This little sweet made of a mixture of finely crushed almonds, melon from Provence and candied orange peels placed on a host covered with "royal ice" is often flavored with orange blossom.
This little sweet made of a mixture of finely crushed almonds, melon from Provence and candied orange peels placed on a host covered with "royal ice" is often flavored with orange blossom.
Its origins date back to the 13th century but it appeared in the 15th century with the emergence of a legend: during the second wedding of King René (Count of Provence) with Jeanne de Laval, known for never smiling, the court pastry chef created this confection especially for the new queen who, after tasting it, became joyful. A courtier then asked his neighbor what could have given the queen so much pleasure, to which he replied: "Di Calin Soun" which means "These are hugs".
Since the first Sunday of September, the blessing of calissons is celebrated in the Church of St. John of Malta (jewel of Provencal Gothic art nicknamed "The Holy Chapel of the South") to commemorate this funny legend. At the same time, the calisson has become the gastronomic emblem of Aix: it is one of the 13 Provençal Christmas desserts and is available in several different flavors today.
To learn more about its history, visit the Calisson Museum, in the Fabrique du Roy René, where gourmets can make their own batch of calissons.
Aphélie from Comme des Français
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Discover other typical French delicacies:
- The Bordeaux Canelé
- Far Breton
- Alsatian Kougelhopf
