travel – Tales and Travel

Hold the Harissa

I LOVE Tunisian food. Brik. Bambalouni. Couscous. Kafteji. Makrout. Mechouia. Mint Tea. Fabulous fish. And much, much more.

I love the vibrant markets, tasty street food, fancy and not-so-fancy restaurants. I loved my two cooking classes.

*Red peppers. The ingredient of wicked harissa.*

True Confessions. I do not love all Tunisian food. I HATE harissa, a scorching, blazing red sauce that is a mainstay in Tunisian cuisine. Fire food is not for me. I like to savor flavors, different tastes – not have them overpowered by heat. I know. I am outnumbered.

In many dishes harissa is served on the side – optional. In some, like couscous, it is usually a key ingredient. I learned. Just ask. “Hold the harissa.”

Harissa plays no role is one of my favorites: Bambalouni, a light, airy, crispy, deep-fried, large, donut like creation. It’s popular at street stands. It was a breakfast buffet selection at a hotel where I stayed. I’d like to begin every day with a Bambalouni and coffee. Heaven!

Tunisian salads – usually without harissa – are phenomenal. Above, a shrimp salad. Mechouia is a national favorite: green peppers, tomatoes, caraway, olive oil. Depending on the cook, other ingredients can be added. The secret is grilling the vegetables which gives a distinct, smokey enhancement.

Couscous, above, is popular throughout the Maghreb, i.e. Morocco and Algeria too. It can be made with lamb (most traditional), beef, chicken or fish, added to steamed semolina and vegetables in a spicy sauce, normally including harissa. I ordered the lamb version for one of my first Tunisian meals. – delicious with harissa on the side. I tried a taste with fire — not for me. According to my guidebook, there are 300 different ways to prepare couscous.

Brik. So many versions. All so delicious. Very, very thin dough, like filo, is folded over a combo of ingredients, such as tuna, veggies, cheese, perhaps harissa, then deep fried until crisp and golden. In Tunisia you can buy packages of Brik dough. I may try with packaged filo. Bambalouni for breakfast and Brik for lunch — for me nothing could be better.

Tuna salad with poached egg, other goodies — and whipped cream. Delicious.

Canned tuna makes a frequent appearance in Tunisian cuisine — in innovative salads or sandwiches, combined with other goodies, and always a delight.
An egg, usually soft boiled, is another frequent Tunisian ingredient. The gooey yellow is an added treat.

Kafteji sandwich, left. Tunisians eat bread with every meal . There are numerous varieties, including baguettes.

Kafteji Vegetables star in Tunisian cuisine. Here they are fried, finely chopped together, combined with an egg as mentioned above, harissa, and served alone or stuffed into a flatbread sandwich. They are another street food sensation with countless variations. You can “hold the harissa.”

Makrout. Tunisians love pastry. This is THE national sweet, a deep-fried cookie made with semolina, flower water and filled with a date paste mixture. In the town of Kairouan, Mme. Halima offers a Makrout workshop in her home. I learned the preparation intricacies (see video above) and saw the amazing contraption, below, used for flower water distillation.

Mint Tea. Tunisia is a Moslem country, and most Moslems do not drink alcohol. Nonetheless the country produces both beer and wine. I indulge in both, but not on this trip due to the health crisis I suffered during my travels.(see previous post, The Trip that Almost Wasn’t) I did not miss the booze. I became addicted to mint tea which is served everywhere and better than any I can make at home. Must be the Tunisian mint.

A decadent strawberry cake and mint tea for dessert.

This is just a mini sampling of Tunisian food. For more on Tunisia, see previous post, In Awe of Tunisia. More food soon in a post about my stay at Dar El Gaied, an exquisite guest house where I had an at-home private cooking course…with harissa definitely on hold.

If not a Tales and Travel follower, please sign up here. Trust me. It’s safe. Your address is kept private.

More photos below :

Tunisian breakfast: dates, cheese, pastry, jam and yogurt.

Please leave a comment . . . Cancel reply

In Awe of Tunisia

***Along the coast in Cap Bon, northern Tunisia.***

White, white — all the buildings white in Tunis, photo below.

