Moroccan Puzzle Photo

[David]

In the spirit of recent "challenges", here is an image taken in Morocco a few days ago. What is the creature (that should be easy, I kid you not)? What is it doing, and what is the alimentary connection between this activity and chefs and celebrities?



You are allowed to Google.

BTW, I'm not claiming any great photographic merit in the image.

David

[john w revie]

It's A goat feeding on the fruit or leaves of the tree
John

[Roxy]

I thought it might be olives but then it might also be Argan Fruit (similar)...

[crisscross]

welcome home David. Answers.com better than google for actual facts (especially with Robert actually knowing it himself!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argan
thank you for intro to this double phenomenon; from your pic and the one on wiki with 2 goats up the tree, I am surprised there are any fruits left for humans, or perhaps this way you get your roast goat pre-seasoned

[David]

John - Good for you it is a goat!!! (I kid you not - geddit?) And it is feeding!!!. That was the easy bit.

RRox - You've got the Argan tree.

Chris - You're getting there, but have not quite identified the alimentary connection.

Cheers

David

[crisscross]

Chris - You're getting there, but have not quite identified the alimentary connection.


David

"Argan oil is exceptionally rich in natural tocopherols (vitamin E), rich in phenols and phenolic acid, rich in carotenes, rich in squalene"

I assume it is the tocopherols and squalene that get you going David. Our kitchen is quite often waist high in squalene too

[David]

Chris - You must be a chemist like me. I'm familiar with these substances. However, the key point is that the argan fruit is inedible to humans, but goats love it. The outer fruit gets digested and the inner nut passes through the goat's digestive system and is excreted. These kernals are collected, broken up to get at the softer nut inside, roasted, and expressed to give argan oil. To grades of refining give an edible cooking oil and a cosmetic oil. These oils are very expensive, hence celebrity use. But, just think. This is a marketing triumph, eating and using cosmetics from goat "manure" - brilliant.

David