2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The southeastern part of France is also known by its name Provence. For most of the year, the sun does not spare its rays in this part of the Mediterranean. The wonderful place is immersed in the aroma of wild herbs and immediately attracts with the care it radiates. It entices everyone who has passed through it because it creates a feeling of a paradise and a life like God's.
It is said that in Provence one will shake off the last bit of stress that he carries only while traveling to this very French fairytale place. The aromas of lavender, marjoram, rosemary and thyme have saturated the air of the area and largely dictate the rhythm of life, in which there is a lot of time for everything. Mostly for indulging in the pleasure of food.
In terms of culinary experiences, as well as the opportunities that Provencal cuisine offers, the area is a real treasure. There is always time for morning coffee or pastis, for a long tour of the markets, full of fresh local products and these activities always bring the pleasure of a good time.
Lunch in Provence is long and has become a special ritual. This is a time for a celebration of the senses, which is easy to organize because it is in a country where haute cuisine has emerged with its sophistication and skillful combination of tastes.
Characteristic features of Provencal cuisine
Each national or regional cuisine offers its own interesting features, but Provencal cuisine should not be overlooked because it is able to best shape the culture of eating and living.
This is a type of Mediterranean cuisine, which means healthy and rich. She is truly blessed because the variety of local French products and spices she uses is impressive. This makes the kitchen informal, colorful and fragrant.
The main products are well known and used throughout the Mediterranean region - olives, olive oil, fresh tomatoes, peas and a bouquet of local spices.
A feature of local cooking is that, like Mediterranean cuisine, they use olive oil as the main fat, not goose fat, which is preferred in other areas.
Main products in Provencal cuisine
Vegetables - Provence is an area of the French region with the best vegetable harvest in the country. Potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, celery, zucchini are products that are present in almost every French recipe.
Olives - a staple food in Mediterranean cuisine, both used in its natural state and in the form of fat.
Fruits - apricots, cherries, peaches, figs, melons, grapes and many others form the abundance of fruits in the region and are part of the wealth of culinary dishes in Provence.
Fish - In the Mediterranean cuisine is represented by seafood, but in Provence give tolerance mostly to anchovy fish. They even add it to pure meat specialties, based on beef and lamb. In the field, this preferred fish is processed to become a food supplement. The fish fillets are soured, dried and ground into a paste, which is used as a spice rubbed into the meat. It can also be eaten as a French pate spread on bread. Mixed with garlic is something like a sauce in which it melts.
Meat - among the meats a real delicacy is goose. It is used to make the famous confit, which is the main product for kale - one of the traditional dishes in the country. Confi is also made from pork, duck or other fatty meats.
Spices - basil, thyme, oregano, mint, rosemary play an important role in any recipe and are used fresh. Garlic also plays an important role, as the taste varies greatly - from light and sweet, to hot and sharp. Characteristic of Provencal cuisinethat the preferred spices are wild, not cultivated. All the favorite green spices in the area give the specific distinctive taste of the dishes served in this region of France.
There are also truffles, as well as wild mushrooms, and both types of mushrooms are included in exquisite dishes, typical not only for the region but also for the whole country.
The most famous specialties of Provencal cuisine.
Buyabes
When it comes to food in Provence, it always starts with the famous bouillabaisse soup, which is a favorite dish of all southerners. It is similar to our fish soup and is also made from different types of fish, the greater the variety, the tastier the soup. Serve with toasted slices and aioli. Under this name is homemade mayonnaise with olive oil and garlic.
Brandad
Photo: Yordanka Kovacheva
A very typical dish in the area is brandy. It is a pate of dried cod fish and olive oil. As the area is close to the Mediterranean Sea, the seafood offerings are many. They also love pieces of fish in olive oil, lemons and wild spices that marinate raw.
Ratatouille
Hardly anyone will leave Provence without trying ratatouille. This recipe is from the Nice area. These are seasonal vegetables that are served stewed, either as a hors d'oeuvre, as a main dish or as a side dish to meat.
Nisoaz
The beautiful sounding name refers to a salad with tuna, anchovies, capers, boiled potatoes, boiled egg, tomatoes, olives, red onions and peppers, artichokes. Vinaigrette sauce is used for dressing.
French bread
We are not the only ones who consider bread to be a staple food. In Provence, bread also enjoys special respect. Provencals love explosive, which is more like a loaf of white flour. They often add spices, walnuts or cheese, which they bake and eat as a separate food for breakfast.
Drinks in Provence
Provence surprises with the fact that it is not a region that is major in wine production, but the drink there is not only highly respected, but there is a whole culture of serving wine with food.
They produce rosé as well as red wines, especially for the papal institution. Otherwise, they have a whole system of serving food with a specific brand of wine.
And since it is a Provencal cuisine, you can not miss Pastis, who is in Provence in his kingdom. It is an alcoholic beverage with a yellowish color and aniseed scent. Serve diluted with a little water and an ice cube. It is not uncommon to order at the time of drinking morning coffee.
The magic of Provencal cuisine
The magical effect of this simplest, but also the most delicious French cuisine it also comes from the way of eating, which is especially interesting in Provence because it is designed to feel to the fullest what the cuisine has to offer.
In Provence, the highlight of the meal is lunch. It is long, lasts about 2 hours. Includes an appetizer of various salads, fish or caramelized fruit and baked cheese. Definitely the menu includes one of favorite dishes of Provencals, made the area also known as a culinary center. There are always different types of bread on the table, and the constant accompaniment to the food is the good French wine.
Provencal cuisine shows that ordinary, quality and unpretentious food can be extremely tasty and become a culinary feast every day. The taste dimensions of food in Provence intertwine and blend into each other to transport each lover to a new world of flavors and aromas, where the food, although simply arranged, is stretched to the level of an art.
And now it's up to you to choose something sweet from these French desserts.
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