John Gregory-Smith - Orange Blossom & Honey: Magical Moroccan recipes from the souks to the Sahara

John Gregory-Smith is a food and travel journalist who has written three previous books, Turkish Delights, Mighty Spice Express and Mighty Spice Cookbook. He travels all over the world in search of the best recipes and latest food trends, contributing regularly to various UK publications. And when not heading off the beaten track, his London pop-ups always receive rave reviews. Catch him on instagram @johngs

From as early as the seventh century, the Arabs referred to North Africa as Maghrib The Land of the Setting Sun. Morocco was the end of their world, and the start of the West. For me, Morocco is not an ending, but a beginning a gateway to the East, and a world thats so amazing I cant fully describe it; its the land of the setting sun and of a million stars, of mountain ranges and deserts, of stunning cities and coastal villages. Its the source of a culinary obsession that has lasted many years and will without doubt last many more.

My first trip to Morocco was in 2007 after reading about the ancient medina of Fez. I was fascinated by the stories of winding alleyways, hidden houses and night markets; I knew I had to go and see it first hand. And after what seemed like an age, leaving London and travelling via Marrakesh to the north of Morocco, I finally arrived in the dead of night.

With the help of the worlds smallest torch, a guide led me into the medina the walled section of the city. As we made our way through the narrow streets, the torchs tiny beam revealed a glimpse of the citys splendour. Stunning doorways, embossed with geometrical patterns, broke up the towering stone walls that surrounded us, and I caught glimpses of ornate gardens hidden behind rickety wooden gates.

The next morning I ate breakfast on the hotels terrace, looking over a thousand rooftops squeezed so tightly together that you couldnt see the streets beneath them. But I could hear them, bubbling away. A world of spices and souks, a million miles from anything Id ever seen before, was opening up. I was hooked.

Although the Sahara Desert occupies swathes of the country to the south, Morocco is incredibly fertile. The vast coastal plains and expansive plateaus of the northwest, between the great cities of Rabat and Marrakesh, are rich with crops. Stretching as far as the eye can see, from the blustery Atlantic coast to the mountains in the east, everything from wheat to citrus fruits and an abundance of vegetables, herbs and pulses is grown.

Meandering down into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the Rif Mountains score their way across the north of the country. Subsistence farmers grow herbs, fruits and cereal crops on lush ledges, high in the mountains. Deep in the desert, natural oases breath life into the land and sticky-sweet dates droop down from palm trees.

All over the country, even in the most remote regions high in the Atlas Mountains, cattle, sheep, goats and chickens are reared (for religious reasons, pork is not widely eaten). Along the golden coastlines, theres an abundance of fresh fish and other seafood, including Oualidias famous oysters.

Ginger, paprika, turmeric and cumin are all produced in Morocco and used in abundance in the countrys cooking. To add more character to special dishes, elaborate spice blends like a musty mix of ground pepper, clove and cumin are used. They are bought in the market, ready ground, in small quantities to keep fresh and full of flavour.

The food of this great country is what keeps me coming back, time after time. Im guessing many of you will have eaten in a Moroccan restaurant or two, and quite possibly had the pleasure of a weekend break in Marrakesh. But the real food of Morocco is served at home and eaten with friends and family: delicately steamed couscous thats topped with meat, vegetables and cinnamon-spiced onions; rich Berber tagines, little kefta cooked in thick sauces with egg, savoury, fruity salads, sweet stews, and sensational seafood. Everything is seasonal and made with local ingredients. Flavours such as saffron, powdered ginger, cumin, preserved lemons, honey, olives and orange blossom, elevate the everyday into the extraordinary. And a rich history of different cultures coming and going has added even more colour to the food of this already-vibrant land.

Todays Moroccan food is a cultural clash of Berber and Arabic, with other influences peppered in. Exiled Moors from Spain brought olive cultivation, citrus fruits and paprika, and the Jewish Moors, preserving and pickling. When you visit the Jewish quarter, or mellah, in Marrakesh or Fez today, youll find pickled vegetables and preserved lemons piled high, just waiting for your best offer. The mighty Ottoman Empire introduced a little fire and smoke through their chargrilled kebabs and the French, who had a protectorate on Morocco from 1912 and occupied the country for 40 years, left their caf culture and an appetite for sophisticated pastries and breads. Along the Mediterranean coast in the north, the Spanish influence can be seen, and you can feast on Moroccaned-up versions of classic recipes like paella and boquernes.

The original inhabitants of Morocco were the Berbers, native tribes of North Africa who have lived in the region since around 10,000 BC.

Berber comes from the Greek word barbaria, their name for the Maghrib region the land of the barbarians. But the Berbers refer to themselves as Amazigh, which can be translated as free people or noble men, and their longevity is testament to this more accurate etymology. They have outlasted any ruling empire and their incredible culture still thrives today, including their language, Tamazigh, which was recently awarded official status alongside Arabic. Outside the big cities you can find traditional agricultural Berber villages, where the language and customs have remained relatively unchanged for thousands of years.

As a whole, Morocco has absorbed aspects of the various cultures that have passed through it over the centuries. Standing between the mighty Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea, it was perfectly positioned as an outpost for different civilisations. From the Byzantines to the Phoenicians, Romans and later the Arabs, ruling empires passed through, making the most of the fertile land and trusted trade routes.