Travelnut

OK, so we're visiting Dijon/Beaune area for a few days in September... We're not foodies or oenophiles... I've got a short list of casual restaurants in Dijon and Beaune that won't break the wallet, so now I'm just pondering over the typical fare and specialties of the area...

So consider "Jambon persillé" - - I 've been looking at photos on Flickr... so what is holding this 'ham' together? Is it served hot or cold?

I know we like escargot, boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin ... what about any fresh fish?

Then there's the cheese - - might like to buy a small piece of a couple different kinds, but don't want to 'raise a stink'... so would these be good ones to find?
- Chèvre du Morvan
- Soumaintrain
- Cîteaux

In Dijon, there's the "pain d'epice".. is that like a bread (loaf), or more like a cookie or bar? Will I find it at the boulangerie or patisserie? (that is, will it be more like a dessert treat or more like an herbed bread?)

I do like a little red wine... what might I look for in a bottle at the cave du vin to have in my hotel room? I like a good bold dry red wine, no fruity stuff... We aren't going to meet with any vintners or ask for tours - just some loose exploration by car (bicycle?) along the Cote de Nuits, a drive to Autun/le Rochepot, another drive to Semur-en-Auxois (Flavigny-sur-Ozerain ?), Saulieu?...

All right, I've amused myself... maybe you feel like adding a few remarks.. ? Merci!

StCirq

What holds the ham together is a combination of finely chopped parsley and butter usually.

Pain d'épice is gingerbread. You might find it at either a boulangerie or patisserie, or the grocery store.

kerouac

Jambon persillé would be served cold, like head cheese. It is gelatinous, which is a detail of considerable importance for certain people.

Fish in Burgundy would be trout, such as truite meunière. Don't be afraid of the head.

Travelnut

Yeah, 'gelatinous' probably matters.... not appealing to me.

I don't mind if a fish head is still on the plate. Is this typically 'deboned' fish when served? I think I had trout as a fish dish in Paris (w/head).. I don't remember picking out a lot of bones, I do remember it was very good.

travelgourmet

Whether the trout is deboned or not shouldn't matter. The issue is the number of pin bones, and trout don't have many. If it is served bone-in, then slice along the spine, around the head, and along the tail. At that point, you can simply lift the meat off of the bones with your knife and fork.

For the bottom half, cut along the underside of the tail and then lift the bones out from the tail.

Eating fish off the bone is a revelation. There is a lot of flavor in the bones that you don't get when eating a filet.

spaarne

You've done the research and have the snails, beef, and chicken covered.

For souvenirs I suggest you visit the mustard shop in Dijon. Also, if you like cognac, there is a wine cave in Beaune which sells some marvelous Marc de Bourgogne.

Laidback

Some very good, casual restaurants we enjoyed during our April in Burgundy: Nuit St. Georges "La Cabotte"; Chambolle-Musigny "Le Chambolle"; Beaune "Ma Cuisine" and "La Ciboulette"; Autun "Le Chapitre".

We tried each one of these more than once(except Le Chambolle, time only permitted one visit unfortunately), and would happily return to any of them. We also visited a number of more upscale restaurants but they don't fit your stated purpose.

Do try the local cheeses, the one you mentioned,Soumaintrain is very mild and creamy. Delices de Pommard is another local favorite and my favorite, in all of France, is Epoisses which is a little more flavorful but you should at least sample it.

The best jambon persillée I have ever tasted is the house version at "Ma Cuisine"...I normally consider it a good waste of ham, but after this version I have to do some re-thinking.

If you stay away from "Name Brand" wines, e.g., Vosne-Romanée, Chambertin, etc. you can find some good reds such as a Monthélie or Irancy at very reasonable prices. Do try a bottle of white Pernand Vergelesses.

ekscrunchy

Yes, you must sample the Epoisses. This is THE cheese of the region!

Ninkette

I loved oeufs en meurette (I may be completely butchering the spelling). Poached eggs over toast, covered in a red wine sauce (think boeuf bourguignon sauce, without the beef). So good.

We had a wonderful time renting bicycles in Beaune and then cycling through the vineyards, I highly recommend it. They have paved, well marked paths/roads that you can take and we encountered very few cars.

travelgourmet

<i>I loved oeufs en meurette</i>

Me too. This is a great dish (and your spelling is fine). The French know their way around an egg.

drbb

There are a number of Burgundian dishes on menus besides jambon persillée that may be in aspic. They are often on the menu labeled with the word terrine, but that can be misleading as not all terrines contain aspic. In Vezelay, I had a vegetable terrine which was a slice of cooked vegetables (mushrooms, leeks, carrots) in aspic. While in Beaune I also had an aspic dish that contained chicken, leeks and fois gras with a beet sauce. Properly done, these dishes can be quite good.

