Mesclun

Origins

On July 10, 1924, in Paris, Philippe Tiranty and Paul Gordeaux reunited with many friends at the Cochon d'Or (a famous restaurant in La Villette), decided to create the foyer des Amitiés niçoises, and to call it Lou Mesclun. For these comedians and humanists, this expression meant "real living together".

The term mesclun for a mixture of young salad greens is quite recent, first used in 1976 according to Merriam-Webster. Of Provençal dialect origin, it derives from the verb mesclar, to "mix thoroughly" and literally means "mixture". According to local lore, mesclun originated with the farmers around Nice, who would each bring their own unique and prized mix of baby greens to the farmers' markets. One of the most representative and authentic versions combined baby dandelion, lettuce and rocket (arugula).

Noted chef Alice Waters comments, "Outdoor markets in Provence display mesclun in profusion, a melange of the first tender young leaves which appear in the garden. Mesclun can be an extraordinary lettuce mixture: rocket, much like the rugola (arugula) found in Italian markets, chervil, mâche or lamb's lettuce and oakleaf lettuce. On occasion, baby curly endive (chicory) or young dandelion greens find their way into the medley, depending solely upon the grower's personal preferences combined with the reality of whatever else might send up shoots in the spot where mesclun grows."