It wasn’t until a few summers ago that I ever considered the possibility of adding fresh cherries to anything other than my fruit bowl. While researching how to teach simple desserts with fresh orchard fruits, I stumbled upon the French clafoutis. Stubbornly, I set out to change the recipe, partly because there are so many variations on this theme and partly because I always want to push the confines of accepted standards.
My kitchen experiments of this classic beauty were acceptable but somehow not impressive.
I like to experiment in the kitchen. I even dream of spending a few uninterrupted months between the kitchen counter tops and my writing desk some day, to wonder and create recipes so simple that happiness is the only option when making them. In my vision, my pantry is filled with the bright colors of fruit jams, Mason jars filled with endless variations on simple tomato sauce and preserved vegetables from a garden of all seasons. Intent upon reaching that kind of happiness on a daily basis, I try “old-fashioned” recipes when I have a moment to spare, like the making of fresh ricotta. 
Midsummer visits to the market promise an abundance of scarlet raspberries tucked into small paper boxes layered in wooden crates. Cool, creamy mascarpone makes the perfect match to the most delicious of red fruits imaginable. When asked to make a sweet treat I choose a simple combination of fresh fruit and cream. This dessert on a spoon is inspired by the Italian “dolce a cucchaio”, a homemade tradition made in a bowl instead of the oven. Enjoy the unmistakable happiness that simplicity brings.
Beautiful Food Stories 