Mulberries, Oil on linen, 36 x 36cm
T is for Toot, mulberries in Persian. Yes, there are lots of other fruit I could have used tamarillos, tangerines, tao sura or tomatoes, (thank you Diana for the fabulous tomato recipe), but mulberries have wonderful memories for me.
As a small child I would climb my grandmother’s mulberry tree in knickers and a singlet and come down covered in deep purple stains, with berries in a toy bucket and my tummy full. Did you know if you rub green mulberries on your stained fingers the colour will come off?
Mum would make mulberry jam and then in the deep winter Nanna would take out the wire tart forms, whip up a quick short pastry, blind bake it, spread it with jam, pop it back in the oven and serve it with rich pouring cream. Definitely not Masterchef, Nanna was nobody’s definition of a good cook, but totally delicious if eaten hot!
The wire frames ensured lots of heat aroung the pastry and a crisp crumbly tart.