 
It is a food-lovers faux pas to go to Marseille
without tasting Bouillabaisse. Traditionally, fishermen
prepared this soup from all of the daily unsold fish. Today,
it appears on some of the worlds top restaurants
menus and is a highly priced gourmet delight as it includes
some of the best picks of fresh fish and it takes 3-4 hours
to prepare.
Traditional
Bouillabaisse calls for a minimum of 4 Mediterranean rock
fish cooked in a stock made from a variety of smaller Mediterranean
fish. Its name is derived from the Provençal French
words "boui" (boil) and "abaisse" (reduce),
signifying the incessant fluctuation of temperature during
the lengthy preparation of the soup.
In
1980, in an attempt to fight against a variety of unauthentic
Bouillabaisse soups being served throughout France, Marseilles
best chefs drew up a Bouillabaisse Charter in which they
define and describe Bouillabaisses basic ingredients,
recipe and the way the soup is to be served.
While
top chefs in Marseille stick to the traditional ingredients,
some American-based chefs add other shellfish such as blue
crabs, lobster and mussels. The following recipes compare
the Charters basic recipe, Marseillaise Chef Alexandre
Pinnas and two American-based chefs Laurent Tourondel
of Cello in New York and Michael Regua, Sr. of Antoines
in New Orleans. Since 1997, Alexandre Pinna has been chef
at Fonfon restaurant, one of the most famous restaurants
in Marseille for its traditional Bouillabaisse (he serves
it 7 days a week). The restaurant is also a member of the
Bouillabaisse Charter. At just 27 years old, Alexandre Pinna
has already trained at L'Oursinade in Marseille and at the
Hôtel de Paris under the supervision of Alain Ducasse.
Chef
Pinna, and his fellow Charter members, have the Mediterranean
fishmongers supply them with their daily bouillabaisse-making
needs. While American-based chefs use local products, in
some cases to replace the traditional ones, and in others
to add a welcome twist. |