Food - Drink
The Lyonnaise Brunch Tradition Involving Wine And A Lot Of Meat
By ERICA MARTINEZ
A Hearty Breakfast
Mâchon, pronounced mah-shone, is a brunch specialty in Lyon, France that the city has dubbed the French equivalent of the English breakfast. The meal begins around 9:00 in the morning and mainly consists of bottles of red and white Beaujolais wine and hearty meats like tripe and kidney.
Big Appetites
In the 16th century, Lyon became a leader in Europe’s silk industry, with the townspeople working 12 hours a day and often overnight. To cater to hungry silk employees getting off work in the morning, restaurants began serving hefty breakfasts of pork, beef, cheese, and local wines to both workers and their superiors.
Mâchon Menu
Cured meats, pates, sausages, and cheese are mâchon staples along with copious amounts of red and white wine. Additionally, some mâchon brunches include andouille sausages, ham and parsley pate, a creamy herbed cheese known as cervelle de canut, beef tripe, endive salad, and crispy pork skin called grattons.