With table settings we can really indulge and now that summer is coming inspiration to sunny destinations and rich colors is inevitable.
In collaboration with Dalani that created 4 styles for the summer table 2016 which draw inspiration you can see here, now let’s see how to set a table in Marrakech style with my advices, especially for tea time, sacred in Morocco and even in my house!
For my table I have chosen as key colors blue and orange, adding details of fuchsia, silver, green and bronze. You can give vent to imagination by choosing different colors or utensils but respecting these simple tips for a perfect Moroccan Style:
♦ Centerpiece: a large bowl in the middle of the table, fill it with water and let float flowers and candles, it creates the right atmosphere;
♦ Silver accessories: are a must on a Moroccan table. Silver bowls but above all the teapot from the long beak and a beautiful tray;
♦ Small glasses for tea: I chose blue for the saucers and glassed for tea with Arab-style decorations perfect for the occasion;
♦ Flowers: in addition to centerpieces, predispose glass jars with flowers inside. I chose pink and orange roses, plus two blue glass bottles (one high and one low) with green tufts of ruscus to create movement and finish the centerpiece;
♦ Pillows and rugs: if you have a low table you can prepare on the floor cushions and rugs in line with the style to make the atmosphere even closer to that of Marrakech;
♦ Food: finally the food, what we put on the table to enjoy with the Moroccan mint tea? I have mixed Arab pastries called Basbousa revisited with rice semolina, this recipe:
Ingredients
500 g of rice semolina
120 g brown sugar
150 ml almond milk
30 ml sunflower oil
50 ml water
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
almonds for decoration
For the syrup:
250 g brown sugar
a teaspoon of honey
120 ml water
a tablespoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of rose water
Method
Combine milk, water and oil in a saucepan and do warm up a bit by mixing with a whisk, add sugar and make it melt. When cool, combine the semolina and baking powder and mix well together. Roll out the mixture with a thickness of about 1 cm in a baking dish (20 x 16 cm) covered with baking paper. With a knife, carve diagonal lines getting rhombus which then will shape the biscuits. At the center of each diamond insert pressing down an almond. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes, remove from oven when golden brown.
About 15 minutes before the end of cooking prepare the syrup by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan and bringing them to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
When the sweet is ready, immediately pour over boiling syrup evenly so that it covers the sweet completely, even below. Let cool completely and then cut the pastries along the lines previously made getting the diamonds.
And then the small praline of dates and cinnamon covered with cocoa, here the recipe:
Ingredients for about 20 pralines
200 g almonds
200 g pitted dates
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 apple
a dash of vanilla extract
unsweetened cocoa powder
Method
Put dates in water so they get soft. Chop the almonds and set aside. Mix the dates and diced apple until creamy, then join the almonds in flour, cinnamon and vanilla still mixing everything. Leave the mixture to stand in the refrigerator covered with film for at least 1 h, then form small balls with hands and pass them in cocoa covering the entire surface. Make it in the refrigerator.
And if the inspirations were not enough, here’s a video for a Moroccan table setting in shades of purple. To complete the atmosphere just put a background music and invite those who you prefer to enjoy with this Arabic moment with you, it will be wonderful.
You can find the tools and objects in the style “Modern Riad” from today on Dalani at this link: https://www.dalani.it/1716-modern-riad/
Stylist: Ilaria Marrocco
Photographer: Alessia Call