Meaux mustard and the rose of Provins have an incredible history… Mustard, to begin with! From the 13th century, in Paris, we loved and consumed in large quantities the mustards which are sold in the streets, at the auction. It comes from Dijon, but not only, because at the time, almost every town made its own mustard, with variations and manufacturing secrets.
Meaux mustard is made by canons, behind the famous Saint-Etienne Cathedral. We are at the beginning of the 17th century, around 1632. They grow mustard seeds in their garden, and mix its seeds with spirit vinegar and no less than 11 aromatic plants and spices : tarragon, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, fennel, bay leaf, nutmeg, pepper, chilli and thyme!
The formula will stay secret until 1760the year when one of the canons passed it on to a certain Pommery, who jealously guarded it and marketed it, along with his heirs after him… This mustard finally passed on to posterity thanks to the universal exhibition of 1878, which is held in the capital! She won a silver medal there. It then takes the name of “To the fame of good mustard”.
Until the 1920s, when the company changed hands, it was produced by hand. This is no longer the case today, but Meaux-Pommery mustard, its last trade name, remains a reference in the mustard department!
On the Provins side, we are on something softer with the famous local roseavailable in the form of jam, syrup, candied petals, sweets, flavored honey, macaroons, nougats and even mustard!
Again, I’m taking you for a time jump, to medieval timeswhere this rose, which came from Asia Minor, brought back by the Crusaders, is cultivated for its beauty and to eat it in Provins, in Seine et Marne… In medieval culture, great importance is attached to therapeutic virtues of the rose : injections, gargles, eye drops and compresses are made from rosebuds! So much so that the flower has become both a symbol and a source of prosperity for the city…
Today, it is more for indulgence than for its medical benefits that it is grown in Provins. But it is also very useful as a bouquet, to honor a remarkable woman, like the one who will take first place on the podium tonight!