A Lancaster County Favorite: Peach Cobbler

Here in Lancaster County we are right in the middle of peach season. Huge, beautifully colored in their fuzzy coats of rosy red and amber, juicy peaches can be found for sale at almost every roadside stand at this time of year. As appealing as they are to look at, in a weathered basket on the porch or nestled in a white ironstone bowl in the center of the kitchen table, they are even nicer when tasted. Simply washed to clean off the fuzz and eaten from the hand, peel and all, is probably the easiest way to enjoy these delights of late summer-early fall.
If you want to be just a tiny bit more elaborate, peel the peaches and slice them. Add a little lemon juice to keep them from turning brown, a little sugar and some fresh blueberries. Cover and refrigerate them and then serve them for breakfast, if you can wait that long. When I taste peaches and blueberries together I always think of my grandmother because that is how she used to serve them. The peaches we had when I was a little girl were delivered to us in the city by a farmer from his horse-drawn wagon. He made a trip to our neighborhood three times a week in the summer. In my mind I can still hear his call, as he came down our block, “Peaches, fresh peaches, juicy peaches, get your fresh peaches here.” His wagon was filled with vegetables and other fruits, cantaloupe, watermelon, early apples. Peaches were always my favorite. I am so happy to be able to recreate my childhood memory in Lancaster County by visiting any of the many farm stands that dot our country roads.
Every week during peach season I buy peaches. I never tire of them. One of my favorite peach recipes came from the mother of a dear friend. My friend Molly and I drove to Gettysburg to visit her one day when she was in her eighties. We took her out for lunch and when we arrived back at her house, she brought out the most delicious-looking peach cobbler which she had made for us that morning. My friend and I were not at all hungry after our big lunch, but, of course, we had to have at least a taste of the dessert so lovingly prepared especially for us. Here is the recipe. I serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Peach Cobbler
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine in a pan and simmer for 5 minutes:
3 cups peeled and sliced peaches, 1 scant cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
In a medium size bowl, make a batter of:
1 cup flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup milk (You can use an electric mixer or just whisk the batter by hand until it is well blended.)
Place ½ cup butter in a 9x13x2 inch glass baking pan. Place the pan in the oven and melt the butter. When the butter is melted, pour the batter into the pan. Pour the peach mixture over the top of the batter. Do not stir. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. When the crust has risen to the top, remove from the oven and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Return to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Submitted by Vivian Abel
Pheasant Run Farm Bed & Breakfast