Calisson

A specialty of Aix-en-Provence, calissons are diamond-shaped sweets made with almonds and candied melons, covered in icing. The tradition of combining almonds and candied fruits dates all the way back to Greek and Roman times, while some texts from the 12th-century mention Italian monks who made cakes from almonds.

As almonds became important in the city of Aix-en-Provence, they were combined with Cavaillon melon to make the famous calissons. There is also an interesting tale about their invention, taking place at the wedding feast of King René of Anjou in 1454.

During the festivities, the bride was in a bad mood, so the head chef looked for a way to cheer her up. He created a sweet treat out of almonds and candied fruit and got the bride's smile, while the rest of us got the delicious calissons.