A reminder of Morocco.

After looking back at my design book on Hawaii, I had a reminder this week of another book I made. My book was all about Moroccan cuisine and, when I saw this M&S ad in the paper, I thought some of the pages of my book were similar to this design, below, made with spices.

As well as the ad in the paper M&S are also running a mouth watering TV ad to promote their Moroccan tagine. Yum!

The circle in the middle of my front cover was made with spices dropped on to PVA glue. It's got a rough feel to it.

And the inspiration for my book came from one of my favourite television chefs, Rick Stein.

I'm very happy that he's back on TV at the moment on a new gastronomic road trip from Venice to Istanbul.

When you open my book you can smell the spices. 

This page was all about the saffron that grows in Morocco.

 I saw star anise in the M&S newspaper ad. I also used a star anise for some artwork on a page of my book and made a little printing block. The chillies were made by a cool iron melting a plastic ribbon, the sort that florists tie round a bouquet. It bubbles up nicely.

Drinking mint tea is a favourite pastime.

This was my favourite page, orange flower and rosewater.

Pomegranates.

Lemons.

Tagines.

Dates.

Aubergines.

Freshly baked bread every day. I did some rust dyeing on muslin.

Fish, of course.

Goats that climb trees.

Cafe tiles.

I had enrollled for my C&G course and was undecided on a country for my main research and design when Rick Stein's programme came on the TV -  'Mediterranean Escapes'.  It must have been 2008, I think, and once I saw him smelling the spices and wandering the souks of Morocco, well I was entranced. My choice of country was decided.

Think I'll  have to go off and buy that M&S Spiced Lamb and Apricot Tagine now!