“Here's looking at you, kid.”

“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.”

The gin joint this Travel Mug walked in to was the aromatic kitchen of none other than Betsy and Tom of the Clay Coyote (and anyone who knows Betsy knows there’s sure to be some “eau de pine tree” in the cupboard).

So you ask, “did the Travel Mug jet over to Morocco?” Nope, it witnessed a little Morocco in Minnesota! For March was Tagine Month at the Clay Coyote, and what a month it was…full of amazing recipes, spices and longing thoughts of North Africa.

And who can think about Morocco without conjuring up memories of Lisa and Rick at the airport in the 1943 movie Casablanca?

Not me. And probably not these lovely judges as they sampled the many recipes sent in by readers. The Travel Mug couldn’t miss out on all the fun, it had to make an appearance at the Tagine Recipe Contest judging panel.

Here is the Travel Mug with judges Kay Johnson (of the Hutchinson Leader), Megan Peterson (of Nutmeg Catering) and Laura Frerichs (of Loon Organics) and maybe, just maybe, the winning tagine recipe is under the lid! Sorry, but you will have to wait for the official announcement to find out who won!

Don’t forget to send in your Travel Mug’s adventure. We’ll stick it on the big map!