We won't lie to you — French cooking is complicated, time-consuming, and requires a lot of culinary knowledge. That said, there are quite a few patterns and shortcuts to it that you may not be aware ...

Whether it's slathered on a perfectly toasted croque monsieur, nestled between sheets of pasta and meat sauce in a lasagne bolognese, or the base for a creamy Mornay sauce, béchamel is the mother ...