As its name indicates, salade Lyonnaise hails from the city of Lyon, in southern France, renowned as being the gastronomic capital of the country. Home to chefs such as Paul Bocuse and George Blanc, the highest concentration of restaurants per capita in France, and the vineyards that produce the famous Beaujolais Nouveau wine, Lyon is a food lover’s mecca.
Some of the city’s most remarkable specialties are quenelles, fish dumplings with the lightness of a souffle, bathed in a rich sauce; cervelle de canut, an herbed cheese spread; saucisson brioche, a whole, pistachio-crusted sausage baked inside a brioche; bugnes, light, golden fritters dusted with icing sugar; and of course, salade Lyonnaise—all of which can be enjoyed in the countless bouchons, the name for Lyon’s unique bistros, strewn around the city.
