Food History of Burgundy France

Burgundy is the heartland of France, rich with food and wine. Most of the food is prepared or intended for consumption with Burgundy wines, and much of its history revolves around wine-making in the region.

Chablis

Wine was brought to Burgundy by the Romans, but became what we know today through a decree by Philip the Bold, which outlawed the gamay grape, and stabilized chardonnay and pinot noir as the grapes of Burgundy. Chablis, a white wine from the city of the same name, is made only with chardonnay grapes, and was perfected in the Middle Ages by monks.

Pinot Noir

Pinot noir is the grape that defines red wines in Burgundy, and most are found in the Côte d'Or region. Monks are again responsible for the original vines planted here in the 12th century.

Bourguignon Sauces

Bourguignon, the sauce synonymous with Burgundian dishes, is made with Burgundian red wine, baby onions, mushrooms and bacon, all from the region. Coq au vin utilizes this sauce, as does Boef Bourgignon, which is cooked with Burgundy's unique Charolais cattle.

Cheese

Chaource and Époisses are two of the most famous cheeses produced in Burgundy. Like the wine, Époisses was made by monks and became a favorite of Napoleon. It is said that both cheeses should be accompanied with a chilled Chablis.

Mustard

The town of Dijon is where Dijon mustard was first made, roughly since medieval times. However, since Dijon itself has not been given a protected designation of origin status, it can be made anywhere in the world under the name "Dijon."

Escargot

Snails used to be a widespread pest in Burgundy's vineyards and became a staple of Burgundian cuisine, stewed at length with Chablis wine. Today, however, due to insecticides, most snails are imported from Eastern Europe.

References

• Lonely Planet: France; Nicola Williams, et al.; 2005
• French Cuisine; Burgundy: Best of French Cuisine; Neil Gunn; 2008
• Old World Wines; Burgundy Part I: History and Geography; Sunny Willmington-Wight; 2000