Apt, the world candied fruit capital and a Remarkable Site of Taste, is rather proud of this much-loved treat. First emerging in Provence in the High Middle Ages, candying was originally done with honey, sugar only being introduced at the time of the Crusades. Fruits such as apricot, angelica, cherry, clementine, fig, melon, pear and plum are glazed using a preservation technique consisting in replacing the fruit's water content with sugar by osmosis. Once made, the end result is eaten on its own, or in baking to decorate cakes, gateaux and brioches.
These Provençale treats are regularly celebrated by the Apt candied fruit brotherhood, with initiations, tastings and entertainment. The town also has two places where you can learn a bit more about these candies: the Pays d'Apt Industrial Adventure Museum and the Maison du Fruit Confit. At the latter, visitors can explore a museum about the history of candied fruit.
