Perfect for a plum cake, a German recipe from Stephanie Alexander's Cook's Companion.
It has a batter on the bottom, a topping of halved plums and ground almonds (and pine nuts as I improvised) and a sugary buttery streusel topping which puffs up and crunches as the cake cooks.
My mother is a great cook, and being from the country it is perhaps surprising she doesn't bake more. It is also surprising she didn't actively teach me to cook, it was something I learned in my late 20s. She had to work, very hard, from when I was 11 years old, and if I asked her I am certain she would say that she just didn't have the time. Perhaps she was too tired, a complaint I am guilty of making way too often these days.
As much as it is tempting to be rosey eyed about mother - daughter relationships, the truth is that they are tricky, and that really hits home once you have a child of your own. I can every day see myself behaving in ways, both good and perhaps not so good, which are so similar to the ways in which my mother behaved when I was a little girl.
It is scary because there is something worse than behaving badly - it's knowing you are behaving badly.
(eat warm with cream)
Genes are very powerful and they come through in all kinds of odd ways. I know I get my obsession with putting food, jewelry, makeup, button, hair clips, socks and all other manner of things in separate and copious containers from her, and I also get the need to have everything spick and span before I can relax from her.
Having said all that, I am lucky to have her as a mother. She is a charming, warm, interested in other people person, who sets a table beautifully, is perfect at making people feel welcome and wants everyone to be kind to each other all the time.
And I can say all this knowing she doesn't text, has no computer or email and certainly doesn't read this blog.
Happy Mother's Day to you, I will love you always.
9 comments:
Dear Jane
Happy Mothers Day to you.. and your mum...
That plum cake looks pretty darn good ... I don't think it will last long!! have a lovely day... xxx Julie
Halleluia for Mums who don't read our blogs! You are right about the DNA thing. I'm cursed with my Mum's habit of talking to herself - it's quite a disturbing trait to have. And that cake looks absolutely delicious - my kind of cake.
Dear Jane,
Your plum cake looks wonderful. I wouldn't mind a piece of that myself ! We had Mothering Sunday in March, here in the U.K. so I have already been treated like a queen this year by my children.
Your mum sounds a delight and it was lovely to read your words about her.
Have a lovely Mother's Day Jane....oh, and I'm sorry if I've missed some of your posts but I've had computer trouble. XXXX
Your mother's good qualities sound very like yours, Jane - your warmth, interest and kindness show through in your blog and comments. I sometimes wish I had my mother's patience in my relationship with my little girls, though being aware of my lack of patience I try to conceal or overcome it. She set me very high standards, as, it appears, did your mother.
My mum and I share the same traits of obsessive tidying and love of cooking and sewing, all good traits I think, I choose to ignore those I inherited which I don't consider so good. Hope you had a happy day yesterday.
Engracia
xx
Speaking of mothers, mine kindly gave me her copy of Cork, Fork & Ladle, which you mentioned some time ago. She had some friends who contributed to it and although I didn't use it for years I now make a variation of Mrs Samuel Stephen's Tomato Sauce every Feburary. It is very splattered, scribbled on and dog-eared, especially in the Australian Country Cooks section, but my very favourite picture was always your old dining room (love that sideboard)! I have so often thought how wonderful an updated version could be...let me know if you ever want to do one! I feel it a snapshot from Mum's heyday and I shall continue to use it.
What a fabulous looking plum cake! I may have to try this one:) From what I sense from your gorgeous blog Jane, I think you have definitely inherited your Mum's warmth, charm and interest in other people - all wonderful qualities indeed:) Wishing you a wonderful week ~ Tina xx
Well put...I often think the secret to my good relationship with my mother is that we live 3,000 miles apart! Gorgeous plums, and how serendipitous that you have a bowl to match them so well. I may have to try my hand at that cake as soon as the plums come into season here. Love the idea of the pine nuts...
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