Sun Dried Couscous

Kristie is a managing partner at Zingerman's Food Tours.

You've probably already had couscous. I assure you there is no other as good as this.

This couscous is special and deeply rooted in the Tunisian Berber culture. It's hand rolled and lets the sun do the drying. Call me crazy, but I swear you can taste the sea and smell the air in it. Majid Mahjoub is the visionary behind Les Moulins Mahjoub Tunisian line. While I'm a fan of all his products the couscous is a staple in my household that I cannot live without.

Throughout my years at Zingerman's I have met countless inspiring producers but there was one moment when everything changed. On a cold spring day some years ago I was introduced to Majid in Ann Arbor. He took me on a culinary adventure through Tunisia tasting a variety of his products, meticulously describing the production and history of each one. By the end of the tasting I was overcome with emotion and much to my surprise, I was tearing up. He had struck a chord so deep that a year later I would find myself in Tunisia eating the very food he spoke of while traveling through the countryside. Have you ever had a moment when you realized your culinary life would not be the same? That was it for me. Eating the couscous may make you feel the same way.

There are many things that make this couscous so remarkable. The first, the most noticeable, is the size. Forget the small sand-like couscous, this stuff has weight. Second, is how simple it is to make. While this couscous is incredibly versatile and delicious on its own, add a few roasted vegetables and Ortiz tuna to it and you'll have yourself a weeknight meal that most skilled chefs would envy.

Packed in glass jars to protect the pasta. The aroma is grassy and earthy from the addition of olive oil to the couscous. You may not expect the couscous to have that aroma, but it's entirely appropriate and is a sign you're about to taste something good.

Organic