Give Your Regards to Uncle Mustard

Give Your Regards to Uncle Mustard

Tonton Moutarde (Uncle Mustard) is what one young Parisian sophisticate affectionately used to call her Dijon relative, who was actually in the mustard business. For many French people, mention of Burgundy's capital conjures up images of round, rosy, merry men enjoying large suppers of boeuf à la Bourguignonne and red wine. And admittedly, chances are that in any decent restaurant you can find at least one Dijonnais true to the stereotype.

These days, however, Dijon is not quite the wine-mustard capital of the world it used to be, but the happy fact remains that mustard finds its way into many regional specialties, including the sauce that usually accompanies andouillettes (chitterling sausages).

Dijon ranks with Lyon as the gastronomic capital of France, and Burgundy's hearty traditions help explain why.

It all began in the early 15th century when Jean, Duc de Berry, arrived here, built a string of castles, and proceeded to make food, wine, and art top priorities for his courtiers. Today, Parisian gourmands consider a three-hour drive a small price to pay for the cuisine of Joigny's Jean Michel Lorain or Vézelay's Marc Meneau.

Game, freshwater trout, coq au vin, poulet au Meursault (chicken in white wine sauce), snails, and, of course, boeuf à la Bourguignonne (incidentally, this dish is only called boeuf bourguignon when you are not in Burgundy) number among the region's specialties.

The queen of chickens is the poulet de Bresse, which hails from east of the Côte d'Or and can be as pricey as a bottle of fine wine. Sausages—notably the rosette du Morvan and others served with a potato puree—are great favorites.

Ham is a big item, especially around Easter, when garlicky jambon persillé—ham boiled with pig's trotters and served cold in jellied white wine and parsley (no wonder it's now found throughout the summer months) often tops the menu.

Also look for saupiquet des Amognes—a Morvan delight of hot braised ham served with a spicy cream sauce. Pain d'épices (gingerbread) is the dessert staple of the region.

Like every other part of France, Burgundy has its own cheeses. The Abbaye de Cîteaux, birthplace of Cistercian monasticism, has produced its mild cheese for centuries. Chaource and hearty Époisses also melt in your mouth—as do Bleu de Bresse and Meursault.