Made in Marseille: Food and Flavors from France's Mediterranean Seaport    by Daniel Young Order:  USA  Can HarperCollins, 2002 (2002) Hardcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth The culture of Marseille includes an extraordinary mix of other southern regions of the world. To better understand where its cuisine originated, read the first pages of Made In Marseille, a cookbook to knock your socks off - or maybe the spatula out of your hand. As a seaport, Marseille attracted peoples from other Mediterranean countries, who brought their own cultures and recipes. This cookbook includes an eclectic mix of fabulous foods that cry out to be tasted. Though the book has no photos of the imaginative food, there are interesting ones of Marseille scenes. Tapenade, dating back to 1880, uses black olives, anchovies and capers. Also to be found in the Dips, Jams and Sauces section are Anchovy and Garlic Paste, and Basil and Garlic Sauce. Though unusual to the North American tongue, all sound delicious. Appetizers include Chickpea Cakes, Parmesan and Black Olive Biscuits, Salmon Crumble, and the ultimate - Octopus Terrine! Next, Pizzas and Tarts - the love of my life. I have to to try Armenian Pizza with its beef and lamb, and Rosemary Fougasse, the Provencale counterpart to Italian focaccia. Soups are good any time of the year, and today I'd go for Split Pea Soup, or maybe Provencal Fish soup with Aioli. Bouillabaisse is to die for; the various recipes here would satisfy almost anyone's taste. The story of bouillabaisse, if you’re not familiar with it, is enough to make you want to head for the fish market. Fish – ah, fish. I can almost taste the Fennel-Stuffed Salmon Fillet with Onion Jam. Every fish is here, from sole to sea bass: from monkfish and prawns to sea scallops to ginger honey shrimp. Divine. The Meats section also has a great variety of choices: chicken, veal, lamb, mutton tripe, beef. All with wonderful recipes. I'd like some Steak Au Poivre with Caramelized Shallots right now. Now we're talking – Vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, zucchini eggplant, Swiss chard. Glorious recipes that will make anyone with a lifelong aversion to vegetables pick up their forks and dig in. Desserts finish out what will become a well-used cookbook in your collection, with Almond Custard Ice Cream or Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Beignets. There are even desserts using olives or tomatoes. And don't miss a recipe to make your own pastis at the front of this book. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews