Rabat – In the Draa-Tafilalet region of southeastern Morocco lies Zagora, a city rich in traditions and local customs. At its heart, one refreshing drink has won the love of locals:  tassabount.

Made from dates and herbs native to the area, tassabount is cherished not only for its distinctive flavor but also for its natural detoxifying properties.

Traditionally, tassabount is prepared by hand using traditional tools. Today, modern methods allow it to be made more easily with a blender, where all the ingredients are mixed directly. But for now, let us explore the traditional method, passed down from one generation to the next.

Ingredients

  • Homemade vinegar made with local herbs, dates and water 
  • Soft dates  

How to make the vinegar

The vinegar used in tassabount is a herbal blend with water and a small amount of dates. The herbs include (as listed in their Amazigh language) “tidmaz,” “zewaya,” “om lbina,” “tara,” “fertka,” “anber,” “tidmas,” and “tawserghint,” among others. “L3egaya” and “timija” are also added for their delightful aroma.

First, the herbs are soaked in water and carefully washed. Then, the cleaned herbs are combined with a few mashed dates and water in a “bido” (a round plastic container). The mixture is left to ferment for a week until the flavors fully marry and the vinegar is ready.

Preparing the dates

Once the vinegar is ready, a good amount of soft dates (without removing their seeds) is placed in a large traditional mixing bowl called “ges3a” or “9esriya.” The dates are kneaded by hand until they form a smooth mixture. 

The prepared vinegar is then gradually added while mixing by hand. The amount of vinegar depends on the quantity of dates, and the resulting texture should be neither too thick nor too thin.

Extracting the juice

Next, the mixture is poured into a bowl lined with a “lgherbal” (sieve). Using hands or a “mgherfa” (traditional wooden spatula), the juice is pressed out, separating it from the date seeds.

And there you have it, tassabount is ready to be enjoyed.

The final step

After the tassabount is ready and the juice has been extracted, the remaining date peels and seeds are not thrown away. Instead, they are mixed again with water and drained once more. The resulting liquid is then added to the first batch of vinegar, enriching it and preparing it for the next batch of tassabount.