The bouillabaisse of Marseille
A typical and traditional Provençal dish, bouillabaisse is inseparable from Marseille, like OM (Olympique de Marseille) or Pastis. It has become a must-try for any visitor to the Phocaean city, a legend that is savored without moderation.
HISTORY OF BOUILLABAISSE
The origins of bouillabaisse date back to the founding of Massalia by the Greeks. The population already ate a fish stew made with leftovers or unsold fish from fishermen. This stew, called Kakavia in ancient Greek, refers to a particular preparation of fish soup.
Roman mythology also mentions this dish. It is the one that Venus makes Vulcan eat to appease him and put him to sleep so she can join Mars discreetly…
The name bouillabaisse comes from Provençal, but several etymologies are discussed: "bouiabaisso" or "bolhabaissa," which means to lower the boiling, "when it boils, you lower it," "bouipeis peis," which means to boil the fish, which boils down, referring to the pot placed at ground level.
Like all great dishes today, bouillabaisse was originally a dish for the poor. A comfort for fishermen who roamed the calanques between Marseille and Toulon, bouillabaisse was enjoyed upon returning from their labors. By the water's edge, they heated a cauldron filled with seawater into which they threw everything found at the bottom of their baskets : unsold, crushed, damaged fish… The resulting broth was consumed accompanied by garlic-rubbed croutons. The fish was eaten separately with rouille or aioli.
Doctor Raoulx, the author of a reference work on Provençal gastronomy, describes a dish:
"which is prepared along the entire Mediterranean coast of France. It can be said that there are as many variations of this dish as there are bays, coves, or inlets along our coastline, and each cabin owner claims to prepare the authentic bouillabaisse alone."
As we can see, nothing has changed… The good doctor also resolves existential questions: "should potatoes be added?", "No for the people of Marseille, yes for those of Toulon." A decisive judgment.
A POPULAR DISH BECOMES GASTRONOMIC
Bouillabaisse eventually transcended its natural boundaries to "rise to Paris." Gustave Flaubert praised it in 1858, writing, "I am in Marseille, the sea is blue, I stuff myself with bouillabaisse." In the capital, the dish became known thanks to a restaurant named Les Frères Provençaux. Jean Reboul, author of a major work on Provençal cuisine, lists forty fish that can be used in bouillabaisse, including sea bass, whiting, scorpionfish, gurnard, rockfish…
The famous restaurant Paris Lyon Marseille (PLM) paved the way for the Provençal dish and significantly contributed to popularizing it throughout the rest of France.
Given the eternal debates about the composition of the dish and the numerous scams, Marseille chefs established a Bouillabaisse Charter in 1980. This codifies the recipe and the way the dish is served. The fish must be carved in front of the customers, and certain ingredients must be present to respect tradition.