I know that I shouldn't play favorites, but I can't help myself. When the sweltering summer sun tree ripens the southern peaches, there is no better fruit on earth. To lean over the kitchen sink and bite off big chunks of sweet peach flesh, sticky juice running down your arms, and that seductive scent of fully ripened peach bathing your nose, is to know unadulterated bliss. When I drive to Linda's Produce in East Ridge, my favorite local produce stand, and see the peck baskets of rounded orbs, all in a row, my heart rate elevates.
As a child, I remember my mom buying bushels of peaches, which we would preserve by freezing and canning, to be enjoyed all winter long.
That's me in the red kerchief, doing some peach quality control, also known as "sampling".
In 2009, while on a European holiday with our kids, we took several days to bike through the Pyrenees Mountains, between France and Spain. We rode through tiny villages, vineyards, and magnificent countryside. We came across a fruit farm, with a produce stand out beside the road. After all that biking, the tree ripened sweetness of those peaches and nectarines, eaten by hand like apples right from the stand, is a fond food memory which I savor.
When the peaches are hours away from being overripe, it is time to make peach cobbler. My favorite cobbler recipe is a fancy, southern version with praline biscuits for the topping. I have been baking this every summer for at least fifteen years. It never fails to elicit ooohs and aaahs when it is presented as a grand finale to dinner. It is best served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon. If you should be so fortunate to have leftovers, they are perfect for breakfast. And if you do not fall in love with peach cobbler with praline biscuits, I promise I will refund the minutes that have been spent reading this blog.
Peach Cobbler with Praline Biscuits
8 cups peeled and thinly sliced peaches (about 5 1/2 lbs.)
1 c. water
1 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbsp. melted butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. cold butter, cut into little cubes
3/4 c. buttermilk
Prepare the peaches; when they are very ripe, you should be able to just pull the peelings off with your hands; slice the peaches thinly. In a large saucepan, combine the water and 1 cup sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Whisk this together to dissolve, then heat gently to a boil. Add the peach slices and bring back to a boil; remove from heat. Pour into a lightly greased casserole (or 9 x 13 inch cake pan).
Stir the melted butter, brown sugar and nuts together with a fork and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and 1 Tbsp. sugar. Add the cold pieces of butter (okay, so sometimes I use shortening instead of butter) and work in with a pastry knife, or a fork, until it forms a coarse texture. Add the buttermilk and stir together gently with a large spoon, just until combined. Unlike babies, biscuits get tough from overhandling, so try to use a light hand. On a well floured surface, gently form the dough into an 8 x 12 inch rectangle, using your hands; evenly spread the nut mixture on top. Starting with the long side, roll up jelly roll fashion. Cut the log into about 12 pieces, each slice being 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Arrange the biscuit slices over the peaches. If desired, sprinkle the top with coarse, sparkling sugar, for a bit of added crunch and sparkle. Bake in a convection oven at 375 for 25-30 minutes, or until slightly browned. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Earlier this week, we hosted a dinner party and I made individual peach cobblers in ramekins. I am really sorry you weren't in my kitchen because that was one time, you definitely should have inhaled!
And finally, because we are talking about peaches, here is a story about three year old Derek. As a precursor to Kindergarten, my kids spent several hours each week in a small preschool. Being the youngest, Derek was so excited when he turned three and was old enough to follow in the footsteps of his siblings. I took him to the preschool screening so they could evaluate his readiness. Ms. Janet asked him all sorts of questions about numbers, pictures, and problems to be solved. Lastly, she evaluated his knowledge of colors. She would hold up a piece of colored construction paper and ask him what the color was. He answered promptly until she got to orange; it was a bit faded from years of overuse. He scrunched up his eyes and studied the paper carefully and finally said, "well it isn't exactly orange, but more like peach." Okay Derek, I guess you were ready for preschool.
