Irene F. Day's knowledge and love of Moroccan cuisine and culture was the
result of a “weekend” trip to the country that lasted three years. Fluent
in Italian, Spanish, and French, Day greatly enjoyed traveling. She worked
abroad as a general assignment reporter, as an English teacher in both Morocco
and Rome, and as a United Nations public information officer in European refugee
camps. A preoccupation with South America led her to Buenos Aires, where she
worked for the Buenos Aires Herald and the United Press. She also became
a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and McGraw-Hill, writing
travel articles for magazines.
In addition to being a seasoned traveler, Day was a skilled cook and an
accomplished artist; she had paintings sold to collectors in both the United
States and Mexico. A Pennsylvania native, she currently resided in Ojai Valley
in southern California.
Originally published in 1975, The Moroccan Cookbook
serves up Moroccan cuisine for people with inquisitive palates, for adventurous
cooks who want to expand their culinary repertoires, and for the thousands of
tourists who visit Morocco and return with delicious memories. No special pots
or utensils are necessary for the creation of any of these fine dishes, which
include couscous (semolina with meat), frackh (baked beans),
hareera (a rich, creamy soup), and ulk'tban (shish kebob).
In addition, Day included two charming portraits—one of the land and people
of Morocco, the other of a master Moroccan cook—to create just the right
inspiration for sampling this fine, accurate collection of Moroccan cooking.
Irene F. Day passed away in 2000.