Coq au Vin: A French Country Cooking Classic

Rustic yet refined, the traditional stew of chicken braised in a rich wine sauce is a pot of slow-cooked comfort

Don’t be intimidated by coq au vin's reputation—you’ll quickly realize that the iconic dish is in fact very approachable for any home cook. Audrey Le Goff

The year: 52 B.C. The scene: The Battle of Gergovia, in modern-day Auvergne, France, between the Romans, led by Julius Caesar, and the Gallic people, led by Vercingetorix.

The day before the battle, the story goes, Vercingetorix sent a rooster to Caesar as a warning about the bravery and fierceness of the French troops he was about to face. A few hours later, Caesar invited Vercingetorix over for dinner. On the menu? Vercingetorix’s valiant rooster, chopped up and cooked in wine.