Hamid Fondouk li Houdi, Henry and I were told, is the only healing herbalist in all of Morocco. He has a little shop in the Medina, where world leaders, including King Mohammed V, his son and successor, King Mohammed VI, and President Bill Clinton, have visited. There are photos behind the counter to prove it, plus some pin-up style pictures of world-renown beauties, such as Brigitte Bardot in her youth, to give his establishment some caché.  Henry and I were guided here, just after our tour of the odoriferous tannery. Here, while both of us were still holding rather large sprigs of fresh mint that served as nosegays, we were invited to sit down on a banquet covered in oriental carpeting. The “pharmacist/herbalist” proceeded with his charming lecture that educated us about his shop, his profession, and the ingredients housed in bottles and jars that lined the walls of the pharmacy. In describing his herbal mixtures to cure people of headaches, rheumatism, stomach aches, skin diseases, and other minor ailments, he stated that the patients who come to him, must first believe in this method, in order to be cured. We were shown a selection of herbs used for seasoning food, especially saffron, which is the most expensive of them all.  He let us smell some wonderful concoctions of Moroccan herbs including two curries and his special mixture used to flavor meat. A photo of the crocus depicting its three filaments reminded us that 25 acres of these blossoms produce only one kilo of saffron stems. The proprietor also generously gave us small samples of various oil infusions used as perfumes, including orange blossom, jasmine, and a special concoction known as fleur d’amour, or flower of love. We left with two very small samples, their bottles wrapped so securely in paper, that they were guaranteed not to leak.

PHOTOS: Left: The liquid samples of oils with various essences. Center: The proprietor. Right:  Jars of dried herbs and his brass scale used to measure.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                        BACK TO MAP  PAGE