What is amlou (the “Moroccan Nutella”)?

Amlou is the breakfast that converts people, and it comes from the argan country of southwest Morocco around Agadir, Essaouira and the Souss valley — the only place on earth the argan tree grows. It's an Amazigh (Berber) speciality made from just three honest things: almonds toasted until deeply golden, pure argan oil, and honey, all ground together until they turn into a thick, glossy, pourable paste the colour of caramel.

People call it 'Moroccan Nutella', and you'll see why the moment you taste it, but it's really its own thing. The flavour is roasted almond and honey up front, then this distinctive nutty, slightly smoky warmth from the argan oil underneath — savoury and sweet at once, rich without being cloying. The texture ranges from spoonable and runny to a stiffer praline-like paste depending on the maker.

The way to eat it is the way Berber families do: a generous pool of amlou on a plate, a basket of fresh bread or warm msemen, and a pot of mint tea, with everyone tearing and dipping. On a slow morning at a guesthouse in the Souss, with the light coming up over the argan trees, it is one of the most quietly luxurious breakfasts I know.

Because real argan oil is precious and hand-pressed — much of it by women's cooperatives — genuine amlou is a special, slightly indulgent treat, and a jar of it is one of my favourite things to send guests home with. If you visit an argan cooperative on the road to Essaouira, you can watch the oil being stone-ground and taste amlou at the source, which is an experience in itself.