by Ramon Mercado, featured in Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine Issue #22
Nestled at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, Marrakesh is a city that embodies the essence of Morocco’s rich cultural heritage. Stepping into Marrakesh is like stepping into a magical realm where history, tradition, and modernity coexist in perfect harmony. As you may have guessed, for this dinner party, we’re embarking on a culinary adventure that allows us to experience the enchantment of Marrakesh through Stefan Feld’s board game of the same name.
The choice of Stefan Feld’s “Marrakesh” for our dinner party was intentional and meaningful. Stefan Feld, a favorite game designer among our guests, embarked on a fascinating project with Queen Games, the “Stefan Feld City Collection,” featuring city-themed games set in captivating destinations worldwide. Marrakesh, with its rich culture and vibrant atmosphere, was a natural choice for a dinner party.
The Feld’s city collection, which blends new designs with reimplementations of older games, allows us to virtually explore diverse cities—a perfect fit for our group of board gamers and travel enthusiasts. With the world’s current challenges, board games like Marrakesh offer a way to “pretend travel” and experience the essence of a city without leaving home.
Before we dive into the flavors and aromas of this culinary journey, let’s take a moment to explore the board game that has inspired our evening. Marrakesh, published by Queen Games and designed by Stefan Feld, takes players through three seasons, each consisting of four rounds. In this strategic game, you’ll send your assistants across the vibrant city of Marrakesh to perform actions and earn victory points. Your player board is a map of Marrakesh, divided into nine distinct districts, each associated with a unique action. These districts include The Sahara Desert with its Oasis, the Date Orchard, the River, the Souk (or traditional market), the Main Square, the Mosque, the Palace, the Madrasa, and the Medina. The heart of the game lies in the Keshis and the enigmatic TOWER.
The centerpiece of the game of Marrakesh is the TOWER. On every turn, players secretly select three districts to activate by choosing corresponding Keshis. Simultaneously, everyone reveals their choices. The suspense unfolds as all Keshis are collected, dropped in the tower, and then drafted in player order, with a twist—the tower may trap some Keshis, altering your plans and introducing unforeseen choices later in the game.
Our culinary journey begins with the “Sunset over Marrakech” cocktail, and what a splendid start it is! This elegant blend of flavors perfectly encapsulates the essence of Morocco. The infusion of Brewed Gunpowder Green Tea, Gin, Mint Syrup, Lemon Juice, and Orange Liqueur results in a refreshing, balanced, and exotic elixir. The cocktail’s subtle bitterness harmonizes beautifully with the botanical notes of the gin, while the mint syrup and lemon juice add layers of sweetness and zest. Sipping on this cocktail is like being transported to a tranquil Moroccan oasis, where the sun-kissed landscapes meet the cool shade of lush gardens. Here is how you can make your own:
Sunset over Marrakech
Ingredients:
2 oz Brewed (Double-Strength) Gunpowder Tea (cooled to room temperature)
2 oz Gin
1 oz Mint Syrup (homemade or store-bought)
0.75 oz Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Orange Liqueur
Ice cubes
Orange twist or mint sprig (for garnish)
Instructions:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
- Add the cooled Gunpowder Tea, gin, mint syrup, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and orange liqueur to the shaker.
- Shake the ingredients vigorously until well-chilled and combined.
- Strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass filled with fresh ice cubes.
- Fill the glass to the top with extra Green Tea if necessary.
- Garnish the cocktail with an orange twist or a sprig of mint.
- Serve and enjoy your refreshing cocktail and be ready to play!
For our first course, we prepared a beautifully presented carrot salad. Vibrant orange carrots are thinly shaved and dressed in a delicate blend of spices, creating a dish that’s as visually appealing as it is delicious. The salad’s sweetness and subtle spiciness evoke the vibrant flavors of Moroccan cuisine, setting the stage for the culinary adventure that lies ahead.
The iconic conical-shaped Moroccan tajin pot, featured in the board game, plays a starring role in our main course. However, we understand that traditional tajin pots can be challenging to find, so a suitable replacement for this dish is a Dutch oven. For our dinner party, we opted for the convenience of a Dutch oven.
We prepared a melt-in-your-mouth Lamb Tajin with almond couscous that delivered a rich and savory experience that was truly unforgettable. The almond couscous, with its nutty undertones, provided a perfect complement to the flavorful lamb. The combination is a symphony of textures and tastes, evoking images of Marrakech’s bustling food markets and the skilled hands of its culinary artisans.
To conclude our culinary journey through Marrakesh, we made an indulgent Orange Blossom Cake with yogurt icing—a sweet finale that left our guests thoroughly impressed. The yogurt icing adds a creamy and slightly tangy contrast, while the cake itself is moist and fragrant, with a delicate orange blossom flavor that transports diners to Moroccan gardens in full bloom. It’s a harmonious blend of sweetness and floral notes, a dessert that captures the spirit of Marrakech’s love for citrus-infused confections.
Orange Blossom Cake with Yogurt Icing
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 18 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp Orange Blossom (or vanilla extract)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp salt
For the yogurt glaze:
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp Orange blossom water
- Pinch salt
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C)
- Whisk eggs, zest, juice, and Orange blossom in a medium bowl.
- With an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on the lowest setting in a large bowl. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat at medium-low speed until mixture is crumbly. Add egg and increase speed to medium-high, and beat until batter is light and fluffy.
- Grease and flour a cupcake pan. Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pan. Bake in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool for 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan and place them on a rack to finish cooling.
- Prepare the glaze by whisking together yogurt, Orange blossom water, and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before spreading on cupcakes. Drizzle over the tops of each cupcake to create different patterns.
In the wake of the recent earthquake in Morocco, our Marrakesh-themed dinner party underscores the unifying power of food and the importance of providing sustenance and shelter to those in need. Food brings people together, and by donating to a charity that supports earthquake-affected communities, we can make a significant impact in helping families rebuild their lives, heal, and move forward with renewed hope and resilience.
Our Marrakesh-themed dinner party successfully transported us to this magical Moroccan city, immersing us in its culture, flavors, and traditions. Guests were thrilled, asking for seconds and recipes to recreate these dishes at home. Some even used bread to savor every last drop of the delicious sauce. The board game Marrakesh was a hit as well, and we enjoyed it immensely. We hope this journey inspires you to embrace creativity and host your themed board game parties.
Listen to our podcast Marrakesh Board Game Dinner Party to learn more about our guests’ experiences before and after playing the game.
