All about lettuce > What is mesclun?

It is around Nice, in southern France, that mesclumo was born, a patchwork of little lettuces and salad greens, a dance in which there is no obvious leader: escarole, lettuce, arugula, oak leaf, treviso, chicory, lamb's lettuce…

It is said that the monks of the monastery of Cimiez were so poor that they were unable even to sow a row of the same kind of lettuce. Mesclumo, a delight for the eye with its symphony of greens and dark reds, and a pleasure for the palate with its multiple flavors, came to refer to this mixture of greens collected according to the whim of the harvest, given as an expression of thanks to the villagers who gave the monks alms.

This slightly-bitter mixed salad can be dressed with a simple drizzle of olive oil, seasoned with herbs, garlic or even anchovies; you can add croutons, bacon bits or pieces of sautéed chicken livers. Mesclun is also an excellent accompaniment to goat cheese.