A bouillabaisse at 32 francs, mon petit, it's a joke. At 25 francs, it's a scam!
“A bouillabaisse at 32 francs, mon petit, it's a joke. At 25 francs, it's a scam! Because, at this price, there cannot be what is needed in it”.
Marcel PAGNOL (1895-1974) Caesar (1936)
In Pagnol's Marseilles trilogy – Marius, Fanny, César – the cinema version precedes the play created after the war, in 1946. Huge success. In the title role, Raimu is the boss of the Bar de la Marine, in the Old Port of Marseille. He naturally serves bouillabaisse, but the real thing, nothing to do with the bad imitations that give him unfair competition. Raimu, alias César, alias Pagnol and all amateurs worthy of the name will be heard: the dish will be strictly codified in the Charter of Bouillabaisse in 1980. We do not joke with this star of regional gastronomy.
Bouillabaisse is a dish based on typical Marseille fish soup, which has its origins in Ancient Greece! According to Roman mythology, it would be the soup that the sulphurous Venus makes Vulcan eat to put him to sleep, in order to be able to frolic quietly with Mars.
Building on its success, Bouillabaisse has almost as many variations as there are cooks. But the Charter dictates its conditions! At least four different varieties of fish must be used and cut in front of the consumer. As for the service, it is done in two stages: first the broth, then the pieces of fish, the potatoes, the croutons rubbed with garlic and the famous rouille.
The Mediterranean recreated in all its splendour!
