French cuisine blends rustic comfort with codified technique. Stocks and sauces form the backbone—velouté, espagnole, béchamel, and hollandaise teach balance and control—while slow braises and careful roasting develop depth. Markets and terroir define regional tables: butter and cream anchor Normandy; seafood-rich stews characterize Brittany and Provence; and in the southwest, duck, prunes, and Armagnac show up in hearty dishes. At the bistro, classics like steak frites, onion soup, and salade niçoise demonstrate how modest ingredients can become polished, satisfying meals with precise seasoning and texture.
Among signature recipes, Coq au Vin transforms humble chicken through a wine-based braise, aromatic vegetables, and lardons. Bouillabaisse from Marseille gathers multiple fish, saffron, and fennel into a fragrant broth served with rouille. Ratatouille layers eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes, proof that careful cutting and gentle cooking make vegetables sing. And the baguette—flour, water, yeast, salt—reminds us that time and fermentation create complexity. For home cooks, mise en place, patient simmering, and butter mounted into sauces can yield a restaurant-level finish. Pair with crisp salads, good bread, and restrained desserts like clafoutis.