Who said Sun-kissed cuisine is only for the warm season? These culinary specialties can be enjoyed all year round with great pleasure. Here are my favourites, and a few addresses where to taste them:
La Pissaladière:
Carefully candied onions, Niçoise olives and olive oil, on a crisp dough, with or without tomato, the pissaladière can be eaten at any time of day or night. Simple but delicious.
- Boulangerie Veziano, 2 rue de la Pompe, Antibes.
- Chez Roger, 15 Place d’Armes, Monaco.
La Socca:
A Niçoise speciality, socca is a flatbread made from chickpea flour, cooked over a wood fire. In Nice it is the essential speciality. Best enjoyed with a « pointu », a glass of local wine.
- Socca d’Or, 45 rue Bonaparte, Nice.
- Chez Thérésa, stand Cours Saleya, Nice.
- Roger Socca, 15 Place d’Armes, Monaco.
Le barbajuan:
The barbajuan is the Monegasque speciality. Made with chard, rice and Parmesan, this small turnover is then fried and eaten straight away. A real treat.
- A Roca Sainte Dévote, 33 Bd Rainier, Monaco.
- Chez Costa, 31 avenue Princesse Grace, Monaco.
Les farcis:
Vegetables are hollowed out and stuffed with a filling made from meat, breadcrumbs and the flesh scooped from the vegetables. A little breadcrumb topping is added, and everything goes into the oven. Excellent, full of vitamins and healthy.
- La Petite Maison de Nicole, Hôtel Majestic, Cannes.
- Acchiardo, 38 rue Droite, Nice.
Les beignets de fleur de courgettes:
Sunshine on the plate! A light and creamy batter, courgette flowers, and the job is done. An excellent starter.
- La Petite Maison de Nicole, 11 rue Saint-Francois de Paule, Nice.
- La Table Alziari, 4 rue François Zanin, Nice.
Les gnocchis:
Potato, flour, a fork and the gnocchi is ready. It is simple but delicious. In Nice it is eaten with a daube sauce, or on its own dressed with a tomato sauce. In gastronomic restaurants, they are prepared in many different variations.
- Le Safari, 1 Cours Saleya, Nice.
- Maison Quirino, 10 rue Bavastro Nice (to eat at home).
Le pan bagnat:
Everyone argues over the true recipe for Pan Bagnat. What is certain is that this bread, soaked in olive oil and filled with local vegetables and tuna, is a real delight, in summer as in winter.
- Chez Costa, 31 Avenue Princesse Grace, Monaco.
- Lou Balico, 20 Avenue Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Nice.
A tarte de blettes:
Pode comer-se salgada, mas eu prefiro-a doce: blettes, pinhões, passas e uma massa fina e tenra polvilhada com açúcar em pó.
- Boulangerie du Palais, 21 rue du Marché, Nice.
- Pipo Socca, 13 rue Bavastro, Nice.
As panisses:
Os do norte têm as batatas fritas, nós temos as panisses. Feitas com farinha de grão-de-bico e azeite, como a socca, as panisses compram-se cruas em todas as lojas de massas frescas da Costa Azul, e preparam-se com grande facilidade, fritando-as em azeite. Também se saboreiam em todos os restaurantes de especialidades da região.
- Marcel Bistrot Chic, 11 rue de l’Abbaye, Nice.
- Maison Barale, 7 rue Sainte-Reparate, Nice (para fazer em casa).
A galette des rois de frutas cristalizadas:
Para mim, a galette des rois, a verdadeira, é esta e não outra! Esta coroa de brioche macia perfumada com flor de laranjeira, enfeitada com frutas cristalizadas e grãos de açúcar, faz a felicidade de todas as pessoas do Sul por ocasião da Epifania. Para consumir sem moderação.
- Pâtisserie Armand, 3 Place Franklin, Nice.
- Chez Canet, 7 rue Longchamp, Nice.
As ganses:
Durante as festas do Carnaval de Nice, encontram-se as ganses em todas as padarias, é a tradição. Era a minha alegria ao regressar da escola nesta época, a minha mãe ou a minha avó preparavam-mas para o lanche.
- Em todas as padarias de Nice e arredores durante o Carnaval.
- A minha preferida: Boulangerie Jean-Marc Bordonnat, 19 rue Barla, Nice.
Bom apetite!
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