1. French regional cuisine is defined by geographic and climate differences that produce distinct local products across four main regions. 2. The Northwest region is known for dairy, apples, and butter as a cooking fat, while the Northeast has influences from neighboring Germany, seen in foods like sauerkraut. 3. The Southwest region resembles Spanish cooking with ingredients like tomatoes, peppers, olives, and nuts used for cooking, and the Southeast region shares similarities to Italian cuisine through its use of olive oil and herbs.