Eating my way through the semester

France’s food culture is embedded in the country. Cuisines range from region to region and town to town. Nice, in particular, is situated on the mediterranean sea and a majority of its cuisine is focused on what is locally sourced from the sea. Fish such as barracuda, anchovies, and tuna are all common to see on menus and are integrated within dishes. One of the most common items on a menu is the Nicoise salad. It consists of tuna, anchovies, lettuce, tomatoes, green and/or red onions, olives, bell peppers, celery, boiled egg, and artichokes. Another Nicoise dish that isn’t spoken enough about is the pissaladiere. It’s a baked dish reminiscent of pizza or focaccia but not baked before adding caramelized onions and topping it with anchovy fillets and olives. It’s a must try at Boulangerie Veziano if you ever find yourself studying abroad in Antibes! Seeing Barracuda on a menu might not sound familiar to a lot of people who have come to study abroad, but local fisherman catch these fish right off of the coast of Antibes. Seeing them on menus isn’t that common, but when you do, order it. You’ll be able to experience the meaty fish in it’s truest form – sliced raw as a crudo. As I write this post, I’ve gained about 5 kilos (yes I use the metric system now) since the start of this semester, and I only wonder how I didn’t gain even more.