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The traditional 13 deserts of Christmas are usually associated with Provence but they are also well known in the Languedoc.In Provence and in the Languedoc, the tradional Christmas meal is called the "le gros souper". It finishes with the 13 deserts symbolising Christ and the 12 apostles. All the deserts should be set out at the same time and everyone should taste each one.
There is no "official" list of the 13 deserts. The first 6 are, however, found systematically whereas numbers 7 to 12 vary from region to region or depending on personal preferences. The thirteenth is the "pompe à huile" or oil absorber (see recipe below).
2. dried figs: for the Franciscans
3. walnuts: for the Augustins
4. almonds: for the Carmelites
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6. dark nougat
7. à 12. (chose from the list below)
- fruit (fresh or crystallised)
apples, pears, oranges, mandarines, grapes, prunes, dates- hazel nuts
- sweatmeats
such as Calissons d'Aix for example.jpg)
(see recipe below)
The "pompe à huile" must be broken and not cut in order to avoid bad luck in the coming year. This custom is certainly related to the breaking of bread at the Last Supper.Usually the 13 deserts are served with a sweet desert wine in which you can dunk the "pompe à l'huile"
"La pompe à l'huile"
for 8 people
500 g flour
25 g yeast
75 g sugar
10 g salt
150 g olive oil
1 lemon
1 orange
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Prepare a dough by mixing 200 g of flour with the yeast and a glass of warm water. Let it rise for 45 min. Add the olive oil, the rest of the flour and the zest of the lemon and orange and kneed slowly. Let it rise for 3 hours. Spread the dough to form a disk about 30 cm in diametre. Make some decorative cuts and leave it in a warm place for another hour. Cook in a hot oven (200°C) for 15 min. Brush liberally with olive oil as soon as it is taken out of the oven.
ÓMike Briley & Chantal Moret 1999-2007
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