A Wren Says

While traveling in Morocco, we wandered into a restaurant for dinner. With all the French I could muster, I deciphered the menu. The lamb with prunes caught my eye as an American who in no way would think to eat that dried fruit with anything, let alone a gamey meat. But given my experience with food throughout the country, I trusted this, too, would be good. I’m so glad I took that chance.

Once I returned, I tried my best to find a recipe that recreated that same flavor. All of them fell flat. Maybe it was the wrong ingredients. Maybe it was because I didn’t own a clay tagine to cook it all in. Or maybe it was just the wrong place.

There is something so special about exploring a new place that provides an element that you can’t just recreate at home. Even if I can match the spices exactly, I can’t bring the sights, the smells, the sounds to my kitchen table.

Part of what I love about traveling is the ability to learn new things to bring to my regular daily life. But then, there are those moments that I have to savor while I’m there. Those moments are perhaps the most special.

While I will now begin anew my search for the perfect Agneau aux Pruneaux recipe, I will probably remember how special it was to be there and all the moments along that journey to most surprisingly delicious dish I’ve ever had.