cherry almond clafoutis

I remember as a little girl the cherry tree that hung over the fence in my paternal grandparents backyard. It was the neighbor's tree, but they weren't necessarily the best at keeping it pruned. It draped partially over the garage roof and sometimes hung just low enough over the fence for us to snatch a few as we were playing.

I can't remember what type of cherry they were, but I have a vague recollection of picking them and being very happy to do so. Proud of my dark stained fingers.

I still enjoy cherries, but usually have little of the patience required to pit them. They are indeed delicious though, and their siren call is hard to ignore when they appear at the market each season.

Although I prefer cherries best eaten out of hand, this is a perfect recipe for those moments when you realize you have just too many on hand to eat raw. It's not too sweet, which I enjoy. It goes deliciously with vanilla ice cream.

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Almond Cakes

When TA and I went to DC for New Years we had the chance to dine at Tenh Penh with the MiL and sFiL. While the service could have used a little polishing, the food was particularly delicious. At the end of the meal, in lieu of the traditional fortune cookie, four gorgeous little cakes were dropped off at the table.

They were about the size of a half dollar and smelled gloriously of almonds. They were chewy and dense and sweet and ridiculously delicious. TA and I are both fans of Asian cuisine, especially any sweets made with mochiko, a glutinous rice flour.

First attempt - not enough liquid, too puffy, and not enough sugar or almond extract.I decided right then and there that I absolutely had to try and make these at home and after two failed attempts I finally succeeded. Although these would be even better if I had a mini-muffin pan, they are nevertheless satisfying.

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