Tapas-sized desserts like this Clafoutis

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Perpignan, France -- France has a secret garden where fruits and vegetables flourish as nowhere else. On the shores of the Mediterranean at the eastern end of the Pyrenees, sun and rain are trapped by the mountains to form the hottest corner in the nation. Precocious spring vegetables are ready two weeks ahead of the rest, fruits dazzle with color and burst with juice. This is the Roussillon, the Rusty Furrow whose red earth colors the fields, the roof tiles, and the rustic clay pots in the kitchens.

At a village fruit stand, Madame Giljean is showing me how to pick the best melons. "It should be heavy in your hand, smelling musky but not fermented. Look for a female melon, with a wide scar at the flower end." She grins. "The female of the species is always the winner!" Accepting her choice of melon, I hastily grab the last bright boxes of strawberries. They, too, are amazingly fragrant.

I look around Madame's stand at the makings of a perfect ratatouille -- glistening black eggplant, giant peppers in three colors, craggy tomatoes with one or two splitting in the heat. The garlic is mild and fresh, bottles of artisan olive oil line the shelf beside pots of winter quince and pomegranate preserves. Prices are ridiculously low, less than half the nearby supermarket where produce comes over the border from Spain, chilled so all aroma is killed as well as much of the taste.

Farms here are small, the houses grouped in hamlets of three of four so fields are within walking or bike-ride distance. Following the traditional pattern, cultivation is mixed, a few acres of grain, field corn and handful of olive trees. Horses are big business, so is wine (though it's not doing well in the current world glut), and above all the fruits and vegetables. The largest wholesale produce market in Europe is located right here in Perpignan, the capital of Roussillon, a vast distribution entrepot for trucks, trains and sometimes aircraft as far north as Russia, east to the Gulf and south to Africa. Quite a contrast to the little farms that grow much of the best fruits in France.

RED BERRY CLAFOUTIS

In the Roussillon region of France, tapas can spill over from appetizer to dessert in a series of little sweet offerings at the end of a meal. One favorite is clafoutis, a batter pudding made in little dishes with seasonal fruits such as cherries, apricots or plums, with apples in winter. My favorite is juicy red berries, both sweet and tart. I aim for a mixture of raspberries and strawberries, with a few blackberries or blueberries added for contrast of color. Best served hot from the oven, clafoutis can be prepared ahead and baked at the last minute. A sprinkling of sweet wine on the hot pudding adds an appealing kick, but orange juice can be substituted. Use sweet Banyuls red wine or white Rivesaltes, Roussillon specialties, but Port is also delicious.

Serves 4-6

1 pound mixed berries

3 tablespoons sweet red or white wine, or orange juice

Confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling

Batter

1/4 cup sugar, more for tart fruits

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup cornstarch

Pinch of salt

1 cup light cream

1 cup milk

1 1/2-quart baking dish or four 6 to 7-inch individual dishes

1. Butter the baking dish(es) and sprinkle generously with sugar, turning and tilting to form an even coating. Hull the strawberries and halve or quarter them if large. Mix berries and spread them in the dish(es). For batter, whisk eggs and sugar in a bowl until frothy, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cornstarch and salt just until smooth. Stir in cream and milk. Fruit and batter may be prepared up to 2 hours before baking; keep them covered at room temperature.

2. Heat oven to 375 F. Stir batter to recombine it and strain over the fruit. Bake in the oven until browned and just set, 50 to 60 minutes (25 to 30 minutes for individual dishes). Let cool 5 to 10 minutes, then sprinkle with sweet wine or juice. Dust generously with confectioners' sugar and serve warm.

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(c) 2009, Anne Willan