Le Plaisir Simple
“Good food is very often, even most often, simple food.” — Jacques Pépin
Some of my most enduring memories of Paris are shaped by wandering its markets, where colour and scent move like brushstrokes across the morning. At Marché Mouffetard, apples glow in soft reds and golds, piled high beside bowls of walnuts, their shells warm and textured beneath the hand. Bundles of herbs spill across wooden tables, greens layered upon greens, releasing notes of thyme, bay, and rosemary into the air. Nearby, flowers blur the edges of the scene, petals and produce sharing the same quiet harmony. These moments linger with me, returning gently to my own kitchen, where that market spirit takes form in something simple and heartfelt, like this Apple Walnut Crumble.
I think back to 2016, the year my daughter entered the world. So much shifted, and yet so much stayed true. She anchored me in the beauty of small moments. Soft coos gave way to school stories and quiet celebrations. Weekends unfolded into afternoons dusted with flour, hands working side by side. The counters grew messy, the air filled with warmth, and joy arrived without announcement. Through her, I learned that the most meaningful things are often the simplest, made with intention and shared freely.
This recipe comes from that place. Shaped by travel, guided by memory, and grounded in everyday life. It is comfort without excess, familiar from the first bite, meant to be enjoyed without occasion. A pleasure worth repeating, and worth passing along.
Apple Walnut Crumble
“Eat with intention, cook with heart.” — My mom, my inspiration for this recipe
Often, in the pauses between work and words, I find myself in the kitchen, where ingredients resting on the counter and tucked into cabinets begin to take shape. After all, who says an event planner cannot create recipes? I still carry the memory of the very first time I baked an apple walnut crumble. My daughter walked in, paused, and said, “Mama, I smell butter… wait… and cinnamon… and something else… it must be something delectable!” The glow in her eyes, that pure and uncontainable delight, remains one of the brightest moments I hold.
My journey with food has unfolded slowly, through exploration and small adjustments along the way. Many of my recipes grew naturally, much like thyme trailing along a stone wall in Provence. Each time ingredients come together in a bowl, simple and organic, guided by care, the result is always deeper and more satisfying than expected. Today, I share this Apple Walnut Crumble, practical and generous, carrying the feeling of home and childhood wonder all at once.
Baking feels much like coordinating events . Gathering apples and walnuts carries the same attention as choosing vendors, each offering something distinct. Small adjustments in the mixer recall the refinements of florals and tables, where balance is found by touch and instinct. In these moments, pleasure comes not only from what we eat, but from the contentment of making, sharing, and savouring something curated with intention.
This is what I live for, the small alchemy of butter, spice, and shared joy, the way a single scent can gather everyone close and turn an ordinary afternoon into something tender and lasting.
Recipe
Apple filling
4–5 apples, peeled and sliced
1–2 tbsp Kirkland Organic maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
1 tsp Gathering Place Organic pumpkin spice
Pinch of salt
Optional: a splash of lemon juice
Crumble topping
1 cup One Degree Organic rolled oats
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup vanilla or plain protein powder
2–3 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp cold butter or olive oil
Pinch of salt
💡 Protein powder works best when paired with oats and fat. It shouldn’t replace all flour—this ratio keeps the crumble tender, not dry.
Instructions
Heat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
Toss apples with maple syrup, oil, pumpkin spice, and salt.
Spread apples evenly in a baking dish.
In a bowl, mix oats, walnuts, protein powder, and salt.
Add butter or oil and rub gently between your fingers until crumbly.
Drizzle maple syrup over the topping and mix lightly.
Sprinkle evenly over the apples.
Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden and the apples are bubbling.
Let cool slightly before serving.
✨ Serving ideas
Best enjoyed warm, spooned with Greek yogurt for balance, or crowned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, make it a moment!