Issue1 TasteBound compressed - Flipbook - Page 83
FRENCH LESSONS
the kitchen. Kendall and her then-boyfriend,
now-husband, Laurent, had real jobs but they
would come help me on Saturdays – which is
market day here – to do the cooking classes.
We never realised it was going to get so big.
We’ve never advertised, but people come
back and they tell other people. We had
created a rogue little cooking school, all just
so I didn’t get deported.
‘About five years later, Kendall is married
to Laurent, and he’s like, “You guys need a
bigger spot.” Kendall and I were both a little
nervous about it. We wondered: “What if
we make this giant investment and nobody
comes?” But then we saw this building where
we are now. It was one of those life-changing
things. We’re like, “If we don’t say yes, we’re
going to regret this.”
‘And this is the part of the story I love.
When Kendall’s husband joined the team,
we became a group of three little people,
and that’s been a lot of fun. This year is our
17th season, and the whole concept of The
Cook's Atelier started out as a little spark:
wouldn’t it be fun to have a cooking school
where you could invite people from around
the world to cook together, then gather
around the same table to enjoy the fruits of
their labour? And, apparently, it was a good
idea, because here we are.’
French at Heart: Recipes
that Bring France Home by
Marjorie Taylor and Kendall
Smith Franchini (Abrams, £30)
is out now and available from
all good bookshops
Every lunch and dinner at The Cook's Atelier includes a cheese course
P78
Clafoutis
SERVES 6
Clafoutis is a time-honoured French dessert, made with a crêpe-like batter that gets
poured over fresh fruit and then baked into a scoopable custard that can be served
hot, when the clafoutis is beautifully puffed, or at room temperature. For many French
people, it’s a throwback – just the sort of thing their grandmothers might have made
when they were young. Traditionally, it’s made with cherries, with the pits left in, which
prevents cherry juice from staining the batter. Other fruit can be used in place of the
cherries; berries, apricots or even sautéed pears and apples all work well.
PHOTO: ANSON SMART
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1tbsp unsalted
European-style
butter
150g granulated
sugar
Grated zest 1 lemon
455g sweet cherries,
such as Rainier,
Summit, Stark,
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Lafayette or Burlat,
rinsed, stems
removed (pits left
in for traditional
method, or removed
if you prefer)
5 large eggs
65g plain flour
240ml whole milk
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240ml double cream
Seeds from 1 vanilla
bean or 1tsp goodquality vanilla extract
1tsp kirsch
Icing sugar, for
dusting (optional)
Preheat the oven to 190C. Use the butter to grease
the inside of a 25cm or 28cm cast iron skillet
or gratin dish (or similar baking dish).
In a large bowl, using your fingertips, rub the
sugar and the lemon zest together until the sugar
is evenly pale yellow in colour. Add the cherries and
use a spatula to gently turn them in the sugar
mixture to evenly coat. Transfer the cherries to the
bottom of the prepared pan, leaving any sugar that
doesn’t cling to them behind in the bowl.
To the bowl with the remaining sugar, add the
eggs and whisk to combine until the mixture is
pale and fluffy – you want it to be a shade lighter
in colour. Add the flour and a pinch of fleur de sel
and whisk to combine. Add the milk, double cream,
vanilla seeds or extract and kirsch and whisk until
smooth. Pour the batter over the cherries.
Bake for 40-50 minutes until puffed and brown
and a paring knife inserted in the centre comes out
clean. Serve hot or at room temperature, dusted
with icing sugar, if using.
TA S T E B O U N D
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