Hand Painted Wood Mirrors On Sales For A Limited Time. Get Yours today!

I am pleased to announce that the handcrafted wood mirrors at MoraCo Imports will be on sale for a limited time.



Visit www.moracoimports.com for 25% off these delicately painted wood mirrors (offer valid through 9/2/08).

New Moroccan Tea Glasses Have Just Arrived At www.moracoimports.com

In Morocco, drinking mint tea (Ataí) is considered a part of everyday life, and a fundamental symbol of hospitality, and community. Moroccan tea culture (Arabic) is defined by the way tea (exclusively green tea) is prepared and consumed in Morocco, where it is widely consumed with food. Tea occupies a very important place in the Moroccan culture and is considered an art form. Morocco is one of the biggest tea importers of the world. It is believed that tea was first introduced to Morocco in the 18th century, and began spreading through Morocco in the mid-1800s at the time the trade between Morocco and Europe started flourishing. It is reported that Sultan Moulay Ismail received many bags of tea and sugar as gifts and recompenses given by European envoys in order to release European prisoners. The main Moroccan tea provider remains China. According to the Moroccan trade ministry, Morocco imported more than $56 million worth of Chinese tea during the first half of 2006. Morocco is considered the first importer of Chinese green tea worldwide. When Moroccan tea is being served. It is poured from a distance to produce a foam on the tea. The method of preparation of Atai is relatively complex compared to methods used elsewhere. A large quantity of hard sugar cones or lumps (5 tea spoons for every spoon of tea) is used, and fresh mint is also an essential ingredient. Tea is cleaned with boiling water before being dried, this removes dust from shipping and supposedly makes the tea less bitter. Tea and boiling water are combined, and may be boiled further for several minutes. After that, sugar and mint are added and mixed into a teapot with a long, curved spout. The sugar may also be combined with the tea and water in the first infusion, rather than with the mint after brewing. Using a traditional curved spout allows the tea to be poured into tiny glasses from a height of approximately half a meter to form a foamy head. It is then returned once or twice to the teapot for a good mix. (source wikipedia)

MoraCo Imports' tea glasses were quite popular, and sold out quickly. I am pleased to announce that the latest shipment has just arrived full of tea glasses. The glasses are still available in Red, White and Blue. I'm excited to announce that they are now available in Green as well! Add a Traditional Moroccan Teapot to your order and celebrate your tea time Moroccan Style. Place your order today to receive free shipping and a free gift with any purchase!

FREE GIFTS AND FREE SHIPPING AT MORACO IMPORTS TODAY!!!!

MoraCo Imports is launching a special customer promotion - Free Shipping and a Free Gift with every purchase!

Now is the time to add a little touch of the exotic to your home.





Go to www.moracoimports.com today!

Safi - The Ceramics Capital of Morocco

My mother was born and raised in Safi, Morocco. Known by the locals as "Asfi", the town is Morocco's most famous ceramics center and home of the National Ceramics Museum of Morocco.







In the northern part of the city, you'll find the "Quartier des Potiers", the ancient potter's quarter full of artisans devoted to keeping this tradition going.





During my last visit, I was so impressed by a young man who creates the most beautiful decorated black ceramics pieces.




He has a small shop in Safi's "Potter's Quarter" where he crafts unique and sophisticated Moroccan pottery. I found his style to be innovative and traditional at once.




Each piece is crafted with the utmost care and precision,... down to the last dot or groove.







If you'd like to read more about Safi, there is a great article at http://lexicorient.com/morocco/safi.htm.

Safi (French: Safi, Arabic: آسفي) is a city in western Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of the Doukkala-Abda Region, it has a population of 284,750 (2004 census), but is also the centre of an agglomeration which has an estimated 793,000 inhabitants (1987).

Safi is the main fishing port for the country's sardine industry, and also exports phosphates, textiles and ceramics. During the Second World War, Safi was one of the landing sites for Operation Torch.

