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 Gastronomy

Brie de Meaux
The origin of this cheese is still unknown, but in 774 it made its first mark on history thanks to Charlemagne who, on tasting it, is believed to have said: "I have just discovered one of the most delicious delicacies?. Following in the footsteps of Charlemagne, many crowned heads later succumbed to this refined delicacy. In around 999, Robert II the Pious (son of Hugues Capet) enjoyed it very regularly, Blanche of Navarre sent it to Philippe Auguste, Louis XIV introduced it to the Court of France (every week, fifty cars left Meaux to deliver it to Versailles, Paris and Saint Germain) and Louis XVI has been said to owe his arrest, when escaping to Varennes, to a mere stop-off in Claye-Souilly to sample some brie. During the Revolution, this cheese was a culinary symbol of equality, enjoyed by both rich and poor alike. Its real crowning moment, though, came in 1815, during the Congress of Vienna, when, having redefined the boundaries inherited from Napoleon I, a cheese tasting event was organised and the brie was voted the ?King of Cheeses and the Cheese of Kings?. Nowadays, Brie de Meaux is produced in accordance with the stipulations of AOCs (controlled terms of origin). With a diameter of around 20cm, this soft cheese has a fuzzy white bloomy rind and is made exclusively from unpasteurised cow's milk. Brie is produced from curdled milk (obtained by applying pressure to unpasteurised milk) which is heated to a temperature lower than 37 degrees, then poured into a mould. It is cast in the traditional way, by hand using a "pelle à brie?, a large skimming ladle. The cheeses are then drained, salted and placed in cellars to ripen for a minimum of four weeks, resulting in a brie that is the perfect accompaniment to Givry or Bourgueil Brouilly wine.

Meaux mustard
Until around the 16th Century, mustard was only produced by canons; indeed, the first connections between mustard and the religious orders go back to the time of Charlemagne.
Later, in around 1770, it was the turn of the mustard-makers of Meaux and the canons were no longer the only ones able to produce mustard. With the mustard-makers onboard, production became almost industrial. Moreover, mustard was becoming increasingly popular at this time as it covered the taste of certain foodstuffs which were not always as fresh as they could have been. Moutarde de Meaux is different from other mustards in that vinegar is used in its production. It is also made using crushed or whole mustard grains. It is a rustic mustard with a certain mildness to it, making it very easy on the tongue. The recipe undoubtedly includes other nuances, but these remain to this day a closely guarded secret.

Mushrooms
The agaricus bisporus (or 'button mushroom', known in French as the 'champignon de Paris' or ?Paris mushroom') is believed to have first appeared in Versailles in the days of Louis XIV. It was later found in abundance in the catacombs of Paris, under the rule of Napoleon I. This location is not at all surprising given that this mushroom requires very specific conditions to grow, namely a cool temperature (around 15°C) and a constant and relatively high level of humidity. This, of course, makes the underground tunnels of Paris the ideal spot.
However, due to the construction of the Parisian metro system, the button mushrooms of Paris migrated to Saumur where they also found the ideal conditions to enable them to flourish.

Provins Rose Petal Preserve
Thibault IV the Chansonnier, Count of Brie and of Champagne, returned from the Crusades in 1238. As was the case for many of his peers, this ?holy war" in a foreign land enabled him to discover another culture and many of its treasures (culinary, architectural, scientific and artisanal, among others). This resulted in Thibault IV bringing back in his suitcase a red rose with medicinal properties which later became the Red Rose of Provins. Thanks to their great success, the products of this 'Rosa gallica' quickly became much sought-after in the largest marketplaces of the Middle Ages, in France, Europe and even the East. The best-loved and most sought-after of the products made from this rose was the Provins rose petal preserve. Its reputation became so successful and its excellence so well-known that the product became the traditional gift given to kings of France when they came to Provins. The processes involved in producing this preserve, which date back several hundreds of years, have not changed to this day. Firstly, the petals are delicately picked at the end of August and the beginning of September before being separated, sorted, washed and whitened and finally preserved in sugar. There is no point trying to find out any more than that as the recipe and methods involved are a secret the town's latest generation of confectioners guard very closely.