PEACH COBBLER
Down our way, late spring is divided into sub-seasons. We watch them unfold, at the farm markets, the roadside farm stands, the restaurant menus and the community picnics. First comes asparagus, followed almost immediately by strawberry season. Word of mouth, and the telltale line of cars, lets us know which farms have picked that morning. Then comes the glorious peach season. Big boxes and baskets get loaded into backseats. And sometimes the dreaded sign goes up— “2 boxes per customer”! Canned peaches, peach ice cream, peach preserves, peach shortcake—we know how to enjoy our peaches. Peach cobbler, a classic Southern dessert—a hundred recipes from a thousand kitchens. Some recipes are rich with butter, roast peaches, rolled crusts and heavy cream. Here’s an interesting one, found in many church and community cookbooks—simple and easy to put together. Follow directions carefully.
Filling:
- 4 cups of sliced peaches—peeled, pitted and sliced
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tblsp orange marmalade
- 1 tblsp lemon juice
Batter:
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tblsp baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- Grated nutmeg to taste
Set oven to 375’. Melt butter in 13”X9” pan while oven heats–remove pan when butter is melted. Whisk together dry batter ingredients—add milk and mix until just combined. Combine peaches, remaining sugar, marmalade and lemon juice in sauce pan. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring constantly.
Carefully spoon batter over melted butter in baking pan, spreading gently. DO NOT STIR. Carefully pour hot peaches over batter, spreading gently. DO NOT STIR. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 375’. Top will be golden brown with darker patches when done. Cool a little before serving.
The Kitchen Hive
