Meaux

It never ceases to amaze me at how many interesting and beautiful places there are to see a short distance outside of Paris. One city I recently discovered is Meaux (pronounced Moe, which rhymes with Joe). I have been curious about this city for some time ever since I discovered the wide variety of mustards in France and found a fun stoneware jar with a cork top, the label reading Moutarde de Meaux. I have since found that Meaux often calls itself “The other mustard region,” as most Americans only know about the mustard made in Dijon. Mustard itself interests me with its rich history of cosmetic and pharmaceutical uses throughout the ages, not to mention its ability to hide the flavor of less than fresh foods. Kings had their own mustard makers and many, such as Charlemagne, used Meaux monks to cultivate their mustard and then grind it. In fact, the huge round grinding stones used for this purpose were often cut out of quarries in Meaux, leading to its becoming a center for mustard making.  The most popular Brie cheese in France also comes from the Meaux region, with six companies making their own variety of the creamy cheese and entering a contest each year to become the “King of Brie.”   I had long wanted to visit the city and finally got the chance when I saw a festival advertised that included a food-tasting hall. I knew I would find the mustard and cheese there, and so I caught an RER train at Gare de l’Est (where I saw some people dressed as Disney characters–it is near Disneyland Paris, arriving in 40 minutes at this little medieval city built alongside the Marne River.   A short walk brings you to the 12th century Saint Stephen’s Cathedral and Episcopal Palace. The festival was set up in the main square in front of the cathedral, and there were madrigal players in costume entertaining the crowd. People dressed in authentic costumes from centuries ago were camping along the city’s Gallo-Roman ramparts, living as they did in times past, cooking over fires, or making ancient tools. It was a living French history lesson. I quickly made my way to the giant food tent and found huge wheels of the famous Brie cheese. Merchants were handing out free samples as well as small pieces of bread and a little glass of local wine-the combination of the three is as close to heaven as a cheese lover can get.   And then I found the booth for Meaux Mustard. There were the jars of the ancient condiment, made from a secret, long-held family recipe. Along with the main mustard–à l’ancienne, with roughly ground mustard seeds whipped into the golden cream–there were Pommery Royal mustard with cognac in a black jar with gold wax seal, green pepper mustard, Fireman’s mustard for those who like it really hot, and, a favorite with Americans, honey mustard, great for use with baked ham or barbecue. It turns out that this is a really great buy in France because, as the owners of Meaux Mustard told me, there is a 100% tax on their product in the States.    Meaux not only has a “Spectacle” in the summer, a historic show with 500 actors and laser lights, but also a Christmas festival as well. It isn’t necessary, and often not possible, to go to Strasbourg for that well known Christmas Fair. You can take a short ride to Meaux from December 20th to 24th  and discover what Christmas is like in the countryside of France and buy unusual handicrafts, taste homemade brews, and, of course, try some of the Brie de Meaux and purchase a container of Meaux Mustard.   Close to the cathedral is a picturesque restaurant, Le Laureat, at 33 rue St-.Rémy. (For reservations call 01 60 23 43 63). For those crazy for brie, or just something different, ask for the “Brie Menu.” My favorite dish was the starter of brie fondue with crispy bread to spread it on. The friendly chef/owner came out to personally talk to everyone and welcome them.   Check out the interesting web site for information on all there is to do and see in Meaux at www.ville-meaux.fr — Linda Mathieu, formerly from Austin, Texas, is a professional journalist and photographer. Owner of Paris Photo Tours , she delights in taking tourists around Paris, showing them her favorite views and photo ops. She is currently at work on a book of her photography with a light-hearted look at Paris.