Presentation Review by Judith H. Dern for the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Published in the Conference Review Frontburner, 2000

Presentation given spring 2000 Providence Rhode Island at the Annual Meetings of the IACP

(The following is excerpted from the original review, for the entire review, please contact the IACP)

Long before the United States became the world's melting pot, merchants and traders were plying the waves of the Mediterranean Sea by boat or traveling its shores on foot to exchange goods and foodstuffs. In fact for more than 3000 years the Mediterranean was the center of the world. As Roman and Saracen legions conquered, Hannibal's elephants invaded, and civilizations rose and fell along its rocky perimeter, a remarkable diversity of foods and comestibles was traded back and forth among its ancient border nations.

Surprisingly perhaps, few places along the Mediterranean had natural harbors or were hospitable to sizable settlements. One exception was Arles. A major city in Provence in the south of France, Arles lies just north of the flat expanse of the Rhone River delta called the Carmargue. Here the mighty river, a centuries-old trading highway, arrives from the north to empty into the Mediterranean.

Ancient Arles actually had three ports--one a maritime port, another a river port where seafaring boats could be unloaded and their wares put on barges to continue journeying up the river to all points in northern Europe, and the third a shallow-water port in the delta's marshland. With the Mediterranean as its link to the world, Arles became a trading hub; in the fourth century "the spices of the Orient were present in such profusion on the Arles market, you'd assume they grew there". No wonder then that trading patterns, history, and culinary traditions mingle in the kitchens of Provence. While not an "official" French cuisine, the region's classic fare is among the most varied in the world.

Weaving together threads from the ancient history of Arles with research about the trading patterns of the Rhone and Mediterranean, Erick Vedel, teacher and chef at the Association Cuisine et Tradition, served as our personal historian, tour guide and chef in this fascinating introduction to Provençale cuisine. Like some culinary Hercule Poirot, he shared his quest--and his passion--unraveling the evolution of typical dishes in this region of France. With intricate maps and diagrams of trading routes, a love of history and bountiful enthusiasm, blended with flawless translation by his American-born wife, Madeleine, Vedel's presentation captivated everyone in his audience.

With fragrances of olive oil, garlic, leeks, and fresh herbs tantalizing our noses, and the sound of beef shanks sizzling in the background, Vedel brought alive Provence's culinary traditions. Simple and straightforward, both imported and local, it's a cuisine that partakes of many cultures.