of olive oil

Half an onion, finely chopped, a big pinch of cinamon, a tablespoon of icing-sugar

Some sauce from the vegetable tagine bubbling in the corner is added (water would do) and then an egg

Mixed together and fried on the flat grill. I guess that the chicken would be added here, for some reason, my limited language skills cannot discover, we are making one with out chicken, or more traditionally pigeon.

Part of the joy of this cooking lesson was the way in which Thami approached everything with a joyful party atmosphere (something severely missing in most Australian kitchens).

Three or four sheets of warika are chosen.

placed over a plate

and filled with the cooked mixture

It is folded, thus...

... and thus!

until you have a neat parcel.

Then it's ready for the oven or the pan. We have done this in the oven and it works just as well.

Deep fried in hot oil till golden. The warika also protects the filling from soaking in the oil far more effectively then any other pastry I have found.

The hot p'stilla is dusted with icing-sugar

and decorated with cinnamon

Voila!

YUM BIZEF!

Soft and crispy, sweet and savoury, spiced and simple, this dish brings it all together. If your looking to try it, I recommend tapping off the excess icing sugar before tucking in to this wonderful dish.

Photos: Sandy McCutcheon

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Traditional Berber Bread Making

In the tiny Berber village of Tassa Ouirgane in the High Atlas mountains, The View from Fez team learned how to make tanort, a traditional Berber bread. You will find the recipe here - Berber Bread.