Cooking in Provence,
Olive Oil and Herbs de Provence

Healthy Cooking on a Provence Culinary Vacation
Copyright   SoftSeatTravel
Provence recipes are simple enough but the cuisine depends on fresh produce and meat,
ingredients not easy to find in our home town in the States but ubiquitous in Provence, although it
takes some searching.  The butcher handles only meat, the baker, bread and pastry, the grocer,
produce and wine and some household goods; even in the village, you gather.
North,  we would go to the country and interesting old ruins in fields of rosemary and rocky
outcrops sprouting thyme. South,  we would go to the Camargue and see the white horses
roaming free. There we would find the Camargue sea salt for cooking
Stuffed squash and stuffed tomatoes: A combination of beef, wild boar sausage, thyme, oregano and left
over French bread is mixed in a grinder after the meat is cooked. The stuffing is inserted in the hollowed
out zuchinni squash and tomato. The caps are replaced after a sprinkle of Camargue sea salt and grated
Parmesan cheese. They go in the oven for about an hour. The caps of tomato blacken as the juices
intensify and mix with the stuffing  
The Camargue is noted for
its horses, bulls,  and its
salt. The people evaporate
sea water and harvest the
salt in a huge operation
near the mouth of the
Rhone River. The salt is
available throughout
Provence; we use it  at the
table rather than salting the
food while cooking.
Stuffed squash and tomatoes served with
chicken soup, minced chicken and thyme
canapes, sliced fruit with goats cheese, and
Cotes Du Rhone
Foraging for herbs along the old canals make  
interesting walks. Both sides have flat trails
where mules once pulled barges.
Culinary Vacation in Provence
Provence Cooking
Copyright Soft Seat Travel