Calisson

According to legend, during the wedding of King René to Queen Jeanne de Laval, his pastry chef made a confection in the shape of a smile. King René offered it to Jeanne; when she tasted it, her face lit up. The court, surprised and curious, then asked: "But what do you call these sweets that make the Queen smile? The King is said to have answered: "Di calin soun", "They are cuddles"! Since then, the famous Calisson (calin soun), a mixture of finely ground almonds, Provençal candied melon all set on a bed of rice paper and topped with royal icing has become an intangible gourmet heritage of the city of Aix en Provence.