The port at Marseille, yachts and boats lined up…

We stumbled on this restaurant offering  a lunch deal like many others, 14 euros for a three course meal from a menu with a variety of options..

Salade with toasts and seasoned goat’s cheese..

Fresh sardines and salmon thinly sliced with salad, seasonal and delicious.

For main, I chose the Bouillabaisse, if anywhere I have to try it from where it originates in Marseille, this version uses crostini, served with a ‘roux’ a mayonnaise, made from olive oil, garlic, saffron, cayenne for that “kick”.

The bouillabaisse, is spiced with curry flavours, pungent, it includes fish traditionally like the rascasse (scorpion fish) potatoes and vegetables. You add the crostini and roux to the soup and eat it like that, the roux was very robust in flavours of garlic, plus you had additional garlic served with the dish! But great to try the original bouillabaisse, click for my recipe – here !

A chocolate truffle on a wafer thin base, with chocolate sauce and creme.. the wafer is such a joy to eat on this dessert with the decadent truffle on top, it’s inspired me to make something like this soon.. it makes the dessert so light rather than having a pastry or biscuit base..

Amazing profriteroles, filled with ice cream, drizzled in chocolate sauce…light and fluffy choux with crisp edges and a cooling centre!

The amazing view from the Island of Frijols, a 20 minute boat ride from Marseille.. definitely worth a visit to get away from the bustle and view the sea and do some walks on this small island..

Back in Aix-en-Provence we headed to Cay Tam a Pan Asian restaurant in the midst of the narrow streets, inside the restaurant is a nestled den of dim lighting and wafts of asian spices and barbeques happening in the middle of tables! Where extractor fans take out the smoke where guests can barbeques their own food..

The amazing caramelised pork slices deserve a mention here, they were succulent pieces doused in a silky, sticky sweet sauce , accompanied with Cantonese rice this was a perfect combination of flavours.

In Aix one morning whilst walking the streets we came across an early morning food market selling fresh produce, saucisson, olives, tapenade, breads, cheese, spices.. it was great to see the locals and tourists come out to get their food. We ended up coming away with black olive tapenade, herbs provence, saucisson, peppercorns, spices, if only we could have taken or eaten more for that matter!

On the last day we took a trip out to visit some of the French vineyards in Provence, on what was a wet, rainy day..

We tried and sampled a variety or rose (Provence is known for) and white and red specialities, the wines are let to mature for various times..to acheive the desired result.

It was a perfect end to a 4 day weekend trip to Provence, we managed to fit sightseeing, eating, some good old sister natter over a glass of vino and some great food & patisserie.

I would recommend for a long weekend break and it has certainly re-ignited a spark for French cuisine, however I may never get used to their laid back lifestyle coming from a city like London!

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