Delices de Pommard is a wonderful mild cheese covered with mustard seed. Epoisses reigns as the king of burgundian cheese however! Delightfully stinky (in a good way) and runny at room temperature. Usually cheese carts will also feature cheeses from other areas of France, such as chevre, bleu, etc. For me this was the best way to sample cheese, and I often choose a cheese plate instead of dessert at the end of a meal.

In Cote d'Or Burgundy all AOC red wines are Pinot Noir. If you are looking for fruity choose a vin de table or a regional/village wine that is meant to be drunk young. More expensive AOCG single vineyard wines (labeled 1er cru or grand cru) are usually aged in oak and will have more complex rather than than fruity flavors. Usually Beaujolais from the region just north of Lyon is also available, and again a village wine will be your best bet. In Cote d'Or Burgundy, all AOC whites are Chardonnay and the same principles above apply as well.

spaarne

Another Burgundy AOC red is Passe-Tout-Grains, a blend of wine from the grapes gamay and pinot noir. It is lighter than pinot noir and cheaper because it includes 1/3 to 2/3 gamay, aka Beaujolis where the grape is principally grown. Aligote is another Burgundy AOC white. It is crisper than chardonnay.

Travelnut

Stinky and runny cheese is 'delightful' - I am such a novice, LOL...

I was wondering about that 'oeufs' thing, sounded odd, but maybe worth a try, too.

Thanks for the fish-management directions - that is a good description on how to 'dissect' it properly.

Thank you for these excellent, specific tips - I'll be adding them to the trip booklet.

<red>Ninkette, where did you find the bike rental?</red>

traveller1959

Did somebody mention frog legs? They are very typical for Bourgogne.

It is also very typical to cook all kinds of meat (beef, chicken, pigeon..) in red wine. If it is beef, it is called "boef bourguignon", if it is chicken "coq au vin". Pigeon in red wine is also excellent. A popular side dish are onions which are also cooked in red wine until they look like red cabbage.

Another favourite fish is pike-perch, which is usually pan-seared with a crispy skin (they serve the fillet not the whole fish).

BTW, Vosne-Romanée, Chambertin etc. are not "name brands" - they are growing regions with sub-sites (like Chambertin-Clos de Bèze) which are officially classified by quality standards (due to soil quality, solar exposition, drainage etc.). The more detailed the location the better the wine.

And the better the wine the longer it takes to mature. A premier or grand cru red wine should mature at least for 10 years. If you drink it younger it will disappoint you.

Aligoté is a crisp white wine which should be drunken young. It is used for kir - a wonderful wine-based cocktail made of black current liqueur and Aligoté. If you use Crémant (sparkling wine) instead of Aligoté, it is called "kir royal". However, the Crémant is also very good, when enjoyed just straight.

drbb

Yes, stinky for some (me!) is delightful. Mario Batali called gorgonzola "marvelously moldy." Obviously a cheese freak also. If you aren't into cheese, this may have to be an acquired taste. but I encourage you to be adventurous as cheese in France can be an extraordinary experience.

No one's mentioned my husband's personal favorite - snails! Big, fat Burgundian snails, most often cooked in garlic and butter with a piece of crusty bread on the side for dipping. Also found on many menus in small casseroles, au gratin, or cooked in wine or broth. I read that Burgundy's snails are plucked from the vineyards but I do not know if that's true.

Bon appetit!

Travelnut

Oh,yes,hubby likes the escargot while I help him dip up the garlic sauce with my bread...

Is there a particular wine store in Dijon or Beaune where I might buy my bottle or two at a reasonable cost but with some direction from the shop? (what's a reasonable cost for a red - 20-30euro? more?)

spaarne

Look for stores with a sign hanging out front <i>degustation</i>. In there you can taste before you buy. Your own taste buds and wallet will determine what is best for you. I've visited these shops in Beaune, Nuits-St-Georges, and other wine villages to buy my wine. I don't know if there are any such shops in Dijon.

traveller1959

You will make the best deal in ANY ordinary grocery store or supermarket.

For a decent wine from Bourgogne, the price would be around 8 Euros. If you take a wine with the label of the "Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin", you can't get wrong.

http://www.tastevin-bourgogne.com/AnVin/Reconnaitre/

For a quite unusual tasting experience in Beaune, I recommend the Marché aux Vins (but do not buy there - the wines are overpriced). But the experience is priceless (do not drive afterwards). www.marcheauxvins.com

If you want to get some guidance, just enter one of the zillions wineshops which are rife in Beaune and along the roads in Burgundy.

Ninkette

Bike rental - I don't know the street address, but it was on a street that dead-ended into the train station, with the shop being only a few doors down from the station. There is a large red, black and white sign that says ADA and another smaller white sign saying Holiday Bikes. I don't remember exactly what it cost, but I do remember thinking it was quite reasonable. The ring road in Beaune has a bike path you can follow and it will take you out to the vineyards very easily. This was one of my favorite things we did.

Definitely try the oeufs en meurette!

Travelnut

Thanks to all of you - I have quite a few notes to add to my little trip booklet.. really appreciate the tips!