rovençal cuisine doesn't typically conjure up images of dry-cured sausages. But in fact many provençal butchers are known for their "house" sausage recipe. At the St.-Tropez marché, you can find almost as many varieties of sausages as olives!

Monsieur Lacroix offers over 30 varieties, making him without a doubt the largest purveyor of these specialties at the marché. He's friendly, knowledgeable and eager to give tastings to attract customers. Here's a small sampling of what you'll find available at his stand:

Sanglier (boar) Correzien Auvergne Aux herbes de provence Au poivre Au vin de Cahor Pimento Bayonne, Savoie, and Ardeche Hams A provençal sausage is typically very small -- no more than 2" in diameter and about 7" long -- and it's sold whole. Most are heavily spiced and some are thickly coated with cracked peppers or herbes de provence. We serve them in thinly sliced rounds as finger hors d'oeuvres, accompanied by the ever-present bowl of olives or with bunches of crisp radishes. However you choose to serve these sausages, they should always be accompanied by a glass of cold rosé!