5-24-2026 4:22am

Philosophizing About Food With Francine: Summer Fruit Clafoutis

Lesley Misko Editor

by Francine Black

Our delicious Sunday night dessert is known as clafoutis, pronounced “klah-foo-tee.”

This wonderful confection originated in the Limousine region of central France in the 18th century. Tradition dictates it to be a tender, puffy flan filled with intact cherries. There may be some danger of someone breaking a tooth or possibly choking, but when we serve our clafoutis, we take the time to issue a clear warning and even demonstrate the proper method of eating when encountering a cherry.

There are actually several good reasons for leaving the cherries unpitted. The oldest tale tells of a frugal housewife who wanted to account for the amount of clafoutis each family member consumed, with an eye out for the gourmand. She would count the pits remaining in each one’s plate and chastise the greediest diner.

Perhaps a more practical reason is that pitted cherries tend to release a lot of juice, hence compromising the integrity of the flan by making it soupy, an undesired texture. Honestly, that situation can be handled by adjusting some of the other ingredients.

Finally, and I think the reason I don’t pit my cherries, is the one of a subtle flavor the cherry pits release. The pits contain benzaldehyde, an organic compound with a very pleasant and complimentary aroma. As an aside, it’s used commercially as a fragrance ingredient in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

I’m sure you’ve encountered cherry dessert recipes that call for almond flavoring. In an attempt to replicate the gentle flavor of the cherry pits, in my opinion, the almond flavor overwhelms and kills every bit of the delicate cherry essence, hence we keep the pits in.

We are rather casual here, and no one is offended by the spitting of pits; rather, we’re eyeing the dish to see if we can snag just one more bite!

Have a wonderful week, dear friends!

High in the mountains above Bally, where the dense groves of treetops seem to touch the sky, is Francine Black, Boyertown’s own version of chef Julia Child. Her daily activities reflect the things she most values: family and friends, music, and lovingly prepared food.