Perhaps the most famous traditional dish of the whole area is Marseilles’ bouillabaisse, the savory soup or stew that’s featured in many Provencal recipes.
Most of these recipes agree that bouillabaisse must include at least three kinds of local fish, such as the spotted weever, the tub gurnard, the European conger, the red scorpionfish and one or two noble fish such as the John Dory or the burbot.
In Marseilles, bouillabaisse is served in a very specific manner: you get the fish broth with some rouille (spicy fish-flavored Provencal sauce) on croutons or bread, and the fish which is sautéed in olive oil with more rouille on a separate plate.
The fish dish is often paired with white wine, but Provence is actually known for its unique Rosé wines. Learn more about the region’s wines and the annual grape harvest here.
Provence Dishes and Ingredients
For example, the city of Menton is associated with lemons, and even holds an annual festival to celebrate the fruit! The city of Nice (technically part of the French Riviera) lends its name to Salade Nicoise, which roughly translates to “salad of Nice”.
Aix en Provence is famous for something with a sweeter nature: the Calissons d’Aix. Calissons are cookie-like sweets that are shape like a petal and consist of a firm paste topped with icing. The paste is made from ground almonds combined with candied fruit, and this is topped with white icing, producing very sweet and fresh candies.
What all these dishes have in common is that they feature many ingredients that are native to Provence. In fact, ingredients such as garlic and olives are omnipresent in most dishes.
Aioli, for example, is another Provencal sauce that, like mayonnaise, is an egg-based emulsion flavored with garlic and olive oil. It traditionally accompanies boiled vegetables, boiled fish (normally cod) and boiled eggs, and is savored during various summer celebrations.
Together with herbs such as lavender, basil, rosemary and thyme, you will see olive trees in gardens across Provence. Moreover, because of the proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, all kinds of fresh fish are used in many dishes. Lastly, the mild climate allows many fruits and vegetables to grow throughout the year, and in summer there is an absolute abundance of fresh produce. A meal that makes good use of this is the hearty soupe au pistou. Consisting of various summer vegetables, beans, pasta and, of course, pistou (a French version of the Italian pesto), it is sometimes topped off with some grated cheese and always thoroughly enjoyed.
Create Your Own Provencal Dinner
Have you ever tried a dish from Provence?
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We can tell! in addition to the weather and the spirit of the South, there’s also so many great cultural opportunities and interesting history dating back to Roman times that it’s a prefect for a quick visit on vacation, but can be even better if you sublet an apartment for the summer or a semester or sabbatical time abroad!
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