Many people often use three foods to represent the culinary characteristics of Provence: olive oil, garlic and tomatoes.

When walking in Provence, almost everything you see is green olive trees. This place can be said to be the important town of French olive oil production. It not only creates a unique natural landscape, but also provides the residents with the oil needed for nutrition.

Olives have naturally entered every kitchen, and tapenade is the best example.

Olive tapenade and baked bread tapenade: Chop the garlic and anchovy separately, add washed capers, thyme, savory and lemon juice, and beat well with a food processor

, slowly pour in the olive oil and season with pepper.

The prepared tapenade spread on lightly toasted bread is the most authentic appetizer, and French bread made with tapenade is a specialty of Provence. If you like, you can also use tapenade as a dish!

Garlic mayonnaise Garlic mayonnaise Garlic mayonnaise is often called the cream of Provence, which shows its popularity. Just like the direct translation of the name, it is a mixture of mayonnaise and garlic. It is very simple, but the food it goes with is full of flavor.

It can be paired well with everything from boiled eggs, steamed fish, to various lobster ingredients.

Mayonnaise, also called egg yolk salad dressing, was originally originated from the Mediterranean island of Mayonnaise, hence the name.

Rumor has it that a French duke (or his chef) invented mayonnaise in the 18th century and named it Mahonnaise; another theory is that it was the Bayonnaise in the town of Bayonne, which later changed to Mayonnaise.

To make mayonnaise, all ingredients must be maintained at the same temperature. Take out the eggs from the refrigerator, return to room temperature first, take out the egg yolks, sprinkle with sugar, stir evenly, and slowly pour in the oil (olive oil, peanut oil, salad oil)

(can), then stir gently at the same speed and in the same direction. When the consistency gradually increases, slowly pour in the oil, and finally add vinegar or lemon juice to adjust the taste.

Bouillabaisse Bouillabaisse Bouillabaisse: In fact, the whole of France has its own fish soup, but the content is slightly different and it is given a different name, such as cotriade in Brittany, cotriade in Burgundy (

Pauchouse in Burgundy.

I don’t know why, but Provence, especially Marseille, is very famous for its fish soup. Anyone who visits Marseille must not leave empty-mouthed.

Fish soup has a history of more than 2,500 years. It is said that the Greeks brought it to France. However, even without the guidance of the Greeks, Marseille, located in the Mediterranean Sea, would have created fish soup sooner or later.

The focus of bouillabaisse is all kinds of wonderful fish species. When it comes to fish species, the story is long.

You'll never get a consistent answer as to which fish should or shouldn't be put in fish soup.

What is relatively certain is that there are no shellfish in traditional bouillabaisse, especially mussels, but crabs and lobsters are not prohibited.

This standard is not universal, you may wish to take a closer look at what is in your bowl.

How to make and eat: Saute onions, tomatoes, garlic and fennel in good olive oil, add thyme, Italian parsley and bay leaves, season with dried orange peel, add saffron to add color, and then add fish

.

Contrary to our assumptions, cooking bouillabaisse does not take long and must be completed within 15 minutes over high heat (of course this does not include the time to prepare the stock, but is it really necessary to use stock as the base? I am afraid that is another question)

.

When eating, the soup and fish are served separately. Place a piece of bread in the bowl and scoop the soup directly into it. It would be perfect if it can be paired with some rouille.

Garlic chili sauce The so-called rouille is garlic chili sauce. Its raw materials include garlic, chili pepper, olive oil, bread crumbs and fish stock.

Some people like to spread it on bread first, or you can put it directly into the bouillabaisse. No bouillabaisse is complete without garlic chili sauce.

If you associate Provence with a plant, tourists from all over the world will choose lavender, but locals will choose fennel.

Long ago, Provence was rich in absinthe, a hallucinogenic and addictive drink.

Drinkers often go blind or go crazy because of excessive alcohol content.

Van Gogh cut off his own ear because of this drink.

Around 1915, when "absinthe" became a scapegoat for the "Prohibition Movement", "absinthe" was labeled "the root of all evil."

Almost immediately after the ban on "absinthe" was issued, a hermit brewed a new wine from star anise, and "ouzo" was born.

This pastis saved the people of Provence during a plague.

"Oisette" became a substitute for "Absinthe."

The tradition of drinking "ouisette" originated from "absinthe", and "absinthe" is an alcoholic drink with the aroma of "anise" and "absinthe".

The proper way to drink "absinthe" is to add some "absinthe" to the glass, then pour ice water and a cube of sugar, stir evenly with a special "absinthe" mixing spoon, and drink

.