Kayaking in Venice

Enjoy a beautifully-written article in the Financial Times exploring the pleasures of kayaking Venice's waterways.

Courtesy ECV-Ontheroad on Flickr

"This is hidden Venice, a world away from the visiting hordes, footpaths and overpriced gelato: the true Serenissima – and all it takes to uncover it are a few strokes on the canal less travelled."

Kayaks can reach the narrow, low tunnels that are too inaccessible for even gondolas.

Courtesy La Citta Vita on Flickr

This looks like a novel and exciting way to visit one of the world's most popular cities. Sign me up!

"...we slip under tiny bridges, ducking to avoid decorative lions’ heads, and shimmy west into the rio (tiny canals) of Castello. Each stroke pulls us away from the tourists, deeper into daily Venetian life. At water level, it is tiny details that catch the eye: outboard engines stored on balconies, drainpipes chiselled into ground floor brickwork – safe from wide delivery barges – and small dinghies, used to ferry owners to boats moored on opposite banks, hanging from hooks." -FT.com

Courtesy Dirt Fairy on Flickr

Grab a paddle and be sure to check out the FT's photo slideshow from this trip.

Paula Wolfert releases epic new Moroccan cookbook

I have three references when it comes to Moroccan cooking.

The first is my mother-in-law, a talented and innovative (in her own way) cook; a vintage Jewish-Moroccan cookbook written in French that she gave me years ago, with my frantic scrawl in the margins noting where my mom-in-law's recipes rapidly deviate from the book's kosher principles (starting with that first big lump of butter she stirs into her harira lamb stew); and finally, my go-to resource* when I can't get her by skype or I'm left scratching my head trying to perform metric to American measuring conversions...

Paula Wolfert's seminal cookbook Couscous and Other Good Foods from Morocco. More than any other, I've found it to be the most precise, descriptive in its methods and rich in anecdotal details on traditional Moroccan cooking.

Image credit Myung J. Chung

Wolfert began her Moroccan culinary explorations more than 50 years ago, learning at the side of experienced home cooks; this experience provided her with ample material to fill what was already a thick book with the widest array of dishes I've come across in English.

Apparently she's set a new milestone with The Food of Morocco, a 500+ page culinary memoir (ooh la la) that updates and expands upon her previous book. . It includes full color photographs and description of the sort of traditional, regional fare she's known for (her recipe for a seafood bistilla has been a favorite of mine, when I'm feeling particularly ambitious in the kitchen).

This excellent review says:

"Sidebars and intros provide adequate space for Paula to weave in culinary tales, divulge regional and historical contexts, and share poignant quotes from the literary giants who helped shape her own Moroccan experiences. All the while, she dishes out ample cooking advice while graciously acknowledging sources."

Image from Wolfert's book The Food of Morocco

A friend tipped me off to this recent NYT article on Wolfert and Mourad Lahlou (the San Fran-based culinary innovator at Aziza restaurant). The writer tries to build tension between the two's methods, but really fails to see that they both simply occupy a spectrum along generational lines.

And based on her comments in her instructions on how to make the thinner-than-phyllo warqa, crediting Lahlou with helping make the recipe successful, their professional relationship seems more collaborative than opposing. --But seriously, if you haven't won a James Beard award of a Michelin star, I'd just go for store-bought...

If you don't happen to have someone around to show you the ropes, Wolfert's books will surely be the best bet for learning, or just appreciating, the repertoire of traditional Moroccan cooking. Get an inside peek here.

I'm looking forward to just getting my hands on this book. I'd love to hear from anyone who's already gotten it, and to learn what you think of the recipes!



*And not just mine. It's in its umpteenth edition, so apparently a whole lot of other people are enjoying it, too. :)