Renée Graglia, president of the “Cercle de la Capelina d’Or,” gave a lecture at the Environmental House last night. She revisited the actions of her association as well as the respect for Niçoise cuisine.
“Recipes are often passed down orally and not precisely,” begins Renée Graglia, president of the “Cercle de la Capelina d’Or.”
This association strives for the maintenance and respect of Niçoise cuisine. Created in 1972 by three Niçois, its headquarters is at the Paul Augier Hospitality School.
Each year, the association organizes a competition among the students from the hospitality schools in the Alpes-Maritimes.
But an amateur competition is also organized in a different village each year.
This allows rediscovering certain recipes such as a potato cake flavored with anise. The “Cercle de la Capelina d’Or” is also present at Niçois festivals such as the Fiera de la San Bertoumieu. Cooking demonstrations are organized at the hospitality school, along with outings for the members.
Respect for Niçoise Cuisine
Since 1995, the UDOTSI (Departmental Union of Tourist Offices and Initiatives Committees of the A-M) created with the association the “Cuisine Nissarde” label. Restaurants that respect the preparation of at least three Niçoise dishes are labeled and listed (the list for this edition is being prepared).
A charter also lists 18 fundamental dishes and some variations. Among them, the stuffed Niçois: “ham and salted meats or leftover meats but absolutely no sausage meat, please!” exclaims Renée. She assures us that the association’s members are not overly strict about the recipes but strongly emphasize the use of local and seasonal products.
Renée Graglia recommends the writings of Jacques Médecin and Alex Benvenuto for the recipes, while everyone is asking for details on the Swiss chard pie. A woman then wonders, “What are we going to eat this evening? All this makes you hungry!” The question of the Niçoise salad also came up in the conference: “you can put almost anything in it, but not green beans or potatoes.” A person from the audience then intervenes: “I tried to buy a pan bagnat in a snack bar, and they asked me if I wanted mayonnaise inside it. It was a pan bagnat in name only.” Renée then responds: “Originally, it’s called that because the bread is soaked in water and olive oil.”
Renée Graglia and her association are not ready to give up this fight for preserving the Niçoise culinary tradition, and it’s evident that her speech still interests people.