All the white may seem bland, but Tunisia is not. This small North African country is dynamic, vibrant, and a treasure trove of colorful sights: mind-boggling mosaics; joyful, boisterous markets; majestic mosques; intriguing souks, and super friendly, kind, understanding folk. I was so impressed with the later, by the end of my 10-day journey, I thought about reading the Koran and taking up Islam.

Souks, sinuous alleys with all kinds of merchandise, are endemic to Tunisia.

As the plane from Nice descended to Tunis, not much to see from the window except white buildings everywhere. Later from a roof top restaurant, more of the same. Somehow it seems spooky, but it’s the traditional architectural style and helps reflect the Mediterranean sun to keep interiors cool.

**Plenty of color at the indoor market in Tuni**s.

People — their customs, way of life, beliefs — fascinate me most about travel. Tunisia is an Islamic country, mainly Sunni, but as driver Faouzi pointed out, “We have mosques, we have bars, we have discos.”

Tunisia is the birthplace of the Arab Spring in 2010. Protests led to the fall of the then president and his harsh regime, inspiring similar movements in the Arab world. Today however many Tunisians are more than disappointed. There are serious economic problems and unemployment. Corruption is rampant. Many young Tunisians want to leave the country for a better life in Europe.

As to religion, to each his or her own. It seemed to me that about 50% of the women cover their heads with the hijab. Guide Mondher maintains there is nothing in the Koran about the hijab. The Islamic belief is that the Koran was revealed to Mohammad over about 23 years. However, throughout `many years different scholars and traditions have developed different interpretations. His wife wears the hijab, his 20-something daughter does not. Both he and Faouzi are practicing Muslims. Neither drink alcohol.

As a foodie, markets are a favorite for me. The fish market in Tunis is like no other, a giant party. Vendors shout, laugh, even sing -definitely a happy place. I was mesmerized and took far too many fish photos.

I did not want to leave the fun, uplifting ambience amidst the fish, but a guide steered me to another market section: flowers, but not bouquets for your loved one. Flowers for flower water, a must in every Tunisian household.

Most families have a large, complicated looking filter contraption in their home. The “machine” boils the petals. Filtered flower water, essential for Tunisian pastries and more, drips out. (More on flower water in a future post on Tunisian food and a pastry making session.)

Selecting flowers and petals for flower water

Ancient Roman mosaics are a major Tunisian attraction, thousands displayed in museums. I saw small parts of vast collections at the Bardo museum in Tunis and the archaeological museum in Sousse. Many are in excellent condition, despite being 2,000 years old. At the time, North Africa was part of the Roman Empire, but the artists who made the mosaics were Africans, not Romans, a proud Tunisian pointed out. The mosaics were buried under sand which preserved them. Best visit with a guide who will lead you to the best and provide fascinating explanations.

400 ancient mosaics are displayed in the Bardo Museum in Tunis.

Due to an unexpected hospital stay (see previous post, The Trip that Almost Wasn’t) my travel itinerary was altered. Instead of heading south, I stayed in the north. Towns visited: Tunis, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said, Sousse, Kairouan, Hammamet, Nabeul – all lively and thriving. Less thriving are some of the dusty country villages.

Only Muslims can enter mosques, but at the Grand Mosque in Kairouan, a guard happily takes visitors cell phones for indoor photos from the entrance. You can also peek through bars covering windows of this major Islamic monument whose origins date to the 9th century.

**Interior of Grand Mosque with handmade prayer rugs**

The interior is enormous, covered with carpets, beautiful handmade carpets for which the town is famous. I visited a carpet shop and learned that even today women make the rugs at home and offer them to the mosque. And, sell them to shops where they are a hot item for tourists.

Carpet making is tedious, hand tying thousands of knots and can take many months for one carpet. Cost for a 7’by 5′ carpet from 9,000 euros.

Roads around major Tunisian cities are impressive — in many places five lanes in each direction. Country drives lead through vast areas of green hills and past fields and fields of olive trees, much smaller and younger than the olive trees around me in southern France. Mondher said Tunisian olive oil is renowned and great quantities are exported to Spain where it is sold as Spanish olive oil. Fact or fiction?

Where were all the sheep? Tunisians eat lots of lamb, but I had not seen the animals – until I was on a drive around Cap Bon and the northern tip of the country. Voilà- a shepherd and his flock on hillside. We stopped. Mondher got out and had a lengthy conversation with the shepherd, inspecting the beasts.

