Filed under: Around the World Culinary Tour | Tags: culinary tour, Dolce Vita, Moroccan Feast, Sanibel Island
To twist and bend a cliché, possibly beyond recognition, “When from Morocco, do as Moroccans do.” That was the plan for Dolce Vita’s third in a series of “Around the World: A Culinary Tour and Celebration” events. The night of Moroccan food and festivities was celebrated on July 17, 2008 at this unique Sanibel restaurant.
Chef Aziz (Bouras), a Moroccan native whose love of cooking began at his father’s Tangier hotel and whose training in culinary arts continued at the Culinary School in Agadir, served up an abundance of tantalizing Mediterranean dishes. These included Roasted Chicken B’stilla, Moroccan Shrimp Cigars (you don’t smoke ‘em), spit-roasted Lamb Tangine, Charmoula Grilled Red Snapper alla Fassi, Cornish Hen with Olives and Lemon, with sides of tasty couscous, and traditional Baklava and Moroccan Mint Tea.
According to Chef Aziz, “The goal was to have a traditional ceremony or party like those found in my native country.” Applause that followed the presentation of each main course attested to the achievement of that goal. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the food was accompanied by a festive mood, accentuated by diners who showed up in costume and punctuated by professional dancers whose navel enthusiasm stirred the audience as they danced with swords while balancing wine bottles.
In the tradition of Dolce Vita, guests were also invited to abandon inhibitions and join into the festivities however they saw fit. Many did just that, displaying dance skills to admiring screeches of encouragement, in the traditional Moroccan alternative to applause.
Dolce Vita owner, Andrea Mucciga, also of Mediterranean heritage, described the evening as a “triumph of fun and food”, topping even the successes of his two previous special nights, Cinco de Mayo and Italian Roman Feast.
“People are happy we are doing this. In Morocco, people are very welcoming; the guest is king. The people give you the best of everything. We tried to recreate this and present the hospitality of the Moroccan people….”
