Signature dish
Bresse chicken with cream
Élisa Blanc, la Mère Blanc · 1883–1949 · Vonnas, Ain
The Mère Blanc's dish at Vonnas, and the one that made the Lyonnaise mères a destination rather than a local habit.
Why it works
The bird is cooked in its own fat and the cream goes in off the heat: above a simmer the cream would break, and the sauce is the cooking liquid rather than an addition to it.