soup de poisson- the provencal coast in a bowl

soup de poisson is very bouches de rhone and not to be confused with the more voluptuous bouaillbaise ,it is made up of a melange of mediiteranean fish . the recipe for soup de poisson varies from family to family and can cause fueding over whose is the superior recipe,two heads of family in dispute can result something like a family ferria. the best is served between marseille and bandole , further east its likely to be fake, its is usually served in a terrine with smaller bowls, it is accompanied by croutons that are then scraped with garlic , placed in the bowl, the soup is poured over the croutons , then rouille sauce is added. finally a sprinkling of vermicelli and your off- if the character of place rests in its food then soup de poisson is the same having the provencal coast in a bowl . recently in helmand province( british soldiers no matter what spin doctors tell you they are on iron rations }.one soldier requested some poisson soup in a food parcel from home. he then recreated an evening by the sea to an appreciative group who'd never tasted it before , for a monent summer in provence had blotted out the rigours of far way afghanistan