Local specialities
Pelotons de l'Estéron
Pelotons are a speciality of the Nice hinterland, found in the Estéron valley. They're a kind of ravioli, but without the dough, rather like meatballs. To make them, a meat-based filling is prepared and then rolled into small balls. Once cooked, they are served with a homemade tomato sauce, or daube sauce.
Pistou soup
A mainstay of Provencal cuisine, pistou soup has its fans, and it takes time to make. Every cook has his or her own recipe, and there's a lot of discussion about which ingredients to add, and when... Pistou soup is made with fresh vegetables: zucchinis, potatoes, tomatoes, red, white and green beans, and pasta. A sauce made from basil crushed in olive oil with garlic cloves is added, and you've got all the flavor of Provence!
Zucchini flower fritters
One of the specialties of Provence is to eat zucchini flowers in addition to vegetables. They're made into fritters. All you need to do is make a light doughnut dough by beating egg whites until stiff. Grasp the zucchini flowers by the base and dip them in the doughnut batter before tossing them into a hot frying pan.
Stuffing
A stuffing is prepared from meat, salt pork, eggs, basil and Parmesan cheese. We then hollow out a series of vegetables: tomatoes, zucchinis, peppers, large button mushrooms or potatoes. Stuff them and bake in a hot oven for 45 minutes.
Ratatouille
It's a name that smacks of Provence. Purists will tell you to cook the vegetables one by one, while those in a hurry will cook them all together. Either way, the result will be succulent. Ratatouille is generally made up of several vegetables: eggplants, zucchinis, tomatoes, onions and garlic, red and yellow peppers, not forgetting the bouquet of herbes de Provence. It can be eaten hot or cold, on its own, or as a side dish with meat or fish.
Gnocchi
This pasta is made from a mixture of wheat and potato flour, and poached in water. First, a purée is made, to which eggs, salt, pepper and oil are added. Then flour is mixed in, as much as is needed to make a pastry similar to pie dough. Roll out the gnocchi into small rolls, marking them with a fork. Just throw them into a pot of boiling water and wait for them to rise to the surface; they're cooked. Enjoy the tomato and Parmesan sauce!
Pissaladière
This is a kind of pizza, but with only onions, a little anchovy, olives and olive oil. Lightly sweetened and delicious at any time of day, it can be enjoyed as a main course or as an aperitif tapas.
Fougasse
This interwoven bread cake can be found in all the region's bakeries and markets. It's usually filled with olives, cheese or bacon.
Socca
This is a large pancake made from chickpea flour, olive oil and water, cooked and browned in an oven - preferably a wood-fired one. This speciality of Nice is found on the coast and in inland villages.
Ganses
A kind of fried doughnut sprinkled with vanilla sugar or icing sugar. A simple, gourmet recipe, often made at Carnival time.
Rose or bitter orange jams
Opio and Bar-sur-Loup's activities have long been based on the production of flowers for the perfumers of Grasse. The tradition of making rose or bitter orange jam remains, and is perpetuated every year during the Fête de la Rose in Opio and the Fête de l'Oranger in Bar-sur-Loup. These jams can be found at all the region's markets and stores. And for those with a sweet tooth, here's the recipe...
Remove the petals from the flowers. You'll need 250 g. Clean them with clear water. Macerate in cold water with the juice of one lemon for 12 hours. Drain. Mix 250 g caster sugar in half a liter of water and boil over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the petals and simmer for a further 10 minutes. The jam is ready when a drop set on a cold surface.
Local products
The terroir offers a wide range of products, depending on the region. You'll find them in urbanized and tourist areas, such as the Valbonne market (Friday mornings), Châteauneuf-Grasse (Monday mornings), Tourrettes-sur-Loup (Wednesday mornings) and the Marché de nos Collines in Le Rouret (all week). The Parc naturel régional des Préalpes d'Azur is committed to developing direct sales from producer to consumer, either at the place of production, or through cooperatives or collective sales outlets. The best addresses can be found in the Guide des Producteurs du Parc.
Meat, poultry and game
The Middle and Highlands are a natural breeding ground for livestock. Several breeders sell beef, sheep, goat and even deer meat. These meats can also be found cooked in pâtés or canned dishes.
Cheeses, dairy products
Over 200 farmers continue to keep the mountains alive. Pastoralism is the region's main agricultural activity, and the presence of over 20,000 ewes and goats means that there is a wide range of artisanal cheeses on offer. These cheeses can be found at various stages of ripening: fresh, barely drained cheeses, semi-dry cheeses similar to soft cheeses, and very dry, hard cheeses. Most of these cheeses are made on farms on the Cheiron, Courmettes or Saint-Barnabé plateaus.
Fruits and vegetables
You'll find seasonal vegetables such as zucchini, potatoes and carrots, as well as seasonal fruits such as strawberries, grapes, figs, apples and pears, oranges and lemons, and their derivatives in the form of jams.
Bread and pasta
The tradition of good bread is still alive and well in the region. Numerous bread ovens were in daily use in the villages until the 20th century. Baking days were particularly important, with everyone contributing their share of wood to heat the hearth. Most villages still have an "oven street". Some bakeries continue to use the communal oven to bake their bread over a wood fire, in the greatest tradition. Such is the case of Lou Bara di Païs in Coursegoules.
Sweets and condiments
The olive
The local olive, of the cailletier variety, is small, crunchy, firm and very tasty. It is used to make olive oil, as well as olive paste, or tapenade, a puree of black olives mixed with olive oil, anchovies, capers and Provencal herbs.
The "Olive de Nice" appellation d'origine contrôlée was officially created in 2001. The AOC geographical area covers 99 communes in the Alpes-Maritimes region. This recognition imposes certain rules. Harvesting must take place when more than half the olives are wine-colored. They must be picked directly from the tree, or harvested by "gaulage", by placing nets under the trees. Olives are graded, sorted and washed before preparation. They must be whole, uncrushed and unpopped. The olives are then prepared in a brine limited to 12% sodium chloride by weight of water. No other chemicals or preservatives are permitted. Orchard yields must not exceed 10 tons of olives per hectare.
The truffle
Strong in flavor, it is used sprinkled in the form of small clippings to enhance dishes. They can also be used to flavour certain cooking oils. Truffles are celebrated in Gréolières and Le Rouret every year.
Honey and beehive products
Whether lavender, heather, rosemary, thyme or arbutus, Provence's honeys are a year-round delight. You'll find beehive products on the markets or directly at the estate.
Alcohols
Orange wine
This is a delectable, medium-alcohol aperitif, with a lovely golden-red color that's best drunk chilled in summer under arbors. To find out more about this wine, visit the Fête de l'Oranger at Bar-sur-Loup. On the program: cooperage, alembic distillation, advice on growing oranges, orange wine and jam competitions.
And to make orange wine... Macerate the colannes (sun-dried strips of orange peel) of 5 bitter oranges, 1 sweet orange, 1 lemon, 1 mandarin orange, with 1 vanilla stick, 1 kg sugar, 5 liters good wine (red, rosé or white) and 1 liter fruit alcohol. After 45 days, filter and enjoy... in moderation!
