La Maison Arabe

Franco-Italian aristocrat Fabrizio Ruspoli has added 10 rooms to his sybaritic riad on the medina’s edge. The cooking school remains stellar, with small class sizes for a total immersion into the fragrant North African cuisine. Instructor Dada Fatiha learned from her mother, who cooked for a local pasha. Before rolling up their sleeves to make flaky briouat pastries and a chicken tagine accented with cinnamon and sesame seeds, students tour the spice market and cull tips from congenial university professor Mohammed Nahir. (A saffron secret? Pulverize it in a mortar with a touch of salt before using.) Lessons conclude with a DIY feast overlooking a dreamy pool flanked by olive trees.