Ignoring the adjectives poshy and capricious, the true lyonnian only seeks the very best when it comes to food, disregarding prices and costs. Some take that for snobish while the concerned would simply define as demanding. Who knows? but sometimes arrogance is a fair enough risk to encounter for people who are very proud of their culture...Be sure that these citizen work hard to keep up their old and well marketed gastronomical roots!
One of its founding pillars does consists in an indoor market made up of 59 merchants:"Les Halles de Lyon" What is it? a very closed circle of some of the best Food workers in town. Fishmongers, Butchers, Grocers and Caterers ...They are expensive but do offer the "Crème de la Crème" of products, The finest cheeses including the famous "Saint Marcelin", the best meat including rare beef cuts such as Flank steak and "Poire de Boeuf", the freshest delivered fish. ect...Some of merchants even carry the distinction of "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" (an almost cast group who honor their best disciples giving them the right to wear a french flag striped collar on their working outfit).
If you come early in the morning you'll have a chance to walk upon some of the city starchefs shopping around for their lunch specials...
But beyond this dayly food pilgrimage, there is an even more Lyonnian Tradition to do in this market: going to the chuckers! They are not restaurants nor bars or fishermen, but Seafood stands at which you can sit on a stool and taste some outstanding shrimp, mussels, clams and oysters...Narow "butterfly" type from Brittany, fine long ones from Normandy (Isigny) or the classical "Fines de Claire" from the "Oleron island". You just sit there, listen to the expertful descriptions of the chuckers, point out the ones you're interested in tasting and then wait on the tray to come. You are given slices of buttered rye bread , lemon wedges and aromatized vinegar, usually order a ballon of macon wine and enjoy. It's 11 am and a taste of ocean just passed through your palet; fresh iode just hang on to your tongue, it's so unique, just one of those Simple Poshy Pleasures...
One of its founding pillars does consists in an indoor market made up of 59 merchants:"Les Halles de Lyon" What is it? a very closed circle of some of the best Food workers in town. Fishmongers, Butchers, Grocers and Caterers ...They are expensive but do offer the "Crème de la Crème" of products, The finest cheeses including the famous "Saint Marcelin", the best meat including rare beef cuts such as Flank steak and "Poire de Boeuf", the freshest delivered fish. ect...Some of merchants even carry the distinction of "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" (an almost cast group who honor their best disciples giving them the right to wear a french flag striped collar on their working outfit).
If you come early in the morning you'll have a chance to walk upon some of the city starchefs shopping around for their lunch specials...
But beyond this dayly food pilgrimage, there is an even more Lyonnian Tradition to do in this market: going to the chuckers! They are not restaurants nor bars or fishermen, but Seafood stands at which you can sit on a stool and taste some outstanding shrimp, mussels, clams and oysters...Narow "butterfly" type from Brittany, fine long ones from Normandy (Isigny) or the classical "Fines de Claire" from the "Oleron island". You just sit there, listen to the expertful descriptions of the chuckers, point out the ones you're interested in tasting and then wait on the tray to come. You are given slices of buttered rye bread , lemon wedges and aromatized vinegar, usually order a ballon of macon wine and enjoy. It's 11 am and a taste of ocean just passed through your palet; fresh iode just hang on to your tongue, it's so unique, just one of those Simple Poshy Pleasures...
