Summer Peach Cobbler

Although Labor Day has passed, I'm trying to stretch my summer out a little longer -- if I can help it.

Seattle can certainly help it. September tends to be sunny and beautiful here, and so far, it hasn't disappointed. One of my best friends from college, Christine, has also helped to keep that summer feeling alive -- thanks to her obsession with peaches.

Every summer, she travels over the mountain passes and ventures into eastern Washington to the Yakima Valley. Nothing will get in the way of Chris and her mission to find Elberta peaches. Although there are over 300 varieties of peaches, she makes it a point to seek out those Elberta's. They are known to be one of the largest peaches, and she loves them for their juiciness and their amazing fragrance. The aroma is truly intoxicating...

She brought some peaches over this past weekend, so we made my annual cobbler recipe. It's fool-proof, super easy, and yummy. Chris, here's the recipe as promised:

PEACH COBBLER (adapted from Gourmet magazine)

1. 4 to 5 large peaches, cut into thin wedges
2. 1/4 cup sugar
3. 1 T lemon juice
4. 1 teaspoon cornstarch

For Topping:

1. 1 c flour
2. 1 t baking powder
3. 1/4 t salt
4. 3/4 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
5. 1/4 c hot water

INSTRUCTIONS:

• preheat oven 425 degrees
• mix sugar and cornstarch together, toss with peaches and lemon juice in a 2 qt nonreactive baking dish
• bake 10 minutes
• sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. add butter and blend with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal.
• stir in water until just combined.
• Remove peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of topping over them (you can spread it gently, but you don't need to spread it into a confluent sheet as the topping will spread while cooking)
• Bake for 20-25 more minutes until topping is golden.

Serve warm with ice-cream. The buttery biscuit topping is a wonderful complement to the fresh peaches. By the way, this makes a great breakfast treat the next day.



Hint: I do peel my peaches for this recipe, but the recipe doesn't call for it. If you choose to peel them, I found a time-saving method to peel them which will save you a lot of time and grief. Make an "x" mark at the base of the peaches with a knife, then dunk them in boiling water for a little under 2 minutes. Remove from boiling water and then shock them in an ice bath. Peel the skin off. The skin comes off with ease and very little effort...

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