(source: Wikipedia.org)








www.moracoimports.com

Squidoo Article and eBay Auctions

In an attempt to get the word out about my store, I'm discovering sites that I didn't know existed where people share and learn from each other. There is so much interaction and sharing going on that its almost overwhelming, but it is exciting. I just published my first little article on Squidoo.com, its about integrating ethnic decor into your home easily.

http://www.squidoo.com/Moroccandecor

Also, for those of you who don't know, I've been auctioning some of my pieces on eBay. To Check out the items I am selling please visit:

http://myworld.ebay.com/moraco_imports









www.moracoimports.com

Kefta Tagine - Moroccan Meatball Stew

When I was asked to be a part of an international pot luck last week, I knew that I wanted to cook something from Morocco. There are so many delicious Moroccan recipes, but many of them don't lend themselves well to a "pot luck" environment. I wanted to go with something that was representative of the flavors of Morocco, and yet was easy to manage, and serve. I decided to go with Kefta Tagine - Moroccan Meatball Stew.

Kefta Tagine is pretty straightforward. The preparation is as simple as cooking tomato meatball sauce for spaghetti,... the difference is in the spices used. Which makes a world of difference.

Ingredients
For the kefta (meatballs)
1lb ground beef
1 onion, very finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 egg
small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
For the tagine (stew)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 14oz can of tomato sauce
1 14oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp plain sugar
Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

***4 free-range eggs - only for the alternative preparation***

Preparation

1. For the meatballs, place the beef, onion, garlic, all spices, fresh herbs and egg into a large bowl. Knead with your hands to form a smooth paste. Roll into walnut-sized balls and set aside.
2. In a large, preferably a heavy-bottomed casserole, heat the olive oil and add the onion. Cook on medium for a few minutes.
3. Add the prepared meatballs and cook until lightly browned on all sides.
4. Combine the tomato sauce with the canned tomatoes, along with the sugar. Cover and simmer for twenty-thirty minutes or until sauce thickens to your liking. During this time slowly add the extra cumin taste-testing it to your liking.
5. Add chopped parsley as garnish before serving.

Alternative Preparation

After completing step 4, carefully break the eggs onto the top of the stew. Place the tagine or casserole into the oven and bake until the eggs are cooked to your liking, approximately ten minutes.

You can also add vegetables, such as peas or green beans, to the stew. Be surea to add them at the same time that you add the tomato sauce. You may need to add a cup, or so, of water if you add vegetables. Allow for some extra simmering time if you add vegetables.

Serving

This tagine is usually served to guests in a decorated tagine, such as the one in the above image. It is eaten with bread or couscous, or by itself. It is also makes a great sauce for pastas!

www.moracoimports.com

Panama!

I was fortunate enough to visit Panama with some friends during the Thanksgiving holidays last week. It was such an enriching experience, and the landscape was breathtaking! I had never experienced that sort of intense humidity, lush vegetation and rain forest rain.

The highlight of my time there was when we were taken on a boat through the rain forest and spend some time with members of the Embera tribe that live in the forest near the Panama Canal.

Spending time with the Indian tribe was special. I was reassured about how similar people are as we swam together under a waterfall, as I giggled with a young girl about my name (its very similar to the plant they use to weave baskets- Nawala), or when a little Indian child came to sit on my lap,... unprompted.





It was a great experience to see how the environment, the plants and the atmosphere has such a powerful impact on cultures. It is what determines the food you eat, the crafts you make and the way you live.












Embera tribe traditional body painting. Just like Henna!





(Man Vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel debuts its new episode tonight, November 30th 9/8pm. The survivor man Bear Grylls hunts with the Embera tribe. )



www.moracoimports.com

Travelling Morocco 2007

I was inspired to start this blog for the same reason that I was inspired to move to New York City when I was 18, and, more recently, to start a business importing things from Morocco- its the desire to learn and share as much as possible about culture, all cultures,... about people.




About how similar we are, and how different, and how we can all relate so strongly to each other.

Back in April, I went on my first official buying trip to Morocco. Six months later I received my first container full of handcrafted pieces from Morocco.





Now, just a few weeks shy of launching the web store, I'm reminded about what made me decide to do this. Its all about sharing the experience.

www.moracoimports.com