Do you know the Pistou Soup? The Vivre à Monti Association organized this Saturday, June 30th, the 9th edition of its famous Pistou Soup! An opportunity for this small committee of volunteers to combine solidarity, social action, and culture in a festive atmosphere specific to the Hamlet of Monti, in the Menton hinterland.
In the time of Ancient Rome, in the year 50 BC, while all of Gaul was occupied by the Romans, a small village populated by indomitable Gauls still resisted thanks to the ingenious invention of the Druids; the Magic Potion.
Centuries and centuries later, the tradition still endures, and in Monti, a small village in the Menton region, populated by indomitable “Montistes,” the famous beverage continues to help overcome the trials of time!
The mistletoe, mead, four-leaf clovers, and lobster have been replaced by ingredients directly cultivated and sourced from their lands, and the magic potion transforms in the blink of an eye into… Pistou Soup! To achieve this, more than ten vegetables and lots of aromas enrich the famous soup, giving it all its strength and its very distinctive character, which make the picturesque Hamlet renowned.
Nearly thirty volunteers from the association (which has about a hundred members in total) have been organizing the event for nearly two months and gathered for the vegetable peeling “chore” of the 155 kg of vegetables the day before, and on the D-day, the “watering can ballet” took place to clean the big square where the festivities unfolded. The strongest set up chairs, tables, and orchestra, while the smartest and most zealous were stationed vigilantly near the bar and barbecue for grilling. The three cooks dedicated the entire day to simmering – from 7 am to 8 pm! – the renowned soup in the large pots intended for this purpose.
The festivities started around 7 pm, and for the modest sum of €7, between 150 and 200 food enthusiasts rushed to the gates of the Hamlet of Monti to taste the famous Pistou Soup and celebrate together the village’s recipe for success!