Eid-al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, was approaching. It commemorates the prophet Ibrahim about to sacrifice his son to God, until God intervenes and substitutes a ram. Muslims in Tunisia celebrate the feast and many slaughter a lamb/sheep on that day.

Cap Bon, Tunisia’s northern coast, just 140-160 kilometers from Sicily.

Mondher, who intended to kill a lamb on the holy day, reported that these sheep were too expensive (Fortunately – we did not have to take one home), but the meat would be “good quality.” Too gruesome for me — and driver Faouzi who said he had never killed a sheep, and never would.

On another drive we stopped at a special butcher so Faouzi could buy camel meat, not, however, for the above feast. He says it’s much less expensive than lamb, but good for a family couscous.

**I found restaurant meals reasonable. Grilled fish, fries and more — all for about 9 euros or $1020**.

Tunisians spend from 25-35% of their wages on food. Sample costs for meat:

Beef: 45 Tunisian dinar (TND) per kilo (13,5 euros or $15,30).

Lamb: 55-60 TND per kilo ( 16,5 euros or $20.40)

Faouzi proudly shows his daughter’s wedding picture. Tunisian weddings are multi-day events with hundreds of guests.

I am in awe of Tunisia. In Shallah, I will return to discover what I missed in the south. Scroll down for more photos .

Tunisian food (fabulous ) coming soon. If not a Tales and Travel follower, please sign up here. Trust me. It’s safe. Your address is kept private.

My Tunisian souvenir: Hannibal the elephant His namesake, Hannibal the legendary warrior from Carthage, led his army and elephants from Phoenicia across Spain and France, over the Alps to attack Rome, 218 BC. There are no elephants in Tunisia today.

Many Tunisian cafes are ideal for hanging out, relaxing.

Craftsmen at work in the souks

Dates anyone?

Tunisian felines. They are everywhere. I wanted to adopt them all.

I booked my Tunisia adventure with Worldwide Quest, http://www.worldwidequest.com

Please comment. I love feedback.

Please leave a comment . . . Cancel reply

The Trip that Almost Wasn’t

“Tunisia – it’s wonderful, and so close,” they advised. “You should go.”

Why not? I had never been, and the flight from Nice (my airport) is just 1 ½ hours in duration.

I booked a 10-day “discovery” trip. I discovered more than I wanted.

Ruins at Carthage, ancient site founded by Phoenician settlers in the 9th century BC, later destroyed and rebuilt by Romans.

Day # 1, Highlights of Carthage, the ancient archeological site dating back to 900 BC, and an all-too-quick visit to Sidi Bou Said, the picturesque blue-and-white town.

Sidi Bou Said

Days #2 and 3, HOSPITAL. I had not booked a tour of Tunisian medical facilities. This was not on the itinerary. But I had terrible stomach pains during the night. By morning I knew I was not fit for sightseeing. I asked the hotel to call a doctor.

An affable doctor who spoke perfect English arrived in record time. He told me his name in English means “falling star.” Appropriate. I felt my star had plunged.

I related my history of intestinal problems, including previous surgery. Dr. Falling Star whisked me off to his clinic, then had a charming assistant accompany me to a lab for a blood test, and on to another facility for X-ray and echography. Doctors, lab assistants, technicians, secretaries, drivers – all were so kind, considerate, understanding.

Verdict: An intestinal obstruction. I was devastated. My fabulous trip down the drain and yet another surgery. I assumed I could return to France for treatment, but was told it would be too dangerous to fly. ???

**Hospital Staff at Polyclinique Les Berges du Lac, Tunis**

This news almost sent me flying. I was worried, nervous, depressed. My angel assistant accompanied me to the hospital where I was given a spacious private room and TLC from the hospital staff. Their compassion was soothing in this troubled, frightening time.

A gastroenterologist examined me and evaluated the situation. Not so fast with surgery, he declared. This bit of good news brightened my spirits. Think positive, I told myself.

He ordered a scan, actually many scans. I had to drink an enormous quantity of a mysterious liquid. Throughout the night, every two hours, I had another intestinal scan.

In the wee hours, after scan #3, a miracle: the blockage had vanished. All OK.

What an enormous relief, no surgery! My star surged. I did need to spend a day in the hospital to make sure all was in order. I was wiped out and slept most of the day, with the exception of a welcome interruption. A staff member from the travel agency arrived bearing an outstanding bouquet of roses. I was overwhelmed with the blossoms and the thoughtfulness.

