How to Make Provence Food Items

By Pierre Fontaine

Agriculture is the backbone of Provence, a part of the southern France by virtue of the Mediterranean climate it enjoys and the effective natural light which is very much favourable to it that it provides to our tongue various tastes laden in their different types of local food.

Olive oil, garlic and tomatoes are chiefly used in the food preparations of Provence. If you see the legend 'a la provenciale' on the menu card provided in the hotels of France, you realize that the item is made with garlic and seasoned tomatoes.

The use of vegetables like onions and courgettes, squash and eggplant is quite common in the preparations of food items of Provence and all of them grow rapidly in Provence.

One of the most known food recipes to come from Provence is ratatouille. This is a stew made with tomatoes, eggplant, green herbs, green peppers and garlic.

Usually the food of Provence is accompanied by a special regionally produced sauce known as aioli, which is a mix of mayonnaise and freshly crushed garlic spread on vegetables like asparagus as well as eggs and cod fish. Otherwise, people of Provence like to eat their vegetables by dipping them in anchovy cream.

The most commonly preferred food in Provence is the soup by name Bouillabaisse which is culled out of three types of fish and which is cooked in an onion-saffron-tomato-herb broth. The herbs used in the preparation are mainly thyme, sage and bay leaf.

Even though a soup, bouillabaisse is eaten as a main course in Provence usually served with toast and a spicy sauce known as rouile. Marseille is believed to have the best bouillabaisse in Provence.

Soupe au pistou is another starter food supplied in Provence and it is very famous and is made of vegetables, beans, noodles and basel.

Although not known as manufacturer of the dairy products like the regional French food of Normandy, Provence does fruitfully produce high quality goat-cheese. The favourite food in winter is the beef stew coupled with cold pate in Provence. - 31875

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