Thirteen desserts

Traditional Christmas of Provence.

The thirteen desserts in the Provence Les 13 desserts de la tradition de Noël en Provence

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

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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

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* Apples
* Pears
* Oranges
* Winter melon
* Grapes
* Tangerines

## Sweets

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* 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

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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

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* Food portal

* List of desserts

## References

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

## External links

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Media related to Treize desserts de Provence at Wikimedia Commons

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