Thirteen_desserts Knowpia

The thirteen desserts (Occitan: lei tretze dessèrts) are the traditional dessert foods used to celebrate Christmas in the French region of Provence. The "big supper" (le gros souper) ends with a ritual 13 desserts, representing Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles. The desserts always number thirteen but the exact items vary by local or familial tradition.^[1] The food traditionally is set out Christmas Eve and remains on the table three days until December 27.^[2]

Dried fruit and nuts edit

The first four of these are known as the "four beggars" (les quatre mendiants), representing the four mendicant monastic orders: Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians and Carmelites.^[3]

Raisins (Dominicans)
Walnuts or hazelnuts^[4] (Augustinians)
Dried figs (Franciscans)
Almonds (Carmelites)
Dates, representing the foods of the region where Christ lived and died^[5]
Dried plums from Brignoles

Fresh fruit edit

Sweets edit

Biscotins (biscuits) from Aix;
Calissons d'Aix,^[6] a marzipan-like candy made from almond paste and candied melon.
Candied citron
Casse-dents of Allauch (biscuit)
Cumin and fennel seed biscuits
Fried bugnes
Fruit tourtes^[6]
Oreillettes, light thin waffles^[2]
Pain d'epices
Pompes à l'huile or fougasse à l'huile d'olive, a sweet cake or brioche made with orange flower water and olive oil^[5]
Quince cheese/quince paste (Pâte de coing)^[6]
Yule log
Two kinds of nougat, symbolizing good and evil^[1]
- Black nougat with honey (Nougat noir au miel), a hard candy made with honey and almonds
- White nougat (Nougat blanc), a soft candy made with sugar, eggs, pistachios, honey, and almonds

French wedding foodways edit

Bayle St. John, writing in The Purple Tints of Paris (vol. 2) "The dishes are substantial; soup, boiled beef, veal, salad, cheese, apples, and what are called, for some mysterious reason, the four beggars — nuts, figs, almonds, and raisins, mixed together."

References edit

^ ^a ^b "The Thirteen Desserts of Christmas - Les Treize Desser". Mama Lisa's World of Children and International Culture.
^ ^a ^b "Christmas Traditions in Provence". www.provenceweb.fr.
^ "The Thirteen Christmas Desserts". www2.culture.gouv.fr.
^ "Aroma Tours of Spain, Provence, Tuscany, Italy and Bali". aroma-tours.com.
^ ^a ^b "Provençal Desserts | Avignon et Provence". www.avignon-et-provence.com.
^ ^a ^b ^c about.com, Noël in Provence Christmas traditions and recipes from Provence. Retrieved Aug. 30, 2007.