Les Treize Desserts

The Christmas Eve feast, having begun simply, always ends with the extravagant-sounding Thirteen Desserts-which may in fact be quite modest offerings. Amongst the poor families of Provence these desserts were once just dried fruits and nuts common to the countryside, a tradition that lingers on in what are now called the ‘four beggars’ - dried figs, raisins, almonds and walnuts. There are usually dates and ‘pompe à l’huile’ - Provençal brioche made with olive oil dough, traditionally served at Christmas - as well, trays of nougat noir and beautifully shaped pâte de coings, a dense, sweetened paste of baked quinces. Then in each town there are specialities: in Aix, the almond paste sweets called ‘calissons’; in Nice, a sugared pie of Swiss chard and pine nuts; in Vaison and the Drôme, fruit tarts such as the apple Panade cooked by Paulette Antilogus; in Haute Provence, cakes of chestnuts and dried fruits; and in Séguret, the delicious cornmeal cake called ‘Lou Mias’.