Wednesday 6 December 2006

Traditional Christmas fare in Provence

I'm trying to do some research into the traditional food for Christmas in Provence.

I've spent Christmas in the Beaujolais region (around Macon and Lyon) and there we would have the "reveillon" after midnight mass ... a full meal, at 2.00am! However, I think that's one tradition I'll avoid - especially as we will be doing a more traditional English style Christmas lunch of turkey with all the trimmings.

But I've just found this about Christmas traditions in Provence.

The "great supper" is eaten on Christmas Eve, before going to midnight mass. Everything is minutely prepared. Each dish has its own symbolism and numbers are important :

The table has 3 white tablecloths - 3 for the 3 members of the Trinity – with 3 white lighted candelabras and 3 saucers of sprouted wheat germs planted on St. Barbe's Day. Absolutely no mistletoe believed to bring bad luck&!

The "great supper" is paradoxically made up of 7 lean dishes in memory of the 7 sufferings of Mary. It is served with 13 bread rolls followed by the 13 desserts, which represent the Last Supper with Jesus and the 12 apostles.
These lean dishes differ from one part of Provence to another. The dishes often served are chard stalks and celery, cauliflower, spinach and cod, omelette, snails, garlic soup & but never any meat, simply fish, shellfish, gratins, vegetables, soups and anchoïade (anchovy paste). The only abundance is that of the thirteen desserts.

The thirteen desserts are eaten after Midnight mass. They will remain on the table for the following 3 days, until 27th December:

the 4 mendicant (orders): dry figs (Franciscans), almonds (Carmelites), raisins (Dominicans) and hazelnuts (Augustinians),

dates: symbol of Christ who came from the Orient,

nougat (black and white) for the white penitents and black penitents according to some people, while for others white nougat, soft and creamy represents purity and goodness, the harder and brittle black nougat symbolising impurity and forces of evil&

the "fougasse à l'huile d'olive", also called "la pompe": a flat loaf made using olive oil,

quince cheese or crystallised fruit in the Apt or Carpentras regions,

"oreillettes": light thin waffles,

fresh fruit: mandarin oranges, oranges, pears, raisins and winter melons preserved for the occasion.

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