Not for the birds

I was surprised to see how many blips appeared when I searched for 'clafoutis' - it's clearly a popular dessert. However, I am inclined to believe that not many, if any, are made with wild cherries. The fruit here comes from the (small) crop I collected from the tree that grew from a sucker I rescued several years ago. A local hedgerow was being tidied up and the  gean trees beside it were due for the chop.  My sucker has grown into a small tree that puts on a shower of creamy-white flowers in spring. Later, if allowed, the fruit ripens to deep red but the birds usually pick it before  then. This time I got there first and my bowl of berries was enough for one perfect pudding. 

I was pleased enough with my forage  but my elder son has recently collected 14 kg - that's 30 pounds! - of cherries* from the mean streets of Manchester. He noted the position of all the  cherry trees growing in the parks and pavements around Moss Side where he lives, watched the fruit ripening but then, just as the fruit was ready,  broke a bone in his foot when cycling. No matter, his friends wheeled him around in a shopping trolley and did all the picking under his instruction, attracting a bunch of local kids who helped with the harvest. Now there's a lot of brewing, steeping, marinading and preserving under way and I'm hoping to sample some of the results in due course.

*Not just these tart  little bird cherries but luscious dark red and black ones too.