Jambon Persillé

In Burgundy, starting as south as Macon in the Saone et Loire, and moving up into the Cote d'Or and the Yonne, one appetizer that you are likely to see in the first course at a café but less often in the higher eating establishments is called jambon persillé, a local parsley seasoned ham terrine. It is a specialty of the region, and it can be quite good, being an emblem of the simpler things offered there. In Lyon, we consider it an import. It is clearly emblazoned with the mark of Burgundy, which we all know is an influence here but not a local stamp of provenance. Don't pass it by if you see it, it is sold by weight and you can buy a very thin slice. It's worth a taste, perhaps a makeshift sandwich with pickles and hearty bread at a café by the riverside, washed down with a swig of wine you've ordered, as you soak in the sun reflecting from the buildings along side the Saone, the river that carries Burgundy to Lyon. You can find this terrine at a couple of Burgundian vendors with charcuterie that make their appearance at the St. Antoine market and at butcher shops in the city that carry Burgundian specialties.