On Thu, 2 Jul 2009 02:13:34 -0700, "Bob Terwilliger"
> wrote:

>sf wrote:
>
>>> clafoutis
>>
>> To be perfectly honest, I've only eaten that once and it was plum.
>
>I've made clafoutis with cherries, peaches, plums, and caramelized pears.
>The authentic Limousin clafoutis is made with cherries, though. It's one of
>the best uses I know for sweet cherries. (Sour cherries have better uses,
>most of them involving chocolate.)
>
>Bob

I think that depends of how much you like sour cherries. I planted a
tree in the spring or 2003. Here's what it looks like now:

http://i43.tinypic.com/300ae1i.jpg

I got about 6 quarts off it and will get more over the coming weekend.
This is the first year it's produced enough to do anything with. Last
year was ok but the Blue Jays tore it apart. This year they've left
it alone.

I used some as a topping for the Jam Lady's cream cheese coffee cake
and it was awesome. I did add brown sugar to the crumble topping. It
got many raves from friends.

I also made my grandmothers cherry soup. She's too old to get a
recipe from so I got my mothers version which is about the same I
guess. You simply boil a quart of unpitted cherries in about 2 quarts
of water. That seemed boring so I added a strong 1/8th cup of finely
chopped crystallized ginger. (something midwest farmers didn't use)
After about 45 minutes the water becomes deep red. Then you drop
small spoon fulls of bisquick batter in for dumplings. The box said
10 minutes uncovered and 10 covered. So I did that. Damn! It was a
great lunch. My grandmother served it cool on hot summers days after
my grandfather had been out farming. My mom likes it cold too but I
like it warm. This was the first time I've had it in about 35 years
and it was a blast from the past with a ginger kick. I like it warm
for breakfast or as a midnight snack. It's also interesting spooned
over vanilla ice cream. The pits in the cherries are a pita but I was
told it's not as good pitted. I might try pitting them next time
anyway. Mainly to cull the bad ones. Your comment about chocolate
makes me wonder about trying it over chocolate rather than vanilla ice
cream.

I did this without the benefit of google but now I see cinnamon and
lemon are also common in dessert soups. I believe it's of
Scandinavian origin as a dessert. The farmers here just ate it
because they had to use the cherries during the depression.

Sorry for babbling. I'd like to hear from anyone else who's done
anything like this.

Lou