Nice With Lots of Lunches

Sometimes, here in Nice, it’s hard for the Accidental Locavore to realize it’s January. Even though it wasn’t particularly warm last Sunday, the sun was bright and there were lots of people lunching on the beach (and a few brave souls taking a swim).

I wandered through the old city and ran into these guys, selling all sort of local cheeses and charcuterie. The older man in the black hat was a quintessential Niçoise and had probably had a few too many photos taken as he hid behind his iPad after this shot (ah, technology), but his cohort was happy to mug for the camera.

Since it’s been on the cool side, after a long walk through the port, a bowl of soupe de poissons seemed like the perfect lunch. Unlike Italians, the French have no qualms about mixing seafood with cheese–in this case Gruyère. However, my favorite part is the toast with aïoli. Little rafts floating in the soup, added at different times so there are crunchy ones and softer pieces. If the aïoli is really good (sadly, this one came from a jar) and no one is looking, I just put it in straight, it gives a creaminess and an extra garlic kick to the soup.

One of my goals here is to walk every day. It’s the one thing Frank and I both miss the most from living in the city and so far, goal achieved. Exploring my neighborhood and thinking about lunch, I passed Turkish, Thai, Chinese, French (of course) restaurants and nothing was really calling my name until I went by a crêperie. Although it was totally empty, it still looked inviting. My choice; a galette (savory, buckwheat crêpe) with chèvre and smoked duck breast. As you can see, it was a perfect triangle, with crispy buttery corners and a creamy center. Butter, cheese and duck–just what I wanted with the slightly bitter salad making a nice contrast. Sadly, not enough room for a dessert crêpe, but I can always go back!

Speaking of dessert, here’s the next one in my quest to eat my way through the chocolate treats at Patisserie Lac. This one is called Guerande and it’s chocolate mousse with a center of salted caramel. And yes, it was as good as it looks!