Tuesday, September 15, 2015

On The Menu: Summer Cooking Adventures, Part Two: Peach Cobbler

Now that my Sous Chef is back in school, I have time to sit and reflect on this past Summer.  It is hard to believe how quickly it flew, and yet I must admit to feeling a bit of excitement yesterday morning when the crispness of Fall was in the air. Soon, pumpkin-flavored everything will arrive and my neighborhood will be adorned with scarecrows and skeletons.  Autumn is truly my favorite time of the year.  It just feels cozy to me.  This is the time of year when I begin to seek the comfort of soups and stews and look forward to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season just around the corner.  So many familiar and iconic treats like candy corn, pumpkin pie, and the love-it-or-loathe-it fruitcake will soon make their annual appearances. 
But, what is the iconic food of summer?  Slices of fresh watermelon?  Burgers and hot dogs on the grill?  Corn on the cob?  For me, it will always be Peach Cobbler.  Warm and gooey and served with a heaping dollop of vanilla ice cream.  It is a winner with me every single time and this vintage recipe was exceptional.  The preparation is simple.  In fact, the most difficult part was peeling the peaches since I absolutely hate getting my hands sticky.  And, come to find out, there are few things in the world more sticky than fresh, in season, juicy peaches.  The only surprise ingredient included in the recipe was almond extract.  I have never used this before when making peach cobbler, but when in vintage cooking land, do as vintage cooks would do.  I found the almond taste to be a bit overpowering in the dish.  I think a bit less would compliment the peaches rather than compete with them.  So, next time I make this, and there will be a next time, I'll just use a bit less than the amount called for.  A slightly more almond-y taste than I was expecting was really my only criticism.  The topping was one of the best I've ever had.  It was dense and slightly sweet and absolutely heavenly. As an added bonus, the recipe stated that this cobbler could be made with frozen or canned peaches as well as fresh.  So, I think I'll tuck this recipe away until sometime in January. I'll pick a particularly gray day when the snow is blowing and the wind is howling and then, I'll whip up a batch of this peachy goodness and dream of the summer yet to come.