Cherry Clafoutis

About a month ago while searching the internet for french recipes I stumbled across a recipe for Cerise clafoutis.  It's a batter pudding originating from Limousin in France, consisting of flour, sugar, egg, vanilla and milk  which is whisked together and poured over the cherries before baking.  There is a bit of controversy as to whether you should pit the cherries or not.  Supposedly it tastes better with them left in, you just need to let the people eating it know, or else you might end up footing a large dentist bill.  I have read that in Paris it's quite the done thing (even in the flashest restaurants) to spit the cherry pips, what fun you could have at your next dinner party!

Well, I love cherries and I have fond memories of eating nearly an entire bucket full one Christmas while on a family holiday in Lowburn in the South Island of New Zealand.  This is the "old" Lowburn, right by the river before it got flooded to become part of the Clyde Dam.  The cherries were hand picked by me from the farm next to the camp ground we were staying at.  Anyway since then whenever I see them I can't help but treat myself.  So a couple of weeks ago at the market I was so pleased to bag half a kilo for 2 euro.  4 euro a kilo, that is sooo... cheap, they are about 19NZ$ a kilo from memory.  I thought briefly about making the clafoutis, but couldn't bring myself to cook them as it seems such a waste to me.  So today whilst getting our bread from the boulangerie in Villefranche there on the counter was Cerise clafoutis on sale for 80c a piece.  Easy, so now I have tried it, and yes it was nice but I am pleased I ate my cherries "au naturel".