🍒 Summer in France: A Celebration of Cherries

As the sunlit days of July settle over the rolling hills of the French countryside, something truly magical begins to happen. Cherry trees, heavy with ripe fruit, transform the landscape into a painter’s dream. At The Walnut Grove Cookery School, tucked away in the peaceful heart of rural France, we embrace cherry season with open arms, sticky fingers, and the kind of joy that only summer’s sweetest fruit can bring.

Guided by Chef Eric, our guests from all over the world come to learn not only how to cook with seasonal ingredients but to understand the deep connection between food, culture, and the rhythm of French country life. And in July, that rhythm beats to the sound of cherries being picked, cooked, and savored.

🍒 The Cherry Season in Full Swing

Cherries in France are more than just fruit. They are a celebration of summer. From local village markets to backyard orchards, their ruby red glow is a symbol of abundance and pleasure.

July is the final stretch of cherry season and it is the perfect time to harvest them when they are at their ripest. Here in the countryside, you will find families climbing ladders to pick them straight from the tree. Children fill their baskets while sneaking more into their mouths than into their bowls. Pâtissiers are preparing tarts, jams, and sorbets with the freshest fruit of the season.

At The Walnut Grove, students can pick cherries right from our own trees, learning to select the best fruit: firm, glossy, and deeply colored.

🍒 What to Make With All Those Cherries

Once you have picked your fill, the fun really begins. Here are a few of Chef Eric’s favorite cherry recipes that we teach at the school:

Cherry Compote with Red Wine and Spices

Simmer cherries gently with red wine, a cinnamon stick, and a spoonful of sugar until the fruit becomes soft and the syrup turns rich and fragrant. Serve it warm over vanilla ice cream or tucked inside a crêpe.

Cherry and Almond Tart

A buttery sweet pastry crust filled with almond cream and topped with fresh cherries.

It bakes into a beautiful dessert with a delicate crunch and rich flavor.

Griottes à l’eau de vie

Sour cherries steeped in brandy or eau de vie with sugar. These are kept in jars for months and enjoyed as a digestif or used to top cakes and ice cream.

Cherry Sorbet

Blended fresh cherries, a bit of lemon juice, and sugar churned into a refreshing frozen treat that tastes like pure summer.

And then of course there is the most beloved of all cherry desserts in France...

🍒 The Classic Cherry Clafoutis:

This rustic dessert comes from the Limousin region of central France. It is a cross between a flan and a pancake. Traditionally it is made with un-pitted cherries, which add a hint of almond flavor and keep the fruit from becoming too soft.

Chef Eric’s Cherry Clafoutis

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Metric (g ml)	US Cups and Tbsp
Fresh cherries (pitted or not)	500 g	3 ½ cups
Whole milk	250 ml	1 cup
Heavy cream	100 ml	⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp
Large eggs	3	3
Granulated sugar	100 g	½ cup
All purpose flour	80 g	⅔ cup
Vanilla extract	1 tsp	1 tsp
Salt	Pinch	Pinch
Unsalted butter (for greasing)	As needed	As needed
Icing sugar (optional for dusting)	As needed	As needed

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C or 350°F. Butter a 9 inch round ceramic or glass baking dish.

2. Wash and dry the cherries. Leave the pits in for a traditional version or remove them for easier eating.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until light and slightly frothy.

4. Add the flour and salt, and whisk until smooth.

5. Slowly pour in the milk and cream while whisking. Add the vanilla.

6. Scatter the cherries evenly in the buttered dish and pour the batter over them.

7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the clafoutis is golden brown and just set in the center.

8. Let it cool slightly before dusting with icing sugar.

   
   

Chef Eric’s tip: Serve warm or at room temperature with a spoonful of crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

🍒 Cherry Culture and History in France

• Cherries have been grown in France since Roman times. It is said that Julius Caesar brought them here from Anatolia.

• The French town of Itxassou, near the Basque coast, holds a cherry festival every year in late spring with music, dancing, and food stalls celebrating the local cherry called Xapata.

• The word clafoutis is believed to come from the Occitan word clafir, meaning "to fill" because the dish is packed with fruit.

• A French expression “la cerise sur le gâteau” or “the cherry on the cake” is used to describe the final perfect touch in any experience.

• In Provence, cherries are a traditional fruit of the Fourteen Desserts of Christmas, dried and preserved from summer harvests.

🍒 The Benefits of Eating Cherries

Cherries are not just delicious. They are also very good for you.

• Packed with antioxidants that reduce inflammation and promote recovery

• A natural source of melatonin, helpful for sleep and relaxation

• High in vitamin C and potassium, which support heart health

• Low in calories and full of water, making them ideal for staying cool and hydrated during warm summer days

🍒 Come Experience Cherry Season With Us

At The Walnut Grove Cookery School, our French cooking classes taught in English are all about connecting with nature, and learning the art of French cuisine in a warm and inspiring environment.

Whether you are picking cherries with Chef Eric in our orchard or learning to master a clafoutis in our professional kitchen, you will come away with more than just recipes.

You will bring home memories, traditions, and flavors that stay with you long after summer has ended.

So come join us for a taste of real French countryside life, and let the cherry season become part of your story.

Bon appétit and see you soon at The Walnut Grove Cookery School!