• Source: Thirteen desserts

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. The food traditionally is set out Christmas Eve and remains on the table three days until December 27.




Dried fruit and nuts


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.

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




Fresh fruit


Apples
Pears
Oranges
Winter melon
Grapes
Tangerines




Sweets


Biscotins (biscuits) from Aix;
Calissons d'Aix, 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
Oreillettes, light thin waffles
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
Quince cheese/quince paste (Pâte de coing)
Yule log
Two kinds of nougat, symbolizing good and evil
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


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."




See also



List of desserts




References






External links


Media related to Treize desserts de Provence at Wikimedia Commons

The 13 desserts of Provence - by Notreprovence.fr (in English)

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