I’m writing this on what might be the last truly warm day of the year, at least in my part of the world. The stores and markets are filled with plums, and their rich purple reminds me of the warm, cozy fall evenings that make the end of summer a little less sad.

These plums are best served as a sauce over pancakes, French toast, or of course, ice cream.

Hands-on time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound plums, quartered and pitted
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp brandy (optional)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch salt

Directions:

1. Melt butter (2 tbsp) in a large saucepan over medium heat and let it just begin to brown
2. Add brandy (2 tbsp) to pan and stir, let simmer for 20-30 seconds
3. Add plums (1 pound), sugar (1 tbsp), nutmeg (1/4 tsp), cinnamon (1/2 tsp) and salt (pinch) to pan and stir
4. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if required
5. Let simmer for 25 minutes, stirring frequently, adding a bit of water from time to time if the mixture gets too dry or starts to stick to the bottom of the pan