Sunday, August 17, 2008

Peach Cobbler and Ice Cream: A Late Summer Treat

Last week I bought a basket of nice fresh Elberta peaches from a farmer on the town square. Yesterday I had four of the big juicy peaches left and decided to make an old fashioned peach cobbler (pictured above). There’s no better late summer dessert than hot peach cobbler with a crunchy crust served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Cobblers have been around for ages. According to The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, without brick ovens, colonial cooks often made cobblers in pots over an open fire. This hearty dessert has been a southern staple for generations.

In the book, The American Peach Orchard, published during 1913 by Frank Albert Waught, the following is written of this delectable dessert: “In the country home where peaches are cheap as air, and where home consumption is the main feature of the peach market, the people who really know what the peaches are good for make the fruit harvest memorable with a peach cobbler. Apparently this is not an aristocratic piece of cookery. The present writer has searched all the most approved cookbooks in vain for directions or even for a mention of peach cobbler. But it is too good a thing to be overlooked…”

I totally agree with Mr. Waught. Overlooking the peach cobbler when beautiful tasty peaches hang ripe on the tree is simply missing a tasty harvest treat.

There is no better dessert than a fresh hot peach cobbler with a crispy caramelized crust and a hint of cinnamon dusting served with a generous scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. It is a special treat that has been enjoyed for generations on the Southern dinner table.
 

5 comments:

Terry Thornton said...

Oh! You've made me hungry. Good photo of some good looking cobbler.

Terry Thornton
Fulton, MS
HILL COUNTRY OF MONROE COUNTY MISSISSIPPI

Anonymous said...

Bob, I bet you bought those peaches from my dad on the court square. He has had a beautiful crop this year. I have canned 60+ qt. and also dried several. They will be great those cold winter days!! Thanks for a great blog site. Jan Holley

Bob Franks said...

Jan, that's exactly where I got those beautiful peaches. And they tasted as good as they looked! Thanks for your comments.

Anonymous said...

Bob, now you've made every cook envious of that delicious looking picture of crusty "mouth watering" warm peach cobbler that must welcome one's favorite brand of Vanilla ice cream, mine being either Blue Bell or Braums. I live just a few minutes east of the Peach Capitol, Weatherford, Parker County, Texas.

What sort of bribery will it take to get your recipe onto the web site? I love a crunchy pie crust, and mine seems to miss the mark. Bettye

Bob Franks said...

Bettye, a big scoop of cold and creamy Blue Bell vanilla ice cream with a warm peach cobbler is culinary heaven. Blue Bell is one of my favorites as well. I'll dig out that recipe for old-time Mississippi peach cobbler and post it. Thanks for writing.