What are the 13 desserts?
The 13 desserts: a delicious Provençal tradition
Depending on the region or canton, the composition of the 13 desserts varies, but the list from the ‘Musée des Arts et Traditions populaires du terroir Marseillais’ is considered to be the reference list for the 13 desserts.
If you’d like to celebrate Christmas the Provençal way, we’ve compiled a list of the desserts you’ll need:
– La pompe à huile, a dessert made with flour, olive oil, sugar and orange blossom
– The Four Beggars, representing four religious orders that have taken vows of poverty: walnuts or hazelnuts for the Augustinians, dried figs for the Franciscans, almonds for the Carmelites, and sultanas for the Dominicans.
– Apples
– Fresh grapes
– A green melon at the end of the season
– An orange, a sign of wealth
– Dates, symbols of Christ from the East
– Black nougat, with melted honey cooked with almonds
– White nougat, with hazelnuts, pine nuts and pistachios
– Red Nougat, with rose and pistachios
Depending on your tastes, you can add dates stuffed with marzipan, calissons d’Aix, quince paste, crunchy almonds, etc… So this year, for Christmas, add a little Provence to your New Year’s Eve, and enjoy! As for the good resolution we made last year, to eat less sugar, … no, we haven’t forgotten it! We’re just keeping it warm for New Year’s Eve!
Plaisirs et Maisons de Provence offers you the chance to stay in one of its Provencal mas to enjoy an unforgettable Christmas in Provence.
If you would like to discover all that Provence has to offer, please contact our agency Plaisirs & Maisons de Provence or request a tailor-made quote by clicking on this link.
