Though many cuisines throughout the world feature all types of breads, it seems to hold particular importance in French culinary culture. It's included in nearly every meal, and there's a whole school of etiquette devoted to it - in fact, asking for butter is as much of a faux pas as salting dishes before you taste them.
While a baguette in modern times is mostly just a way to sop up the remainders of your steak-frites, it was a major component of the average Frenchman's diet throughout history, and some would say it even sparked a revolution.
