Provence must surely represent all that is best in Mediterranean cooking. Bouillabaisse (fish soup) and Ratatouille served hot or cold with meats (lamb) or fish, both originated here as did Aïoli, a garlic mayonnaise and an essential part of 'Prawn Aïoli' with shelled prawns, thinly sliced tomatoes and a salad or endive garnish.
Any dish that has 'à la Provençal' added to its name usually means that it comes with tomato, garlic, onion, olive oil and fresh herbs of Provence.
The essence of Provençal cuisine is extracting all the 'goodness' from the finest vegetables while producing a colourful presentation. The countryside of Provence adds its colours and smells, with fine herbal aromas from wild thyme and rosemary. Where lavender grows in abundance, the countryside literally hums to the sound of bees harvesting pollen.
Small pines give off a fragrance which is beyond description and olive trees cling to the dry, arid hillsides. Evergreen oaks looks more like ‘scrub oak’ and all come together under the clear, magical light of Provence.
Food here owes much to the history of the region. Greeks traders settled in the Marseille area and brought the first vines and olive trees. The Romans spread the vines northward and to the west. For more than 2,500 years, their influence has been nurtured and today, most food is either coated in dressings made from olive oil or cooked in it.
In fact, the cuisine could be described as an amalgam from all points of the compass. Pasta from Italian cuisine was changed to suit the Provençal taste buds. From the northern Rhône came meat dishes, the locals adding their own techniques using olives, garlic, peppers, aubergines and courgettes. It is said that the cuisine of Provence is the healthiest of all Europe, with its liberal use of olive oil, garlic, onion and fresh vegetables.
Fish dishes abound, with Bouillabaisse, a fish soup which is more like a stew, utilising any fish that is available and in season, with saffron to give it colour, added garlic and sometimes orange peel. It is served with either aïoli or rouïlle. Aïoli is garlic crushed in a mortar and pestle with mayonnaise added to form a paste. Rouïlle is made from hot chillies and garlic (crushed as aioli) also made into a paste with mayonnaise.
The Nice area has an distinctive Italian influence with pasta based dishes. Pistou is similar to the Italian Pesto. It is made using a mortar and pestle to crush garlic, basil and soft cheese into a soft paste.
A popular dish is ‘Loup au Fenouil’, barbecued sea bass stuffed with fennel fronds, with stalks of fennel used during the cooking process and flambéed in cognac, armagnac or a local brew from Marseille called Pastis.
Pan Bagna could be an acquired taste for some. It is bread soaked in olive oil with various fillings such as hard boiled eggs, olives, onions, tomatoes and occasionally, anchovies. Anyone who has tasted bread soaked in fresh olive oil and then toasted, will appreciate this dish.
Ratouille is a local speciality which has been ruined by the tinned variety, but the real thing is very different. Onions are softened in olive oil in a large pan, then aubergine and courgettes are added and gently turned in the oil. Garlic, peppers and tomatoes are added and it is gently simmered on a very low heat until cooked but still crunchy. It is served as a hot vegetable dish, cold as a salad, or with cold meats or fish.
Eels are a delicacy the length and breadth of France and Provence has its own variation called ‘Catigou’, or eel cooked in olive oil and red wine, with onion and garlic.
Another dish that could be an acquired taste is ‘Anchoïade’, a paste made from anchovies and usually served on toast. It can be strong in flavour and salty.
Cheeses are a little thin on the ground and are either goats or sheep’s milk or a mixture of the two. Most are seasonal.
The red, white and rosé wines of Provence certainly compliment the cuisine and vice versa. The reds from northern Provence are full bodied with a long life, dark in colour and ideal for guarding (laying down). The whites are drunk young and are fruity and ‘gouleyant’ (drinkable). Rosé’s tend to be dry, fruity and strong. They are served chilled and go with most fish dishes and cold meats.