The crisis had been avoided. What next? I asked the doctor if I could continue my trip or if it would be better to go home to France. “It’s up to you.”

A no brainer. I came to see Tunisia and would travel on

With two missed days, the itinerary had to be altered. The agency felt that after this episode, I should eliminate travel to southern Tunisia as originally planned (lengthy travel times) and focus on the north where there was plenty to experience.

Tunisia Part II: Grand Mosque in Kairouan.

This meant lots of extra work in rebooking and rescheduling. I had numerous phone calls and What’s App messages with agent Joella who patiently and diligently rearranged all. Thank you, Joella.

I was most impressed with my medical care in Tunisia – very thorough, professional, reassuring. And, cheap. My 2-night, 2-day stay in the hospital, including scans, medications, doctor’s fees : 798 euros or $925.

Compare that to the $6,780 I paid a few years ago for a night in observation in a San Francisco hospital after a bad fall. Details: “I left my $ in San Francisco”

Northern Tunisia is fun and fascinating. Inshallah. I will return to Tunisia to explore the south.

Tunisia Part II: Markets and souks

Don’t miss Tunisia Part II: Mosaics, Markets, Souks – and cats. To be followed by Part III: Food, Fabulous Tunisian Food.

If not a Tales and Travel follower, please sign up here. Trust me. It’s safe. Your address is kept private.

I booked my Tunisia adventure with Worldwide Quest, http://www.worldwidequest.com

Please comment. I love feedback.

Please leave a comment . . . Cancel reply

Citrus Wonderland in Menton

Lemons. Oranges. Tons and tons of citrus fruit for sale at bargain prices. Some 140 tons were used to decorate huge, elaborate creations in Menton, the French city of lemons. Fruit is attached to metal sculpture frames, some reaching 9 meters or 30 feet in height, with about a million rubber bands.

The town’s annual two-week long lemon festival (Fête du Citron) starring the fruit masterpieces just ended. Usable leftovers can be purchased at a special market.

“Wonders of life” was the theme of the 2026 lemon festival. Above, Mother Earth.

The festival is a windfall for the Mediterranean town of 30,000. Tourists, about 300,000 this year, come from near and far. When the orange and yellow sculptures are dismantled, the parade stands torn down, and inner-city streets open again, locals breathe a huge sigh of relief. Menton is theirs again.

But they too enjoy the festivities. The Fête du Citron is much more than the awesome citrus constructions. Parades, a crafts market, orchard and garden tours, bands – all are on the festival agenda. And, orchids. The Palais de l’Europe, just adjacent to the gardens with the sculptures, houses a lavish orchid exhibit.

Orchids too are offered at reduced prices after the festival. I stood in line outside waiting for the sale to open, then followed the crowd to the long table where the beauties were offered.

Orchid sale and my prize, “Sunshine.”

Too many people. Too few orchids. Many must have been offered to staff before the public sale. Nonetheless I came home with a large specimen. I was told the blossoms won’t last much longer. My challenge – to get my treasure, whom I have named “Sunshine,” to bloom again next year. (Orchid tips welcome)

All manner of orchids, including air orchids, to admire. Those circles are an aquatic plant from the Amazon.

But it’s lemons, nor orchids for which Menton is famous. ~~Not~~ your ordinary grocery store lemons. Menton lemons are a protected, high-quality variety — too valuable and production too limited for display construction. Neighbor Spain is the source.

Menton lemons and lemonade.

Lemon fame dates back centuries. The town’s mild microclimate made its lemons famous throughout Europe in the 19th century. The fruit was an important addition to the economy. And, since 1933 the yellow fruit has been honored with a Fête du Citron.

“In Menton, the sea is blue, the sun is gold, and the lemons shine like lanterns.”

If not a Tales and Travel follower, please sign up here. Trust me. It’s safe. Your address is not shared.

Food Adventures in Madagascar

Food is a hot topic in travel these days. More and more destinations offer food tours with samplings of tasty street goodies.

Being a dedicated foodie, upon arrival in Madagascar (Mada) last summer, I naively inquired about a food tour. “Not here,” announced Ravi, a guide and driver. “People get sick. They reuse the cooking oil.”

