Plum Crumble

The Color of Royalty

Pastel by Vicki Smith...

Hello,

Purple is not a color that is readily associated with nature. When I paint outside I may occasionally see a purple thistle, mountains in the distance, or a stormy sky that can have a purplish cast, and for me, shadows generally appear as a mixture of purple and blues. The purple offers a contrast and gives definition to all the summer greens. Neither is it a color that comes to mind when thinking of fashion or interior design. Purple, in the not-too-distant past, was associated with mauve sweaters for gray-haired ladies and lavender walls in little girls’ bedrooms.

Once upon a time, Tyrian purple, a pigment from the mucus of several species of Murex snails was used as a dye for cloth. Thousands of snails were required to dye one garment making it so expensive that the Minoans, who first discovered its use in 2000-1800 BCE, forbade the lower classes from wearing purple. The color was reserved for royalty and priests, although I don’t see how anyone who was not wealthy could have afforded it anyway. I first read about this amazing bit of history and the economic impact that it had in the book Atlantic by Simon Winchester. The Phoenicians from the city of Tyre, in modern-day Lebanon, perfected the harvesting and trade of the dye from the Murex snails. They built sturdy ships that could brave the rough seas of the Atlantic where the snails clung to the rocks along the shoreline. Their ships were outfitted with two sturdy masts and sails as well as oarsmen; they were decorated to resemble tigers or dragons to intimidate those they might encounter. Roman emperors wore a Tyrian purple, and most British and European royalty still wear it today during special ceremonies.

Back in September, I noticed several mentions online of a plum torte whose recipe was published every year in the New York Times between 1983 and 1989 because it was so popular and easy to make. I rarely think of buying plums, but I bought large Black Splendor plums at my grocery store, waited for them to fully ripen on the kitchen windowsill, and was ready to go. When I looked up the recipe, I changed my mind for some reason, maybe it was all the sugar. I turned my lovely bluish-purple plums into a simple crumble with just one tablespoon of brown sugar. The Times recipe is delicious, I have no doubt, so please let me know if you try it!

Simple Plum Crumble

Ingredients

Plums, 3 or 4 large plums

1/3 cup whole oats

3 T. Butter, softened to room temperature

1 T. brown sugar

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

Wash the plums, remove the stones, and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Peeling the plums is not necessary. Spread the plums in the bottom of a loaf pan. There should be at least two layers. Cream together the other ingredients, except the nuts, with a fork or your hands. Spread the oat topping over the plums. Sprinkle the nuts on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until the plums bubble. You will smell the aroma from the plums shortly before it is ready.

Makes 4 small servings.

Thanks for reading, liking, commenting, and sharing!

Vicki

p.s. I have two still lifes in the Tewksbury Historical Juried Art Show which opens this Friday, October 6th, if anyone in NJ cares to stop by and say hello. I have heard that the caterer for the opening is amazing! Food and art go hand in hand.