Culinary speciality in Dijon – Gastronomic Capital

An essential ingredient in Kir, crème de cassis is a sweet liqueur that first appeared in Dijon in the 19th century. Originally, blackcurrant bushes were planted at the edge of vineyards to produce the local ratafia, the precursor to the liqueur. Crème de cassis is made by macerating blackcurrants from Burgundy in alcohol mixed with sugar.

This Burgundian cheese has a Protected Designation of Origin covering the northern half of the Côte-d’Or. It is a soft, washed-rind cheese made from cow’s milk, matured in marc de Bourgogne, a brandy produced by distilling grape marc.

Its name comes from the village of Époisses, where a community of Cistercian monks once lived. They passed on their secret recipe to the local farmers’ wives. The production of Époisses was revived in the 1950s and has enjoyed growing success ever since.

This traditional dish consists of poached eggs served with either meurette sauce or Burgundy sauce on toasted bread. Meurette sauce is a wine-based sauce made with Burgundy wine, bacon lardons, onions and shallots, all sautéed in butter.

This recipe from Dijon was created in 1930 by the wife of Gaston Gérard, Minister, Member of Parliament and Mayor of Dijon. Whilst entertaining a distinguished guest, the food critic Curnonsky, the cook nearly ruined her chicken dish by accidentally spilling paprika onto it. To salvage the dish, she added Burgundy white wine, mustard, grated Comté cheese and crème fraîche. And so the recipe was born!

A traditional Sunday meal, beef bourguignon is a dish that epitomises its region, as it combines beef – for which the Charolais breed is renowned – with red Burgundy wine. The beef stew is cooked with a garnish of mushrooms, spring onions and bacon lardons.

This dish is made with wild Burgundy snails from the Burgundy region and butter flavoured with garlic and parsley. It is, above all, a festive meal, served particularly at Christmas or as part of a fine dining experience.