Herbes de Provence (French:[ɛʁbdəpʁɔvɑ̃s];Provençal:èrbas de Provença,[ˈɛr.basdəpɾoˈvɛn.sa]) is amixture of dried herbs considered typical of theProvence region of southeasternFrance. Formerly simply a descriptive term, commercial blends started to be sold under this name in the 1970s. These blends often containsavory,marjoram,rosemary,thyme,oregano,tarragon,basil,bay leaves, andblack pepper.Lavender leaves or buds are also sometimes included in North American formulations. The herb mixture is typically used with grilled foods,stews, andsoups.
...the famous mixtures of herbes de Provence... were unknown to my Provençal grandmothers, who used, individually and with discernment, thyme, rosemary and savory gathered in the countryside.[1]: 138
Provençal cuisine uses many herbs which are often characterized collectively asherbes de Provence, but not in specific combinations, and not historically sold as a mixture. It was in the 1970s that varying mixtures were formulated by spice wholesalers, including Ducros in France, which is now part ofMcCormick & Company.[1]: 138
The commercial nameherbes de Provence[2][3] has noProtected Geographical Status or other legal definition.[4][5] Indeed, only 10% ofherbes de Provence sold in France are produced in France; 95% come fromCentral European (especially Poland) andEastern European (notably Albania) countries, theMaghreb region of Northwest Africa, or China.[6][7]Herbes de Provence are often sold in larger bags than other herbs, and the price in Provence is considerably lower than for other herbs.[citation needed]
Herbes de Provence mixtures typically contain a combination ofsavory,marjoram,rosemary,thyme,oregano, with other herbs, such asbasil,bay leaf,tarragon,summer savory,parsley, andfennel, as well aschervil andhyssop,[8][9] added or substituted by region. In the North American market, for example,lavender leaves are typically included with the base herbs,[10][11] though lavender does not appear in the recipes inJean-Baptiste Reboul's 1910 compendium of Provençal cooking.[12]
The FrenchLabel Rouge quality assurance definition is 19% thyme, 27% rosemary, 27% savory, and 27% oregano.[13]
Herbes de Provence are primarily used to flavour grilled foods such asfish and meat, and vegetable stews. The mixture can be added to foods before, during, or after cooking, or mixed withcooking oil and lightly roasted before cooking. They can also be incorporated invinaigrettes, sprinkled on raw foods such assalads, or used to season freshcheese, such asgoat cheese rolled in herbes de Provence.
