Best Trout in Ifrane — Middle Atlas Mountain Fish

High in the Middle Atlas, Ifrane's cool climate and clear, cold streams make it one of the few places in Morocco where freshwater trout thrives. The mountain rivers and lakes of the region, along with trout farms fed by spring water near Azrou and the Zerrouka springs, supply fish that is a genuine local speciality. Simply grilled or pan-fried with butter, garlic and herbs, or cooked with a Moroccan chermoula marinade, mountain trout is a refreshing change from the tagines and grilled sea fish found elsewhere.

Ifrane itself, with its steep-roofed alpine architecture and manicured air — it is often called Little Switzerland — has restaurants and guesthouses that put local trout on the menu, especially those catering to visitors up from the cities for the cool mountain air or the winter snow. The fish is often served whole, crisp-skinned, with lemon and the vegetables of the fertile Middle Atlas, or in a more Moroccan register with cumin and coriander.

The surrounding countryside adds to the table: cedar forests, apple orchards (the region is known for its apples), mountain honey and cool-climate produce. A trout lunch here often comes with the crisp mountain light and pine-scented air that make Ifrane a summer escape from the heat of the plains and a winter destination for snow. Nearby lakes and rivers are also fished recreationally, part of the region's outdoor character.

To eat trout at its best, choose a place that sources it fresh from local streams or farms, have it simply grilled or fried to let the delicate flavour show, and pair it with the region's apples and honey for a full taste of the Middle Atlas. It is a mountain meal quite unlike anything on the Moroccan coast.