or decades we've associated French cuisine with complicated recipes, bedazzled with sophisticated sauces and exotic French names. French chefs have set the standards by which chefs around the world have been judged.

      An interesting question to ask is whether the average Frenchman indulges in such culinary elaboration throughout the year. As one travels around the countryside, world-famous culinary fare is not the norm. What one finds is hearty solid home cooking, distinct in each province.

      There are a number of characteristics in French home cooking. One is that the cooking is simple, hearty and straightforward. Another is the utilization of local ingredients at the peak of freshness.