Our visit to Beaune was my first time in Burgundy, and as such, it was the perfect time to try out some of the local specialties.
Burgundy is known for a few dishes, including beef bourguignon and escargots. The former is a rich beef stew served in a red wine sauce, while traditional escargots bourguignons are served in their shell drenched in a butter and herb sauce. Both are delicious, but a bit heavy for the summer.
But at the Brasserie Carnot, right in the historic city center of Beaune, I got to taste a bit of the local flavor anyway with a salad that the Brasserie dubs its “Salade Bourguignonne.” The salad features a mix of greens and veg topped with little spheres of fresh, white cheese rolled in local grainy mustard; slices of jambon persillé, another local specialty made with pork shoulder combined with aromatics and then stored in a broth made with Burgundy white wine, mustard, and wine vinegar. Of course, the crème de la crème of the salad were the escargots, served in a thin layer of pastry shaped like the traditional escargot shell. They were still topped with the traditional escargot butter, but being surrounded by all of that greenery (and the fact that you only get six as opposed to the usual 12) makes this feel a lot less heavy and rich.
Paired with a carafe of local red, it was perfection.
Brasserie le Carnot -Â 18 Rue Carnot, 21200 Beaune