خبازة المدينة | The Baker of Ksar el-Kebir
"A traditional baker discovers passion with a food blogger who comes to learn the art of Moroccan bread."
خبازة المدينة
The Baker of Ksar el-Kebir
الفصل الأول | Chapter One
أَخْبِزُ فِي فُرْنِ القَصْرِ الكَبِيرِ مُنْذُ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً.
I have baked in the Ksar el-Kebir oven for forty years.
جَاءَ كَاتِبٌ عَنِ الطَّعَامِ يُرِيدُ التَّعَلُّمَ.
A food blogger came wanting to learn.
"أُرِيدُ سِرَّ الخُبْزِ المَغْرِبِيِّ."
"I want the secret of Moroccan bread."
الفصل الثاني | Chapter Two
كَانَ فِي الخَمْسِينَ، وَسِيمًا، مُهْتَمًّا بِالتَّفَاصِيلِ.
He was in his fifties, handsome, interested in details.
"السِّرُّ فِي العَجِينِ وَالوَقْتِ."
"The secret is in the dough and time."
"عَلِّمِينِي."
"Teach me."
الفصل الثالث | Chapter Three
عَلَّمْتُهُ كَيْفَ يَعْجِنُ بِيَدَيْهِ.
I taught him how to knead with his hands.
"بِقُوَّةٍ... ثُمَّ بِرِفْقٍ."
"With strength... then gently."
"مِثْلَمَا تُعَامِلُ امْرَأَةً؟" مَزَحَ.
"Like treating a woman?" he joked.
الفصل الرابع | Chapter Four
ضَحِكْتُ. "العَجِينُ يَفْهَمُ اللَّمْسَةَ."
I laughed. "Dough understands touch."
"وَأَنْتِ تَفْهَمِينَ العَجِينَ."
"And you understand dough."
"أَعْرِفُهُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْءٍ."
"I know it more than anything."
الفصل الخامس | Chapter Five
قَضَيْنَا أَيَّامًا فِي الفُرْنِ.
We spent days in the oven.
الحَرَارَةُ وَالدَّقِيقُ وَرَائِحَةُ الخُبْزِ.
Heat, flour, and the smell of bread.
"لِمَاذَا لَمْ تَتَزَوَّجِي مَرَّةً أُخْرَى؟"
"Why didn't you marry again?"
الفصل السادس | Chapter Six
"الفُرْنُ زَوْجِي مُنْذُ مَاتَ زَوْجِي الأَوَّلُ."
"The oven has been my husband since my first husband died."
"لَكِنَّ الفُرْنَ لَا يُدَفِّئُ القَلْبَ."
"But the oven doesn't warm the heart."
"أَنْتَ مُحِقٌّ..."
"You are right..."
الفصل السابع | Chapter Seven
تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ، بَعْدَ إِغْلَاقِ الفُرْنِ.
That night, after closing the oven.
فِي دِفْءِ الطِّينِ السَّاخِنِ.
In the warmth of the hot clay.
"أَنْتِ أَلَذُّ مِنْ أَيِّ خُبْزٍ."
"You are more delicious than any bread."
الفصل الثامن | Chapter Eight
كَتَبَ مَقَالًا عَنِ الخُبْزِ المَغْرِبِيِّ.
He wrote an article about Moroccan bread.
وَأَهْدَاهُ لِي.
And dedicated it to me.
"الخَبَّازَةُ الَّتِي عَلَّمَتْنِي الخُبْزَ وَالحُبَّ."
"The baker who taught me bread and love."
الخاتمة | Conclusion
الخُبْزُ يَجْمَعُ النَّاسَ.
Bread brings people together.
عَلَى المَائِدَةِ وَفِي القَلْبِ.
At the table and in the heart.
وَنَحْنُ خَبَزْنَا حُبَّنَا فِي فُرْنِ القَدَرِ.
And we baked our love in the oven of destiny.
من حكايات القصر الكبير From the Tales of Ksar el-Kebir