Burgundy: Best of French Cuisine
Beef Bourguignon, Dijon Mustard, Chaource & Epoisses Cheese
Burgundy, one of the most beautiful regions of France, stunning scenery and a reputation for gastronomy. Chablis and Dijon mustard are among the best-known names.
There are a thousand reasons to visit Burgundy and a thousand new experiences to savour in a region of France that stretches from Sens with its great Gothic cathedral of St Etienne in the north-west to Macon with its bustling waterfront and annual French wine fair in the south
On the roads that wind through this wonderful region you will encounter the rows of vines that make the best of French wine, and fields of glorious sunflowers stretching their elegant necks to follow the sun. En-route you will find the very best of Burgundian cuisine.
Boeuf Bourguignon: Classic Burgundian Dish
Beef Bourguignon is a classic Burgundian recipe, an earthy stew, using beef from the distinctive white Charolais cattle, and the best of other local ingredients; escargots (snails) are left in their shells and cooked in the white wine of Chablis with garlic and butter, and andouillettes, small sausages made from chitterlings (intestines of a pig). These dishes represent only a tiny proportion of the distinctive food on offer.
Sauces, using wine and cream, are popular and used in the preparation of many dishes. Saupiquet, a sauce rooted in history, is spicy and made with wine and cream; meurette sauces are the “pride of Burgundian cuisine,” and made from wine thickened with butter and flour and then spiced and are used extensively throughout the region.
Home of Dijon Mustard
Regional capital Dijon is best known for its mustard and a spiced gingerbread honeycake called Pain d’Epices, but in a visit to the city you should leave time to see the old streets close to the Palais des Ducs and Place Franceois Rude.
Burgundy produces the best French cheeses: Chaource, which is white and creamy, and Epoisses, made by monks and a favourite of Napoleon, are only two of a number that are specific to the region. It is of course written that they must be accompanied by a chilled glass of Chablis.
There are over 100 different varieties of mushroom and truffles available in Burgundy both are found in the Morvan, an area of forests, lush pastures and lakes. Mushrooms are also found in the limestone soils around Vezelay, a beautiful village with its imposing Abbey of St Mary Magdelene looking over the Morvan Regional Park. Vezelay has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Burgundy wine made from Pinot Noir grapes is so well known that its name is now synonymous with the deep red colour that takes its name. But the region also boasts a number of superb white wines including: Chablis, which has already been mentioned, and a superb Chardonnay from the Beaune area, which is well worth tasting.
Whichever of the thousand reasons you choose for visiting Burgundy — enjoy.
