Specialties Provence | 12 delights to taste - Very Gourmand

Between the Mediterranean, scented hills and villages of Peter, Provence is told as much by its landscapes and by its plates, its Provençal specialties and its specialties Provence. Behind the postcards hides a generous kitchen, anchored in the terroir, which mixes olive oil, vegetables of the sun, fish and almond sweets. We offer a trip to the heart of Provencal specialties that make the reputation of the region, from Marseille to Aix-en-Provence via Nice and the Alpilles.

That you are preparing a stay or you just want to understand what really distinguishes the Provencal gastronomy, this guide will help you to identify the twelve must-have and to appreciate them in their context. You will see how each recipe is part of a art of living sharing, outdoor markets and long family tables.

La Provence Gourmande: 12 Specialties Provence must

Reading time: ~ 9 min

1. Specialties Provence not to be missed
2. Bouillabaisse: the legend Marseillaise
3. Ratatouille: the victory of the vegetable
4. Understand Provencal gastronomy as a whole
5. Frequently asked questions about the specialties of Provence

Specialties Provence not to be missed

1 Bouillabaisse: the Marseille legend

Can not talk about Provencal specialties without starting with bouillabaisse. This iconic fish soup was born on the side of Marseille, originally a dish of fishermen prepared with the less noble fish in the market. The traditional version combines several rock fish (eg Rascasse, Vive, Congre) cooked in a broth in a gloss, saffron and herbs. The service is done in two stages: the broth first, with croutons rubbed with garlic and rust, then the whole fish presented on a dish. This is not a simple soup but a real ritual that we often devote a lot of a lunch. If you visit Marseille or the blue coast, favor the addresses that specify the fish used and which serve the bouillable in this form in two services, more faithful to tradition.

2 Ratatouille: the victory of the vegetable

The ratatouille is a concentrate of sun in a casserole. This period of vegetables usually combines tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers and onions with lots of olive oil, garlic and herbs of Provence. The key lies in soft and patient cooking: each vegetable is often entered separately before simmering together to keep its texture and taste. It is served hot in accompaniment of a meat or fish, or cold as a main summer dish. In the collective imagination, this recipe symbolizes the simple, colorful and deeply vegetable Provencal kitchen. For the most authentic version, choose ripe vegetables and quality provence olive oil.

3 Grand Aïoli: The friendly meal par excellence

More than a sauce, the Aïoli is an institution. Grand Aïoli is a complete dish composed of a thick mayonnaise mounted only with pounded garlic, olive oil and sometimes a little egg yolk, served with a wide variety of cooked vegetables, cod, snails and sometimes hard eggs. Traditionally, it is shared on Fridays or festive days around a large family table. Each pick in vegetables (carrots, potatoes, green beans, cauliflower) and generously quenching in the Aïoli. This dish perfectly illustrates the Mediterranean spirit: a very simple base, sublimated by the freshness of the seasonal vegetables.

4 Pistou soup: summer soup

Unlike other more winter soups, the pistou soup is tasted in summer or early autumn, when markets are overflowing with fresh beans, zucchini, tomatoes and basil. The base is a soup of vegetables and small pasta, sometimes enriched with white or green beans, on which we add at the moment of serving a spoonful of pistou, preparation close to the pesto but without gears, composed of fresh basil, garlic and oil olive. The result is a fragrant, nourishing soup without being heavy, which illustrates the importance of aromatic herbs in Provencal cuisine.

5 Pissaladière: the niçoise pie on the onions

Originally from Nice, the Pissaladière looks like a pizza but is distinguished by its typical trim. On a bread dough or focus, a thick layer of onions is spreading at length of olive oil, which one covers anchovies and black olives from the region. Historically, the recipe included anchovy preparation and small fish (Pissalat) that gave its name to the dish. Today, it is mostly the fillets of whole anchovies that ensure the iodized note. Served in small squares, it is perfect to share with a glass of fine rosé wine.

6 Tapenade: the olive in all its states

The tapenade is one of the most representative preparations of the Provencal taste. It is an olive paste, mostly black, mixed with capers (TaFeno in Provencal), anchovies, garlic and a lot of olive oil. It is usually used for aperitif, simply spread on toast slices, or to raise a salad, a baked fish or a flat of vegetables. Its powerful flavor perfectly embodies the Mediterranean character of the region. If you discover it for the first time, start with a small amount, then associate it with simple preparations such as a fish net or roasted tomatoes.

7 Provencal Daube: coolers comforting

The Daube is a meat stew (usually beef or bull in the Camargue) marinated in the red wine with carrots, onions, garlic, zestrobe of orange and herbs of Provence, then simmering long on fire very soft. Slow cooking makes the meat and allows the aromas of wine and aromatics to focus. It is often used with fresh pasta, steam potatoes or creamy polenta. This family dish is preparing in advance, sometimes the day before, so that it develops even more taste.

