Circuit court, the comic strip that will help you (re)discover the AMAP

The AMAP story began in Japan in 1960, with the Teikels, then continued in New York with the CSAs, its two ancestors, before emerging in Toulon, France, on the Olivades farm. Tristan Thil and Claire Malary set out to meet the farm's dedicated owners, Daniel and Denise Vuillon, to find out how they came to create this short circuit, after a long and arduous journey.s to create this short circuit, after the first Mammouths had sprung up like mushrooms in the outskirts of urban shopping areas. Their slogan: "Mammouth crushes prices! And not only that, but farmers too.

From the kitchens of Alain Ducasse to the mad cow crisis, Circuit court looks back at the foundations of the AMAP, a veritable urban phenomenon, based on the singular story of daring market gardeners who have managed to adapt to all the major upheavals.

How did you become interested in the Olivades farm on the outskirts of Toulon, and its owners Daniel and Denise Vuillon?

Tristan Thil: "I've been a member of an AMAP for around ten years. I started in Marseille, where I lived at the time. The Olivades farm is well known in the area. The owners, Daniel and Denise Vuillon, pioneered the concept in France. I met them when I was making a video installation about food. They told me their whole story, which went far beyond my initial project".

What prompted you to join an AMAP?

Tristan Thil: "I fell into it by word of mouth. My reason for joining was more political than gustatory. What I liked was being able to buy a variety of organic, seasonal vegetables directly from producers down the street from me, right in the heart of Marseille. I didn't mind having to pay for my basket in advance. Generally, a member signs a contract for six months or even a year. I talk about this in the comic book".

Has the AMAP encouraged you to cook differently?

Tristan Thil: "The AMAP motivated me to cook more and differently, and also to go for dishes I wasn't used to preparing."

Tomates à la provençale, Soupe au potiron et au pistou... your comic book includes a few cooking recipes, was this something close to your heart?

Tristan Thil: "Baru, a comic book writer and friend, reminded me that Martin Scorsese used to include cooking recipes in his films, so that bored viewers wouldn't waste their time and could leave with a new recipe [laughs]. For my part, from the outset, I planned to slip recipes into the story. Talking about vegetable production without mentioning how to prepare them would have been a bit frustrating. And then, these recipes also mark pauses in the story."

Claire, you're no stranger to the world of gastronomy. Was this comic an obvious choice for you?

Claire Malary: "After art school, I retrained as a chef, mainly to meet Alain Passard, who also makes collages and sculptures. He had a sensitive side that resonated with me, so I applied with a letter and drawings. I've also worked for Pierre Gagnaire and market gardeners in Finistère, where I started joining an AMAP at the age of 23. I also did some WWOOFing in Japan. This system allows you to travel the world, working on organic farms in exchange for room and board.

In the 1990s, Daniel and Denise Vuillon were spotted by Alain Ducasse, who was keen to cook good produce. To convince them to reserve some for him, the chef invited them to lunch at the Louis XV in Monaco. For this occasion, you imagined their discovery of Cappon Magro in a very special way.

Claire Malary: "I knew Alain Ducasse's signature dish well. Through these plates, I wanted to give him a nod. At his table in Monaco, Daniel and Denise experience a taste shock. I imagined them levitating, dancing around the ingredients floating around them."

Tristan Thil, you address the mad cow crisis in the story, as a catalyst for changing mentalities.

Tristan Thil: "That's what Daniel thinks, given his experience. For him, major changes in behavior often occur at the time of a crisis. The mad cow crisis was the trigger that made people start to worry about what was on their plates. They then adopted different attitudes. In that sense, I share his opinion, and I hope that this political dimension of the way we eat is reflected in the book. The comic doesn't just advise people to eat healthily and locally, there's an economic and political dimension behind it that's important".

Do you think AMAPs have a bright future ahead of them?

Tristan Thil: "Whether you're an activist or not, the AMAP system may interest you because it's practical, offers good produce and isn't more expensive than the competition. Today, it's expanding to other trades, such as meat, poultry or eggs."