Maghreb Tastes: Warda Bouguettaya of Warda Pâtisserie

Apr 30

Apr 30 Maghreb Tastes: Warda Bouguettaya of Warda Pâtisserie

Munya

Maghreb Tastes

Name: Warda Bouguettaya

Hometown: Oran, Algeria

Current town: Detroit, USA

Profession: Pastry chef and owner of Warda Pâtisserie

Who is your favorite Algerian cook and why? My mother! She is the reason why I grew up loving to feed people.

Favorite Algerian/North African dish to eat: Couscous!!! I can eat it everyday and never get tired of it. Any type of couscous is my kind of couscous.

Is there any Algerian dish you hate? Grilled malfouf (lamb liver with the day around it) I don't like the texture of liver.

What is your go-to Algerian dish to cook: Harira soup. We all love a good harira at home plus it keeps for days, which is always welcome.

Favorite Algerian/N. African drink: Mint tea. I just picture family gatherings.

Favorite N. African sweet/dessert: Mhalebi with whole rice and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

What one ingredient defines Algerian food for you? Fresh vegetables. It is the seasons that defines what our mother made for lunch.

What do you miss most about Algeria? The weather and how each fruit and vegetable tastes like they should. It's never the same here.

What do you miss least? Bureaucracy.

What food from Algeria do you miss most? Figs that taste like figs. Prickly pear and my mom’s snail stew.

Your favorite place in Algeria: The beach. I'm a sea girl.

Your favorite place in the world (outside of Algeria): Portugal. So many things of this beautiful country remind me of Algeria. Everything tastes better in Portugal!

What is always in your pantry? Ground cumin.

What is your favorite food/type of food? I cook what I crave so I don't have a favorite; it could be Asian today, Algerian tomorrow and French the next day.

Do you have a favorite cookbook? Plenty and Plenty More by Yottam Ottolenghi are my go-to for fresh, exciting vegetarian cooking. I love veggies!

Any current movies, documentaries, or television shows about food that you're enjoying? I loved watching Ugly Delicious. I have a food crush on David Chang.

Where to find more of Warda Pâtisserie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warda.patisserie/?hl=en

For those in Detroit, the brick-and-mortar bakery can be found at: 1464 Gratiot Ave. Detroit, MI 48207.

UPDATE: Due to Covid-19, the bakery is closed until further notice. If you would like to support Warda Pâtisserie staff during this time, please visit their GoFundMe page.