Forget street food, as well as haute cuisine and Michelin star restaurants. I did, however, enjoy some delicious dining during my stay in the country, the fifth poorest in the world.

I loved visiting the markets, taking photos of the friendly vendors, and learning about Mada food.

Let’s start with rice. “We must eat rice three times per day,” declared Emanuel, my guide at a market in Antananarivo (Tana), the country capital. We passed numerous rice stands with numerous kinds of rice. “But this is not enough. We also import rice from China and India,” he added.

Hard to believe. During my first excursion in Mada, to a lemur park about 25 kilometers from Tana, we passed miles of rice paddies. However, on another excursion we passed brick factories on the river banks. Bricks replaced rice; I was told. “You can make more money with bricks.”

Zebu are to Madagascar what reindeer are to Norway. The island’s domestic cattle originally came from South Asia. They serve as a source of meat, as well as a beast of burden. The humped cattle are a symbol of wealth and status, and play an essential role in ceremonies and sacrificial rituals (see previous post, Madagascar’s Intriguing Ancestor Rituals) Popular souvenirs – jewelry, salad tongs, bowls, decorative objects – are made of zebu horns. The color and grain of the horns vary, so each piece has a distinct pattern.

I am not a hearty meat eater, but twice I savored zebu filet. Exquisite. Filet is not on the menu at market food stalls, but zebu stomach and feet are, both considered delicacies.

Many market stands are “fast food” depots, offering a variety of prepared dishes at reasonable prices. Shoppers stop for a meal at the markets. “We like to eat here. It’s easier than going home to cook,” I was told.

My guide went for the stomach and feet. I was tempted by a colorful concoction of pasta and veggies.

Cassava leaves are an essential ingredient in many Malagasy dishes, especially the national favorite, ravitoto. Leaves can be purchased pre ground at the market.

I watched as women mixed the leaves with coconut milk, grated coconut, water, and then squeezed it all dry, before mixing it with meat and vegetables for cooking. This was one of many ready-to-eat offerings at the market.

In Nosy Be, the Mada resort town where I spent several days, a brochette stand is a sensation. Customers line up in the evening for take-home brochettes, about 11 US cents each. The tiny stand was started by the mother of some of the workers years ago. It’s grown into a thriving family business, employing daughters, granddaughters and cousins, all at work cutting up 25 kilos of zebu every day, then assembling the brochettes with the meat, green papaya, and more.

As an island nation, Madagascar offers a variety of fish and other sea creatures for the dinner plate. I visited a fishing village where thousands of sardines were drying in the sun.

My all time favorite seafood in Mada: camarons, a type of large gamba from the waters of nearby Mozambique. To die for, along with zebu filet.

This was my last night treat at the Sakamanga (blue cat) hotel in Tana. The menu selections there were several notches up from restaurant food I had elsewhere. The restaurant was bustling. Reservations a must.

The hotel itself could be a tourist attraction, its walls decorated with framed old newspaper front pages and photos, and hallways filled with ancient Malagasy treasures.

Why the hotel name meaning blue cat? No one could tell me. As a childless cat lady, I was delighted to spot two curled up kitties on an office chair, as well as other cats during my travels. Malagasy like felines, I learned.

No street food, but plenty of other delectable edibles in Mada, and even more to nourish the spirit. I loved my adventures there. For more, see my previous posts: Discovering the Unique Wonder of Madagascar and Madagascar’s Intriguing Ancestor Rituals

If not a Tales and Travel follower, please sign up here. Trust me. It’s safe. Your address is not shared.

Malagasy John Delmas organizes and guides visits to Madgascar. John was my guide/driver for two days. He was super, taught me lots. Contact his company. https://www.mada-discovery-travels.com

Ravi Matadeen rents made-in-Madagasar unique vehicles for self drive trips. http://www.selfdrivemadagascar.com.

I booked my African adventure, South Africa (Kruger) and Madagascar, with Worldwide Quest, http://www.worldwidequest.com

Today’s Taste. No new recipe, but one from the past, CHICKEN MAFE. It’s not a Malagasy recipe, but a West African speciality. I have made it several times for African dinner parties and it’s always a hit. Peanuts are the secret ingredient. For more tasty recipes, click here.

Scroll down for more Mada photos and for Comments. I’d love to know your thoughts.