"clafouti" news and stories

Several days ago, I asked you, my beloved Slashfood readers, for help on what to do with about a bazillion cherries I had picked up. One of the overwhelming responses was for a cherry clafouti - the French dessert-t thing that's made with a pancake batter and fruit. I am not yet telling you what I am doing with the cherries -- it may or may not be a cherry clafouti -- but until I post that, here are eight cherry clafoutis from around the food web for your viewing, reading, and perhaps eating, pleasure:

1. Noshtalgia is cheery about cherries
2. Amy does Julia Child's recipe
3. 28Cooks uses sour cherries
4. You might get a muffin top if you eat the clafouti from MuffinTop
5. Mahanandi is the one in the picture
6. Clafouti from Becks N Posh is not for the Frenchman
7. Lucullian Delights adds a little spice
8. Smitten Kitchen's clafouti is a cliche come true

The Times Tasting Panel tries French Roast coffees, everything from big guns like Starbucks down to local micro-roasts, and in the end, decide they all taste burnt.

Humble apples and pears get sophisticated with the addition of savory ingredients: Savory Pear Clafoutis, Calvados-braised Chicken with Apples, and Apple Pan Bagnat.

Jewish new year holiday Rosh Hashana begins this week and instead of sticking with northern and eastern European dishes which seem too heavy for LA's lingering summer weather, discover the Mediterranean: Roasted whole whitefish with charmoula and French green lentils, Apple and honey sorbet with pomegranate sauce, and Carrot and pomegranate soup.

Out on the dining scene, SIV goes to the heart of Chianti and dines family-style at Solociccio. She also gives West, the restaurant atop the new Angeleno Hotel in Bel Air, half a star (½ ) for good antipasto, a fabulous view of the westside, but falling short on pasta and steaks. Linda Burum visits LA's only Potuguese bakery, Natas Pastries to try the tiny custard tarts of the same name: natas.