8 FOUGASSE: The bread of generosity

The Fougasse is a typical Provencal flat bread, often shaped in the form of sheet, which one splits from several openings to give it a perforated appearance. The dough is enriched with olive oil, sometimes entire olives, bacon or aromatic herbs. It is found in both salt and sweet version at certain times of the year. Its soft texture and its thin crust make it an ideal companion of the dishes in sauce or salads. In many villages, the fougasse bought at the baker is part of the basket essential for a picnic on the beach or a ride in the hinterland.

9 Provence herbs: the aromatic soul of the region

More than just a mixture, Provence's herbs embody a way to perfume cooking. There is usually thyme, rosemary, sarid, oregano and sometimes marjoram, picked on the limestone hills. This mixture accompanies the summer grill, roasted vegetables, oven fish and even some goat cheeses. To get closer to local cuisine, just add some pinched of Provence herbs on roasted tomatoes or oven chicken.

10 Olive Oil AOP of Provence: the driver's thread

Olive oil is not an ingredient in Provence, it is the thread of almost all the specialties. Several protected appellations exist and guarantee the origin of the olives as well as precise production methods. Local varieties such as the AGLANDAU, the longus or the BOULETEON give oils to different profiles. Tasting Provence Olive Oil With a simple piece of bread makes it possible to measure its importance in regional gastronomy.

11 Calisons d'Aix: the iconic sweetness

Aix's calibras are among the most famous sweet symbols in Provence. These are small melting diamonds composed of a confit melon paste and finely crushed almonds, placed on a thin host and covered with white royal icing. Benefiting from a protected geographical indication, they offer a firm and soft texture and a delicate fragrance of almond and candied fruit. Perfect to accompany a coffee, a tea or a sweet wine, they constitute an excellent gourmet memory.

12 Nougat de Provence: between honey and almonds

The Nougat is an integral part of Provençal sweet traditions, especially at Christmas, where he joins the famous Table of the thirteen desserts. We generally distinguish the white, mellow and sweet nougat, and the black nougat, more crisp and intensely caramelized. Traditional recipes are based on a mixture of honey, sugar, egg whites and especially almonds, sometimes supplemented by pistachios. Honey, often from the surrounding hills, contributes to the aromatic singularity of the Nougats de Provence.

To have a quick overview, here is a summary of some specialties mentioned:

Understand Provencal gastronomy as a whole

These twelve specialties represent only part of the culinary wealth of the region. One could add the scented shuttle to the orange blossom, the oil pump served at Christmas, or the feet and packets, Flat Marseille more rustic. This connects all these recipes, it is the central square of the local soil: vegetables swallowed, Mediterranean fish, olive oil, almonds, honey and wild herbs. For visitors or lovers of French cuisine, Provence offers an ideal discovery plot, typical markets to gastronomic tables, via the fine grocery stores specializing in southern products.

Frequently asked questions about the specialties of Provence

What specialties of Provence taste a priority during a first stay ?

If you have a short time, focus on some pillars: the bouillable for the maritime dimension, the rattail or the pistou soup for vegetables, tapenade and fougasse for the aperitif, and finally the calibras of Aix or the nougat for the sweet touch. You will enjoy a balanced panorama between salt and sweet dishes.

Are Provencal specialties adapted to vegetarians ?

Many provencal recipes are naturally vegetarian, even vegan: ratatouille, pistou soup (without cheese), fougasse with olives, vegetables served with the Aïoli, preparations with herbs of Provence. Other dishes are centered on fish or meat, like bouillabaisse or laid. By choosing well, so it is quite possible to compose a complete meal without meat in Provence.

Provence herbs and olive oil are enough to cook in the mind of the South ?

These two elements constitute an excellent base, but the spirit of Provencal cuisine also rests on the quality of vegetables, the generous use of garlic and the importance of slow cooking for some dishes. A simple combination Tomatoes, herbs of Provence, garlic and oil roasted olive oil will already closely closer to local flavors.

Can we find the flavors of Provence without traveling ?

It is quite possible to recreate at home a Provencal table atmosphere by choosing good groceries (Olive Oil AOP, Tapenade, Herbs de Provence, Calissons, Nougats) and then preparing a few simple recipes like a salad of tomatoes or a ratatouille. By selecting quality products on specialized sites like Very Gourmand, you will get closer to the authentic tastes of the region.

Provence Gourmande is discovered as much by large dishes such as bouillabaisse or danba that by small details: a spoonful of tapenade, a net of olive oil AOP, some herbs of Provence on a roasted vegetable. To extend this culinary journey and find at home the iconic products of the South, browse the selection of regional specialties proposed on Very Gourmand.