I had never seeen a clafouti no less cook one, so I grabbed some cookbook and went at it.Semed easy enough-make a batter, throw in some cherries, pop in the oven, go have a drink.

When it emerged from the oven half an hour later it resembled a thick, gooey pancake upon which someone-probably a child- had spilled bag of cherries. I had no other dessert, so I served it, with ice cream.