Feast on History in Cordoba
In the capital of Andalusia, Moorish is moreish.
Spain comprises a collective of wildly different regions and cuisines. For fine dining, the best-known restaurants and star chefs have come from the more rebellious parts of that collective: Basque Country and Catalonia. But in recent years, Andalusia has also been stepping up its game, and a revival of medieval Arab-Spanish culinary traditions is afoot in the provincial capital of Cordoba. It all starts at restaurant Noor by Paco Morales, which has been awarded two Michelin stars in three years.
Córdoba was once the capital of the Muslim-controlled region of Al-Andalus. This history is most visibly present in the former mosque of that era that has since been turned into a cathedral but most definitely still looks a lot more like a mosque. At his restaurant Noor (‘light’ in Arabic), Morales has created another edifice that echoes the ages, this time on the palates of diners. His dishes are the product of a meticulous study of the food culture that the Arab rulers brought with them. This year, as he slowly moves from the Middle Ages to the present, he’s added the New World ingredients that were introduced to the Iberian Peninsula in the age of exploration: cacao, corn, chillies, tomatoes, and other gastronomic spoils that turned out to have a more lasting impression than silver and gold.
The interior of the restaurant is designed like a courtyard inspired by the ruins of Medina Azahara, a fortified palace on the outskirts of town. The Arabic motifs adorning the walls are also found in the exquisite platings of the 19-course tasting menu. It’s a gastronomic quest to be enjoyed over several hours, the way a caliph might have. Morales' karim, a creamy dish from pistachios, almonds, or pine nuts reminiscent of hummus, has become a Noor classic (its latest iteration from pistachios is served with smoked herring caviar, green apple, and black bread), while his roasted and rested squab pigeon with cacao awaits a similar fate. Through a vegetable stew with corn spread and pearls of black mole, the historic mix is spiced up with Mexican culinary heritage. All these reimagined dishes are prepared with modern techniques that betray Morales own history, as he honed his craft in the kitchens of elBulli and Mugaritz, some of the most prestigious in Spain, and indeed the world.
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Restaurant images courtesy of Noor restaurant and David Egui, all other images sourced from Unsplash
Jurriaan Teulings
Jurriaan dreamt of becoming an astronomer or a circus clown but got a law degree before settling on travel writing and photography instead. As such, he spent two decades spreading the gospel of Dutch stroopwafels across 100 countries, picking up awards of plexiglass, bronze, and beads along the way. Recently, he planted the first rainbow flag on the North Pole. Next stop: Antarctica.