Nice Escape
Part 1 of a Series
by LuluJones

Besides being celebrated by millions of music fans worldwide, what do Bono and Tina Turner have in common? Yes, both belt out the high C’s, but other than that? Give up?


These career “legged” vocalists have made the French Riviera, “Home Sweet Home” at some point in their famous lives. Though, you won’t catch them calling one of the greatest fried potato inventions of all time “Freedom Fries,” nor will you hear about them pouring some of the most unrivaled French wines down the toilet. Au contraire, by some means they found themselves along the stunning Côte d’Azûr, fell hopelessly in love with the French sun-kissed southern coast along the Mediterranean, and stayed--changing their lifestyle to Francophile.


They aren’t alone in their admiration. For nearly 2000 years, people from all corners of the globe have been unambiguously attracted to this shining spot, and the city of Nice remains to be one of the world’s most visited cities. I’ve cited a pair of major celebrities here, but you don’t have to be a star to visit beautiful Nice.




As the “Capital” of the Côte d’Azûr, Nice simply stands out not only because it’s a main gateway to the south of France, but it also refuses to be part of the gleam and glitterati of nearby towns like Cannes, St. Tropez and Monaco, which is something to be commended given its proximity to those places. Nice’s uniqueness should not be confused with “only for the privileged crowd” and people who wish to visit Nice can do so quite easily without having to feel out of place. Nice does possess, however, a different sort of Richesse, its own inimitable, relaxed joie de vivre Nicois style…

NICE LANGUAGE: Le Nissart

Nice's long, tumultuous history has wildly influenced the current unique language of Nice, “Le Nissart,” incorporating Roman, Provençal and French vocabulary, yet it still somehow manages to retain its Nice specificity.


While meandering the winding narrow webbed alleys of Old Town Nice, open up your senses to the quirky sound of the Nice dialect, and notice the street signs written in French as well as in Nissart.

NICE FOOD

It is no mystery that the people in the south of France are far healthier than their northern counterparts. A diet that leans toward olive oil over butter, fresh vegetables versus severely cooked ones, grilling in place of frying, and incorporating garlic, olives , fruit and fish (instead of pork, beef or chicken) into their daily meals give the local Niçois their wholesome edge.

Will the Real Salade Niçoise Please Stand Up?!

If you’re looking for an authentic Salade Niçoise, you may have to go on an extended scavenger hunt because there are quite a few imposters out there. Some may go as far as to say it no longer exists. Quelle horreur! Though you will see it listed on menus in countless restaurants in Nice, the salad you’ll most likely receive is just your run-of-the-mill Salade Niçoise found nearly anywhere including in your own hometown, wherever that may be - taste notwithstanding. If you’re in search of the real deal, the true Salade Niçoise, according to food experts, is made from a base of raw baby artichoke hearts or broad beans, and also features tomatoes, green peppers, onions, anchovies, cucumbers, garlic, fresh basil, hard-boiled eggs, black olives and olive oil. If you notice your so-called Salade Niçoise innocently sporting some string beans, potatoes, lettuce or tuna, stand-away-from-the-salad! It’s a fake!

Socca To Me!

Socca is the crêpe’s southern cousin, so-to-speak; it’s the savory pancake of Nice made of chickpea flour and beautifully bears the golden tan of the Mediterranean browned and crispy at the edges, soft and tender inside.

Best when eaten warm and crisp straight from the vendor in Nice, Socca is a sensual, culinary delight especially when eaten out in the generous sun blessed salty sea air.

Recommended Restaurant for Socca
Restaurant: Socca D'Or
Address: 45 Rue Bonaparte
Directions: It's in the Vieux-Nice (Old Town Nice), close to the harbor and Place Garibaldi.

Their hours of operation change so please call ahead of time.
Phone: 04 93 56 52 93

If you care to bring a bit of the Niçois spirit into your home, preparing a nice Socca for your family and dinner guests as an appetizer would be a welcoming enriching treat. Here’s a recipe for those wanting a taste of the Riviera chez vous.

Recipe for Socca
1 1/4 cups (150 g) chickpea flour
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cold water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for the pan

Whisk the olive oil and salt in a bowl with the cold water. Sift in the chickpea flour. Whisk the mixture gradually to form a thin smooth batter. Let it rest for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Spoon the oil into a 9 x 13 inches (24 x 31 cm) roasting pan and heat through in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir the chickpea batter once more and then pour into the hot pan, and return immediately to the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture has browned around the edges and slightly pulls away from the pan. Take out of the oven and season with black pepper. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Cut into squares or strips. Eat immediately.

You can spice it up if you’d like with tapanade, or tomatoes, balsalmic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Or improvise using your imagination. Or consume it the traditional Niçois way and eat it straight from the table.
Serves 4 to 6.

LuluJones is a journalist living in the South of France.