Hélène Barale, who passed away in January 2006 at the age of 89, remains an icon of the Nice cuisine of which she has become, in her famous restaurant, an undisputed expert. In this episode of 1983, she discusses three recipes within the particular context of traditional Christmas meal in Provence, known as the “Gros Souper.”

 

 

In Fact, the most prominent event of the year in Provence is Christmas. The night of the 24^th of December is marked by a series of rituals aiming at celebrating the birth of the Christ, such as blessing the cake, setting extra place for the hungry poor, the visiting friends of the deceased relatives who wish to take part in the feast, laying three white tablecloths representing the Holy Trinity, ornamenting the table with greenery and the list goes on. 

 

 

The most important moment is undoubtedly the « gros souper » served before the midnight mass. It consists of plain, frugal dishes with no meat included, in conformity with the espoused religious regulation. This meal is distinguished from every day’s by the richness of the menu and its quality. As historian and ethnologist Anita Bouverot-Rothacker notes « the originality of this meal is without a liver of doubt the result of the plethora of vegetables and desserts served.” This abundance is seen as an augur to having as much affluence as the one present on the table in the coming year. That’s the reason why we find a large spectrum of diverse “gros souper” that vary with each region. The best local food preparations are served. Moreover, the gros souper in Nice comprises the dishes presented herein by Hélène Barale: the pissaladière made with bread dough and topped with caramelized onions, anchovies and sardines, the Bagna cauda which is a warm dip of anchovies and the famous torta de blea or the sweet chard tart, found at the bakeries of the city.

 

-BOUVEROT-ROTHACKER Anita, The Gros Souper « Le Gros Souper », Éditions Jeanne Laffitte, 1982.

-Martin-Villevieille Simone, History of Provence recipes, 10 centuries of gourmet tradition « Histoire des recettes de Provence. 10 siècles de tradition gourmande », Jeanne Laffitte, 2000.

-RICARD Jean, The Gros Souper in Marseille « Le gros souper à Marseille », Bibliothèque des traditions locales, 1955 (disponible sur le site http://sites.univ-provence.fr/tresoc/libre/libr0285.htm, consulté le 20 mars 2013).