Wines and spirits are a must
It is unthinkable for wine lovers not to bring back a few bottles of Burgundy vintages in their luggage, in addition to the crémants from the Châtillon-sur-Seine region, the ratafias and other marcs from Burgundy. Think also of the blackcurrant liqueur which is used (notably) to serve a kir. In the 19th century, in the middle of the phylloxera crisis, a distiller named M. Joly developed this liqueur. Since ? Nuits-Saint-Georges and Dijon remain the capitals of the blackcurrant berry, and some 5 companies share a rich market of more than 10 million liters produced each year (i.e. 80% of the French production). Among them, Lhéritier-Guyot has its store in Dijon. As does Vedrenne, also present in Beaune and at the Cassissium in Nuits-Saint-Georges. But did you know that the Côte d'Or is also a land of... whisky? In Bouze-lès-Beaune, the reputation of Michel Couvreur's distillery has long since spread beyond our borders. Since its creation in 1978, its production is sold all over the world. Finally, you should know that the Burgundian beer is experiencing a superb renaissance. To go back to its genesis, we have to go back to the 15th century, when Jean Sans Peur, Duke of Burgundy, created the order of hops. Exit the "cervoise", make way for the beer! Traces of the first establishments in Dijon and Beaune date back to the 1790s. Unfortunately, the regional beer disappeared under the effect of industrialization. Since then? Burgundy,the 3rd largest barley producing region, has some 40 breweries in operation. Among them, the Brasserie Trois Fontaines in Bretenieres, Belenium in Beaune and Elixhir in Dijon.
Mustard and Côte-d'Or are inseparable..
If there is a product here as famous as the wines, it is indeed... mustard! The Dukes of Burgundy were fond of it and even used it for diplomatic purposes. So much so that Philip the Bold decided to put the same inscription on the coat of arms of Dijon as the one that appeared on the famous stoneware pots: "Moult me tarde"! Nowadays, since it does not have an AOC label, Dijon mustard is no longer very Dijon-like: the seeds used to make it usually come from Canada! However, farmers and mustard makers have initiated a revival: together, they created the Association Moutarde de Bourgogne (AMB) which, 12 years ago, obtained a protected geographical indication (PGI) for "Burgundy mustard". Clearly, unlike "Dijon mustard", the so-called Burgundy mustard is guaranteed 100% local. Among the renowned producers, the Fallot mustard factory was born in Beaune in 1840. In its premises, one can discover the historical manufacturing process through a museum. Fallot also has 2 stores in Beaune, one in Dijon, and a mustard bar "Enjoy Fallot" located in its mustard factory. Another must-see brand is the famous Maille, which has been established on rue de la Liberté in Dijon since 1845.
Many sweet treats
Another Dijon product is gingerbread. Born in the Middle Ages, it was first produced in Reims, and it wasn't until the 19th century that Dijon's gingerbread took over. This pastry, made with rye or wheat flour, honey and herbs, also has a famous variation: the nonnette de Dijon, created around the same time by nuns (hence the name!), whose crunchy icing protects the softness of the gingerbread, enriched by a melting heart of orange, blackcurrant, chocolate or raspberry cream. Among the craftsmen producing these delicacies, it's impossible not to mention one of the forerunners, Mulot & Petitjean. Founded over 220 years ago, this family-run business was the first in Burgundy to be awarded the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" label (in the field of gastronomy). In its Dijon factory, a museum space is dedicated to the history of gingerbread, and the brand has 4 boutiques in Dijon and one in Beaune. Sweet tooths will also succumb to cassissine, a blackcurrant fruit paste with a syrupy center. And jacquelines: praline sweets covered in icing. Last but not least, don't forget Flavigny's ancestral anis. It was a Roman traveler who brought Flavigny-sur-Ozerain its name and the aniseed. In 718, Widerard founded a Benedictine abbey there, where the monks probably developed the recipe. But it wasn't until the French Revolution that the Ursulines convent's products began to make a name for themselves. Available all over France, Flavigny anises are still made on site. Over the years, their aromas have been enriched with many new flavors: violet, coffee, orange blossom, jasmine, mandarin, etc..
100% Côte d'Or products
The Côte d'Or is home to countless small producers. Such an asset that the Departmental Council created in late 2019 the label "Savoir-faire 100% Côte-d'Or" intended to give them more visibility. Among these, we can mention the foie gras, duck breast and confits of Pascal Laprée to be discovered in his farm of Mairey in Mont Saint-Jean, or on the markets of Dijon and Beaune as well as in the Drive fermiers. For Burgundy snails, let's mention (among others) L'Escargot Dijonnais managed by Hervé Menelot in Fenay and L'Escargot Bourguignon of Bruce Duvic in Dienay. Even fish lovers will find something to their liking, such as the Pisciculture des Truites de l'Aube, located in the very north of the department, on the borders of the Haute-Marne, in Veuxhaulles-sur-Aube.
A particularly rich craft
Art workshops, creators of all kinds, in the 4 corners of the Côte-d'Or, you will find many gift ideas. Let's mention, for example, Gaston the Burgundian snail. At the end of 2013, the locksmith Hervé Bégin created this little figurine from a steel blade with a hole in it. Quickly, Gaston became a star of social networks, and now travels around the world. He is to be discovered "in real" in Is-sur-Tille. Let's also talk about the Maison de Pays de l'Auxois-Sud, in Pouilly-en-Auxois. Food products, but also pottery, jewelry, silk, watercolors, books, scents or wooden toys, more than 110 producers and craftsmen from Burgundy are represented there!
