Cervelle de Canut (Fresh Cheese Beaten with Herbs)

Cervelle de canut, “brain of a silk worker,” is an essential Lyonnais food, named for the city’s silk weavers, whose number peaked in the 19th century; they were said to live on it. It combines well-beaten fromage blanc, or fresh cheese, with chopped herbs, the imperative flavors coming from chives and black pepper. The mixture is also called le claquer…