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Mesclun

Not to be confused with Mescaline.
Mesclun
TypeSalad
Place of originFrance
Region or stateProvence
Main ingredientsChervil, arugula, leafy lettuces, endive, chive

Mesclun (French pronunciation: [mɛsˈklœ̃]) is a mix of assorted small young salad greens that originated in Provence, France. The traditional mix includes chervil, arugula, leafy lettuces and endive, while the term mesclun may also refer to a blend[1] that might include some or all of these four and baby spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard (silver beet), mustard greens, dandelion greens, frisée, mizuna, mâche (lamb's lettuce), radicchio, sorrel, or other fresh leaf vegetables.

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".[2]

The term mesclun for a mixture of young salad greens is quite recent, first used in 1976 according to Merriam-Webster.[1] Of Provençal dialect origin, it derives from the verb mesclar, to "mix thoroughly" and literally means "mixture".[3] 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).[4]

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."[5]

Spring mix

In the North American foodservice industry, the first appearance of mesclun traces to restaurants and farm stands in the early 1980s, with a rise in popularity since.[citation needed] A mesclun mix can be described as comprising baby leaves of lettuces and other greens (and often herbs) in a wide range of leaf shapes, colors, textures and tastes. While the overwhelming amount of mesclun sold approximates the traditional blend of chervil, arugula, leafy lettuces and endive, depending on the season, anywhere from a dozen to three dozen different varieties of baby greens, including red and green oak leaves, romaine and lollo rossa lettuces, frisée, tatsoi, bok choy (joi choi), arugula, spinach, orach, mizuna, dandelion, mustard greens and garden cress may compose what is commercially referred to as a "spring mix". When available, locally grown, direct-from-the-farmer sourcing is recommended over commercial bulk packs for best flavor and freshness.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "mesclun". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Taylor, John Gray, (25 June 1890–24 Nov. 1944), British Vice-Consul, Cannes, 1921; owner of John Taylor and Son, estate agents, Cannes and Nice; administrator of Anglo-American Hospital, Cannes", Who Was Who, Oxford University Press, 2007-12-01, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u232511, retrieved 2022-05-15
  3. ^ "mesclun". Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford University Press). Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  4. ^ Davis, Hillary (2013). Cuisine Nicoise: Sun-kissed Cooking from the French Riviera. Gibbs Smith. p. 79. ISBN 978-1-4236-3294-8.
  5. ^ Waters, Alice (1995). Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook. Random House. ISBN 9780679758181.
  6. ^ Brad Matthews; Paul Wigsten (2011). Kitchen Pro Series: Guide to Produce Identification, Fabrication and Utilization. Culinary Institute of America (Delmar/Cengage Learning). p. 25. ISBN 9781435401211.
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