With its quasi-kinky title, the 15th
annual “Salon des Spécialités: Bourgogne
en Bouche,” sees the town of Autun on its
finest behavior. In conjunction with a commercial and agricultural fair and
amusement park rides (sign from one: “Parents are solely responsible for
placing their children in the ride. Parents are solely responsible for fastening
the seatbelt.” Imagine that in the Land of the Lawsuit.), about 30 local and semi-local producers gather in the
town’s social space to offer visitors a taste of their product. From Burgundy,
wines, cheeses, beef (little cubes on a toothpick, offered hot off the grill),
and crème caramel; from Alsace, foie gras and Reisling; from Champagne,
well, guess.
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| Cheese is love |
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| Garlic and pig...nobody loses |
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| A bargain |
It is little events like
this that make being in France such a marvel. Outside of Autun, the event
received no publicity, other than a small ad in the local newspaper. It is a worthwhile trip.
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| Get some snail slime cream...it is Burgundy |
The fifth generation oil
producers lighten the wallet with ease, offering tastes of pistachio, walnut,
and sesame oils. Colorful macarons beg for a taste. By the sixth taste of wine, one cannot help but feel a little
obligated to buy at least one bottle of crémant.
The charcutier counters your
suggestion that his specialty ham would be excellent with “some spicy mustard
in the land of mustard” by saying, “Personnellement, when I have quality products like this, I don’t
like to use something as strong as mustard. Try some salted butter.” Noted. On
the "to try" list.
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| Five generations |
There is nary a
word of foreign tongue, but, happily, food competes ably with love as the
international language. Go taste with gusto, stay for lunch (duck or beef?),
and feel good about your little secret discovery.
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| Dozens of varieties of saucission |
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What: Food fair
Where: Autun, Saône et Loire, Burgundy
When: First weekend of March (check with the
Office de Tourisme for final details)
How Much: Entry is 2 euros; tastings are free;
lunch and direct purchase are supplementary
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