Working with what was on their doorstep, Lyonnais restaurants served up offcuts of meat, mostly cow or pig, that were farmed in the hills just outside the city. With the winegrowing region of Beaujolais just 32km north of Lyon, the offal was typically washed down with copious amounts of wine. Mâchon (which means "chew") was also a moment for silk weavers, merchants and businessmen to come together to break bread and discuss business affairs, sign contracts and make deals. This mixing of classes was seen as a societal leveller – although perhaps this is apocryphal since many believe that the "silk workers' brains" cheese typically served as a "dessert" was named as a dig at the supposed lack of intelligence of the canuts. Either way, many businesses in Lyon still choose to conduct meetings over a mâchon today.
