Eat The World- Classic French Clafouti

I feel like cooking. Something really good, something rich and hearty, something wonderful for a cold day. Something that braises all day and is filled with beautiful vegetables and red wine and mushrooms and rich beef. As long as I have the oven on all day, I might as well make dessert too, right? Of course!

A while back I was invited to attend a cooking class given by my friend Wini, the author of Chez Bonne Femme Cookbook and a well-known local food writer and reviewer. Sadly I was late for class (such is my luck- a day late and a dollar short) but I was just in time for dessert. Wini taught the group how to master the classic French dessert- clafouti. If you have never had a clafouti you are truly missing out. Wini made her clafouti that night with stone fruit, including big fat juicy cherries. I however, was totally in love with the creamy, eggy custard that surrounded the fruit. Eggy is the perfect way to describe the custard. It has more body than a baked custard and really, you can use any fruit you like. I have a freezer full of fruit, so I'm going to poke around in there and decide what my fruit will be.

When you think of the typical French home cook, you might think of a cook who is busy creating multi-course feasts with encroyable dishes from appetizers to cheese plates to fabulous pastry creations. Not so. The French home cook is much like the American home cook- they just want to get dinner on the table without a lot of fanfare. The French do enjoy their sweets however, but instead of spending hours fussing with pastry and creme Anglaise and meringues and pate choux, they are more likely to pop into a bakery or make a simple, delicious dessert like a clafouti. You will love this recipe. It's easy to make, no outrageous ingredients, and you can use whatever fruit you have on hand. Stone fruits, such as cherries or peaches are super delicious. Wini's recipe uses cherries, I used chunks of juicy peaches and blueberries.

Wini's Cherry Clafouti

• 12 ounces pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries, thawed and drained well
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy)
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter and sugar a 9 inch round nonmetal baking dish with 2 inch sides. I didn't have a round ceramic dish so I used an oval casserole- it works just as well.

Spread the fruit in the baking dish. In a bowl combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, kirsch and salt. Beat with electric mixer until combined. Add the flour, milk and cream until combined. Pour the batter over the fruit.

Bake until a thin knife inserted near the center of the clafouti comes out clean and the top is a deep golden brown, about 40 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with a sheet of foil. Cool slightly on wire rack. Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar.

A little bit of spiked whipped cream goes beautifully with this dessert but it's just as delicious without. Like Wini said at the class, leftovers are amazing for breakfast the next day. A nice cup of coffee or cappuccino alongside- perfect! Now you MUST own this cookbook. Wini has graciously given me permission to share a recipe or two, but you truly must own this book- the recipes are amazing and easy for us to make at home. Click HERE to get your copy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Cooking Class- and I need a secretary!

I'm a dingbat. I have been excited for weeks over tonight- a cooking class at the Vom Fass store in Des Moines. But not just any cooking class, this one is presented by my friend and fellow-foodie Wini Moranville. If you live in Des Moines you probably know Wini. For many years she was the Datebook Diner- the restaurant critic whose official photo was basically a paper plate and a hat with some eyes peering out. Very hilarious. You can tell we're talking sense of humor here. She is also a celebrated cookbook author, with the publication of Chez Bonne Femme in 2011. She blogs and has a website, www.chezbonnefemme.com, and since she has nothing else to do (giggle giggle) she also hosts Great Food every Friday on Des Moines' only local morning show, Great Day on KCWI Channel 23. Heck I am exhausted just writing all that!

Long story short, Wini and I became friends through Facebook, as many people do these days, and shared many conversations online and in blogger groups. It wasn't until I read that she was hosting a cooking class at the local Vom Fass store that I thought we'd finally get to meet in person. I can't understand how Des Moines managed to have a Vom Fass store for over a YEAR and I didn't know? I've been driving to Minneapolis for this!! However..... I heard about it too late. Class is full. Darn. One day I get an email from her asking if I'd like to come as her guest- with all the happy dancing and jumping around singing and having my own little happy party, brain dead ME forgot to verify THE TIME. Had the date alright, but my mind was fixed on 7 pm. You know where I'm going, right? It was not 7 pm. It was 5:30. Ugh. STUPID ME !!!! Not all is lost. I've made it in time for the dessert course, pictures of the group and a little chat time with Wini and the other folks from the class.

I learned several lessons this evening. 1- Wini is awesome! She is very kind, personable and very caring about people. 2- Always double check and then extra-verify date and time. 3- Summer Stone Fruit Clafouti is DIVINE, especially with boozy whipped cream. 4- Cerises Rouge Brandy packs quite a warming punch!  

So what did I miss? The first three courses!!!!  Bummer! Wini started off with her recipe, Caprice Salad, using heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and Vom Fass' Cru Cravenco Olive Oil and Champagne White Wine Vinegar.  (No.......I'm not giving out the recipes- you need to BUY THE BOOK) I'm sure it was absolutely amazing, as it's prime time in Iowa for amazing heirloom tomatoes, and that incredible olive oil - just yum.

The second course was Silky and Light Potato Soup. I'm especially saddened at missing this one. I have a newfound love for soups, especially potato, and with leeks and heavy cream and fresh herbs... let's just say tears are forming because I missed out. Thank goodness I have the cookbook! The next course was a fresh and light pasta dish- Market Day Tagliatelle with Goat Cheese. Pasta with goat cheese. More fresh herbs. And goat cheese. Dry white wine. And goat cheese. You might think I like goat cheese or something. 

I WAS able to try the dessert course, and so so so glad I was. Wini's Summer Stone Fruit Clafouti with a boozy whipped cream was just so decadent. So perfect, yet eggy and light. Big slices of fresh juicy peach and halves of sweet dark red cherries, oh my gosh......just........oh my gosh!!!  I also got to sample Vom Fass' Cerises Rouge brandy. Wow. I'm cheating a little, reading from their brochure: made from French Guigne cherries with a touch of sugar to emphasize the intense cherry notes. Intense is spot on. It really warms the mouth and I can only imagine that with a piece of dark bittersweet chocolate, sitting on my comfy couch with a blanket, a pile of animals on my lap, sipping while the snow blows outside. Even without the brandy, I am definitely making this clafouti this weekend.

As the class came to an end and we finally got a chance to chat, "talking shop" so to speaking- blogging, using Facebook efficiently, the Datebook Diner days. Wini signed my book and I came home to sit down for a good long read. You can count on some French cooking going on here. I'll share lots and lots of pictures, but if you want the recipes, please get a copy of her cookbook. You won't regret it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."