I remember clearly the first time I discovered pommes violettes in France, it was in Pezenas market and I did a double take of the small and extremely purple spuds and bought a couple of kilos straight away. I have always loved aubergines in their lustrous purple cloaks. Plump grapes so purple they are black. Figs with their velvet to the touch veins. The maze of red and white that makes red cabbage a tight and crunchy delight. The mystery of purple heritage carrots, were they really like this in the old days?
Last year I was fascinated by a BBC’s Secrets of Food episode featuring Okinawa in Japan where scientific tests indicated that a local purple yam could well contribute to the exceptionally long life people enjoyed in this part of Japan.
This was the first time I heard about this study. I was way behind! My research revealed many studies of the Okinawa diet, not just the yam, and the way of life of these people who have amazing longevity.
Anyhow this got me thinking about wonderful French markets and pommes violettes, and how I much purple food I do actually love to consume. It was and continues to be inspiration for my everyday cooking. I noted on a recent Masterchef (BBC TV) that chefs’ inclusion of purple food was not met with enthusiasm on the basis it didn’t look good – time for a rethink guys!
Black, red or sable grapes, blueberries, blackberries, black currants and plums all feature in my purple haze. Variety is not only the spice of life but could also be responsible for prolonging it.
Nutritionally purple foods are rich in anthocyanin an antioxidant present in purple food along with peonidin and cyanidin, which are two types of anthocyanins, a potent class of antioxidants.
