THE GREATEST ARTS OF FRANCE - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette: France - page 168

The land is so rich here and the sun so plentiful, they can
get three crops of vegetables, but the most important crop
today is wine grapes. The Herault, Roussillon, Corbières
and Minervois produce most of the basic red table wine
the French love: immature and rough. This is an unfair
assessment of the people, however.
In the stark, poor hills above the Tarn, sheep have been
the main crop for thousands of years. Anne Willan reports
a pot-au-feu called cabassol made from lamb's head and
feet. Economy is still a primary consideration in much of
this poor rural area, in stark contrast to the nearby city of
Toulouse, now the beautiful capital of high technology in
France.
The candied violets of Toulouse are a popular export item.
And in the north, the Ardèche is home of the famous chestnut
cream, marrons glacés , as well as Roquefort cheese, made
in limestone caves with sheep's milk and protected by law
since 1411. (For the real thing, look for the little red sheep
on the package.)
So what have we here? In the countryside, a simple, strong,
direct farm folk and yet in Toulouse, all the sophistication of
candied violets. The Languedoc has complexities you need
to visit to appreciate.
The Provence
Home of the great seafood stew, bouillabaisse , this is a
cuisine of strong contrasts: peppery, garlicky main dishes
made with olive oil, and balanced with fresh, cool tomatoes
(only considered edible since the 19th century), fennel and
eggplants. Ratatouille was born here.
The herbs of Provence grow everywhere: lavender,
rosemary, thyme, sage... add to those anchovies, olives and
capers, a wild range of l avourings. Melons and i gs are AOC.
There is abundant evidence of Italy here, both in the cuisine
and the warm, friendly ways of the people.
The lovely rosé of Provence is also AOC, as are the deep
reds and l inty whites, The rosé is my favourite. Made from
a blend of 12 red grapes brought by the Romans plus some
varieties from ancient Persia, the juice is quickly pressed and