La’la Aziza
Brash, courteous and forthright - she grew up in 1940s Morocco in a place called Moulay Idris, located at the foot of Mount Zerhoun near Meknes. Steeped in history and known for its lush fertile plains and bustling souk (market), Moulay Idris’s produce has helped sustain Morocco for centuries, its surplus grain and Olive Oil even supplying Rome and that empire’s voracious demand.
“La’la was obsessed with the land”
Locals simply referred to her as ‘Lala’- a term that is endearing and respectful, used for matriarchs across Morocco. Known by her no-nonsense demeanour and sophisticated love of the land, she grew everything from pomegranates, olives to an array of herbs and spices. Planting, nourishing and refining throughout her life.
Like clockwork, every Thursday and Saturday, La’la Aziza would take her produce to the souk including her famed Ras El Hanout - a spice mix which translates to ‘head of the shop’ - a particularly apt term when discussing all things Aziza! The local souk for Aziza was a place of discovery and it was her exposure here to a variety of spices and ingredients from around the world that inspired her to create her very own tea blends - supplying family and friends and even serving her blends at weddings.
“She was a tour de force”
It was a sweltering summer in 1994 that a chubby West London boy while looking for his football (and some sweet tangerines) in Aziza’s allotment, trampled over much of her produce. Giving him a hard lesson in toil and respect, she put him to work (with the permission of his parents of course!) and took him under her wing. And what began as penitence quickly developed into a real labour of love for him. Farming a modest patch together, planting, picking, and smelling its fine produce - it was not only the land Aziza was cultivating. She would take the boy to the souk to understand the artistry and science of selling and being proud of it. She would explain the subtleties within each ingredient - for example how nutmeg should only be harvested at dusk … They spent hours concocting, mixing and packing tea blends to sell at the souk. And every summer since, the boy could not wait to escape London and visit Morocco (La’la Aziza).
Upon hearing news that Aziza was no longer with us. That chubby boy now a chubby man was determined to carry on their tradition, tracing their usual route to the souk and in his own way reigniting the spirit of La’La Aziza.
Fast-forward a few years, her ‘summer student’ was having a tea on West London’s leafy and frenetic Golbourne Road known as ‘Little Morocco’ - staring into his cup he had his eureka moment and the little Morocco tea company was born.
“La’la Aziza is the Little Morocco Tea Co. and the Little Morocco Tea Co. is La’la Aziza”
