Gastronomy of Nice, France 

Gastronomy

The cuisine of Nice uses resources of the local countryside (olive oil, anchovies, fruit and vegetables) but also resources from more remote regions, in particular those from Northern Europe because ships which came to seek olive oil arrived full with food products. Thus one finds specialities such as those using stockfish made from dried haddock.

Nice has a few local dishes. There is a local pie made with onions and anchovy sauce, named "Pissaladière " (French spelling). Socca is a type of pancake made from chickpea flour. Nice is also known for bouillabaisse and various fish soups; "Stockfish" (traditionally pronounced as "Stoquefiche" (French spelling) with special emphasis on the first "e"). Farcis nicois is a dish made from vegetables stuffed with breadcrumbs; and salade nicoise is a tomato salad with green peppers of the "Corne" breed, baked eggs, tuna or anchovies and olives.

Local meat comes from neighbouring valleys, such as the sheep of Sisteron. Local fish, such as mullets, bream, sea urchins, and anchovies (alevins) are used to a great extent, so much so that it has given birth to a proverb: "fish are born in the sea and die in oil.” Naturally, this refers to the olive oil made in the Nice hills. Indeed, seafood is generally much appreciated in the delicate and healthy cuisine of Nice.

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