Humidity in Morocco

The French have a trick to keep their baguettes from going stale overnight -- they wrap them in a dishcloth and leave them on the counter. If left out unwrapped bread goes hard; if kept in a plastic bag or in the fridge it goes chewy. The bread-keeps in some American kitchens serve a similar function.

Last night was a cold and rainy night. I wrapped my baguette after dinner, and left it in a bag so that the non-paying (read: crawling) residents, whom I have not seen in weeks, aren't tempted to come back for a late night snack. I hung the bag on a doorknob so that it was open, allowing air to circulate to keep the bread fresh.

This morning, I got the baguette out for breakfast. First of all, the towel was damp, as if it had just come out of the spin cycle of the washing machine. The bread had acted as a giant sponge, soaking in the humidity of the air, and was completely soggy -- as if it had been in standing water. I guess it just doesn't get humid like this in France, where the technique was invented.

On Saturday morning, in the cold of the gym, I noticed that I was steaming during my workout. It felt like being in a cave on a summer hiking trip. While making soup later on, I could see my breath in my kitchen.

And although it's not related to the humidity per se, I've noticed that my students don't take off their coats in class. I'm the only one NOT wearing a coat. As a child, I wasn't allowed to wear one indoors. Time to remember that I'm not in France or in the United States. Next step: figure out how the Moroccans keep their bread from going bad overnight when it rains.