When I think of Summertime desserts, the first thing that comes to mind is a Cobbler. I grew up eating Cobblers, though the version I am used to is different than the Southern version. To me the difference is not so much in the way the fruit is prepared, but in the way the top is handled. The Southern version from my research seems to handle the top in two ways. Either a pastry crust that seals in the filling or a dumpling aka biscuit top that floats in the syrupy fruit in the dish. After making this Peach Cobbler, my vote is for the South.

This will be the first post of my Short & Sweet series, that I will be highlighting this coming week. Short & Sweet because the husband just informed me that he would like me to pack and move into our newly renovated home before and this is the kicker; I get in a car next Thursday to drive to Old Lyme, Connecticut for 20 some odd hours in two days.

Yep, just sprung this on me two days ago in passing mind you. Not a Kim, I would like to know how you feel about moving before you go? Or a, can you get packed that quick and unpacked even faster? No, I got this sprung on me while some friends came by to see our progress late Tuesday.

I just happened to be there when they said, when are you moving in?

My response, about 3 to 4 weeks.

The husband replies, next week.

Next week?

Sure, before you go to New England.

Oh, you have got to be kidding. When were you going to tell me?

Now. I am telling you now that I’d like to move in before you go rather than after you go.

I know this might not seem like that big a deal. I mean, I have a whole week to pack and get moved. It’s just that I am neat and organized and move differently than most people. Everything is planned out in my brain, and on paper, so the movers don’t have to move furniture more than once and I can get done what needs to be done.

I also, and this is the kicker, get unpacked in two days tops. This means you could come by my home and any trace of a move has disappeared within two days of my move. No boxes, everything put up, pictures hung, house in order, clean and food on the table.

The husband’s plan does not take this into account. You could visit him at any point, as much as 4 years later and ask, oh did you just move in? The boxes in a corner or in the center of the room is a dead giveaway.

So, from now till I get to New England which will be next Saturday; short and sweet it is. A few sentences along with a recipe and photos. For some of you this might be exciting as I tend to write long posts. I hope all that visit are happy either way. Hopefully, I can manage to cook as my kitchen goes into boxes. This is going to be a surprise for us both, and luckily I am pretty good at campfires in case I can’t find a pot or pan.

For those of you that are interested, I have some major and I mean major plans to do some serious cooking with my serious cooking family for two weeks. For the most part we are talking good Yankee food with a healthy dose of Southern cooking as my family has requested a few Southern meals from me.

If this goes according to plan, it is going to be fantastic. I say according to plan, because I have a tendency to go into overload around them and retreat to the safe age of 10 yrs. In extreme instances, the age of 5 works well as a coping method. You see my family is loud, and I am the quiet one, most of the time I can’t hear myself think. This is not good, as I do a lot of thinking.

My family are all accomplished cooks, yet it takes 5 people to chop an onion. One to do the actual chopping and the other 4 to give instructions. With that said, I have my therapists phone number on speed dial in case of an emergency. I am not afraid to push that number either, especially if it is down to my coming away from vacation alive and sane.

So back to the food, actually I never was there. Peach Cobbler, not just a Peach Cobbler or any Peach Cobbler. This is the best Peach Cobbler I have ever had in my life. I hit the jack-pot when my daughter M’s co-worker G gave me a bushel of peaches freshly picked from a South Carolina orchard. Fabulous yellow peaches and I am in Heaven.

I did a lot of research on Southern Cobblers and let me tell you there are many versions. You’d think they would get together and have some sort of consensus on what makes a true Southern Cobbler. But no, it runs the gamut from a pie crust to a dumpling top. I decided on the dumplings aka biscuits because I am pied out. I also combined two recipes by error, can’t follow directions again. Caught the mistake just as I was putting on the dumplings. Too late ,and I am glad because I really liked my version.

First thing I did was prepare the fruit. I then baked it in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes till hot and bubbly. I then carefully pressed into the hot fruit the dumplings, so the fruit and juices now oozed around the dough. A brushing of heavy cream on top followed by a sprinkle of sugar and back into the hot oven for 20 minutes.

The result; peaches that were cooked but had a touch of firmness, not too sweet syrup that bathed the peaches and the best dumplings aka biscuits that I have ever had on a cobbler. Crispy tops with softish bottoms that soaked up the juice underneath just enough without getting soggy. Light, crisp buttery, need I say more. I haven’t even gotten to the part where I poured heavy cream around it which made for a great breakfast.

I have no shame when it comes to calories anymore and you could easily add ice cream, I just wasn’t in the mood at 9 am.

But, a few hours later and Peach Ice Cream is being churned. As the ice cream is churning, I am getting in the mood for a seconds..

Even though my peaches were clingers, they were a snap to peel and I just sliced and cut into the pit. The flesh fell of and in no time at all I had a bushel of peaches peeled and ready for cooking. Thank you G the peaches were wonderful!

BTW, I realize that this was anything but short & sweet. It seems it took me a long time to tell you that my posts were going to be short for a week. I might want to rethink my take on a short & sweet post.

Peach Cobbler

Adapted from Scott Peacock & Edna Lewis, The Gift of Southern Cooking

The Filling: Actually I think you could use just about any fruit for this-

6-8 cups of peeled, sliced peaches

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

4 tablespoons cold butter

The Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons homemade baking powder( see home page recipe for this)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons chilled butter cut into pieces

3/4 cup half and half

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Prepare you peaches and put them in a 2 quart baking dish
• Mix the filling ingredients except butter together.
• Sprinkle on top of peaches.
• Put small chunks of butter on top of peaches and bake for 20 minutes in a hot oven.

While the peaches are cooking make the dumpling dough.

• Sift the flour with the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.
• Using your fingers or two forks, quickly work the butter into the flour till it is the texture of cornmeal.
• Pour the half and half over the mixture and stir till it comes together. It will be softish and somewhat sticky.
• Put out onto a floured board and give it a good knead with about 6 turns.
• Roll out into a 1/2 thick disk.
• Cut with round cutters 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter.
• Using a pastry brush coat the top of the dumplings with a wash of heavy cream.
• When the peaches come out of the oven being careful not to burn yourself gently lay the dumplings on top gently pushing down into the peaches somewhat. Just enough so you see some syrup oozing around the dough.
• Sprinkle the top with sugar.
• Put back into the hot oven and bake for 15-20 minutes till dumplings are nicely browned and done. You may have to cover with foil to prevent over browning.

This recipe is almost identical to the biscuits I made a while back. It is also the same dough I use to make shortbreads with. It never fails me. Just be sure to make your own baking powder. I can’t stress this enough as you will see a world of difference in all your baking.