Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provençal fish stew. Origins for the simple fare date back to the time of the Phoenicians, when they founded the Provençal town Marseilles in 600 BCE. Then, the population ate a simple fish stew known in Greek as 'kakavia.' Bouillabaisse also has an apocryphal mythological origin: it is the soup that Venus fed to Vulcan, to lull him to sleep, so that she could cavort with the god Mars. In its modern incarnation, bouillabaisse is usually a simple fish stock that is complemented with a variety of herbs and spices and cooked fish and seafood. The exact porportions vary by cook and region.