Our only task of the day was to eat the first serious meal of our trip — lunch at Chez Hugon, an old-fashioned bouchon. Something I had been looking forward to since I last paid the check at the very same restaurant 4 years prior.

A daube is a slow-cooked stew you will find simmering at a grandmotherly pace in kitchens all across France, though the best known come from southern France.

Choucroute is one of the world’s great celebratory meals that, like bouillabaisse, is impossible to cook solely for only a handful of people. If you have never eaten one you may be surprised, no, overwhelmed, by the sheer volume of food served. Traditionally it is made with at least 3 different sausages, smoked pork loin, and pork belly all slowly simmered in sauerkraut surrounded by a legion of potatoes.

I slow-cooked the jambonneau in a golden pool of home grown Tarbais beans semi submerged in a rich broth specked with carrots, onions, and aromatics. In the final cooking stages I sprinkled toasted breadcrumbs over the top to soak up the juices and help form a crunchy crust. Somebody not quite familiar with the particularities of cassoulet might mistake my preparation for the genuine article.

I was no older than the tender age of 7 when I first ate rabbit. I remember the day quite distinctly. Not only was it the single defining moment when I knew I would grow to be a chef, but also they were my pet rabbits.

The other morning I was zipping off for a photoshoot and forgot to get dinner started. I started stressing about what to cook when I remember a simple recipe for roast chicken in a mustard sauce that literally takes under a minute to prep. I quickly ran back into the house, got it marinated, then went to my photoshoot confident with the happy feeling that my family would have a nutritious easy-to-cook dinner when I got home that evening.

What I love most about steak Bareuzai is that it is so quickly prepared. No advanced planning is necessary other than to have a few ingredients on hand and perhaps a bottle of wine open. The only controversy seems to be whether or not you finish the sauce with a healthy spoonful of Dijon mustard.

Pebronata (Peh-Bro-Nah-Tah) is a Corsican daube or stew generally made from goat meat, although it is often made from beef, veal, or pork. There are 3 distinct steps in the creation of an authentic pebronata: cooking the pork, preparing the tomatoes sauce, and sauteing the sweet peppers. Pebronata is the perfect Fall dish to celebrate the end of peppers and tomatoes growing in your garden and the changes in the weather.

This easy tuna spaghetti is perhaps my sister Anne’s greatest contribution to the culinary arts. It’s an easy-to-make, quick pasta that literally takes less time to prepare the sauce than it does to cook the pasta. Perfect for busy families on the go. What I love about it is its versatility. You will notice in the ingredient list a number of optional items. Add those, don’t add those. If you don’t like tuna try adding shrimp to the mix or just eat it on its own. Dinner shouldn’t be complicated!

Confession Time. I planted way too many tomatoes this year and I was looking for the best, most tasty way to use them. I ended up making a Provençale Vegetable Tian - which is sort of a super healthy vegetable casserole.

Chickpeas stewed in tomato sauce is a popular flavor combination in Provence. I added chunks of homemade espelette sausages I had leftover from a sausage-making experiment. You could use spicy Italian sausages or even Moroccan merguez.

This is a simplified version of merguez that my mother taught me to make when I was little. You can roll this mixture into a sausage shape or form it into patties.

A few years ago our family visited my cousins Andre and Lolo at their beautiful home in Southern France. The highlight of the visit was when my cousin Lolo made her famous olive bread. It was the best olive bread I had ever eaten. This kind of olive bread is also called cake salé, or savory cakes. Think of a savory coffee cake.

Poulet au Vinaigre, or chicken in vinegar, is a classic French preparation that you will find in homes as well as restaurants. At the onset, it sounds kind of overpowering and maybe even unappetizing. Rarely do we think of vinegar as an ingredient other than maybe in a vinaigrette. But when you try this poulet en vinaigre recipe you will realize your error and start thinking about vinegar in a brand new light.

One of the most endearing and favorite of all Provencal dishes is Petits Farcis or stuffed vegetables, also known as lu farçum in the Niçard (Nice) dialect. Petits Farcis are best made in the summertime when so many great vegetables, like sun-ripened tomatoes, round zucchini, and thin eggplants start to appear in the farmers' markets.

Trouchia is a flat omelet similar to frittatas that your family will never tire of; especially when your garden is producing more zucchini than you can eat.

The best thing about tomato tarts is they are very forgiving and can be modified easily based on what you have on hand. I have baked this tart with slices of tangy goat cheese or even shredded gruyere cheese sprinkled over. Or even pulled the hot tart out of my oven and dropped a ball of creamy burrata right on top.

Learn how to easily make French sausages at home. They are not much different than Italian sausages other than the flavorings. In France, these sausages are called saucisses de Campagne or country sausages. They are coarse cut with a highly seasoned filling. Perfect for outdoor eating and grilling.

Learn how to make one of the easiest and most flavorful chicken dishes you'll ever try. It is a Moroccan chicken dish called chicken k'dra which I adapted from Paula Wolfert's classic cookbook "Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco". Moist, flavorful chicken simmered with creamy chickpeas and tender turnips.