Arlo was just starting NCSU and I would drive him into class every Monday morning.  We were still raw from losing Zafer and it was our time to laugh and cry and talk about big moves on the way to Raleigh.  Our tradition was to go to a coffee shop on Hillsborough Street and get lattes and breakfast.  One day we walked in and I bought us this amazing pastry and asked the owner what it was.  He was a sweet man and said it was “clafoutis”.

We had never heard of that and it was AMAZING.

Every Monday after that we came in and asked for clafoutis.  He never had it again for some reason.  Sometimes I would frown at them and ask where the clafoutis was.  They still never had it.  Arlo and I started calling Raleigh “Clafoutis-town”.
It became a hilarious joke and we still never got our clafoutis.

So, I looked into it and found it was popularized of course by Julia Child herself.  It was french peasant food.

As I reinvent myself, I believe this town (PBO) needs a Clafoutery.  And I intend on creating that after we get through this pandemic.  When life will slow down perhaps and we can cook, and see our friends and pick berries and have time.  Lots more time for our delights.

Here is the recipe until then….

Clafoutis—for 6

• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups cherries, or any seasonal fruit…or pepperoni if you are Geo.
• 1/3 cup sugar (optional)
• powdered sugarIn a blender blend the milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour. Pour a 1/4 inch layer of the batter in a buttered 7 or 8 cup lightly buttered fireproof baking dish (important:  use PYREX or it will shatter on the stove)
  Put on a burner on medium for 2 minutes…it will brown the bottom.   Remove from the heat and spread the fruit over the batter. Sprinkle on the 1/3 cup of sugar. (or not) Pour on the rest of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour. The clafouti is done when puffed and brown and and a knife plunged in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, serve warm.

bon appetit!!!