Sunday, August 9, 2020

SUMMER IN JERSEY - PEACHES - OLD FASHIONED PEACH COBBLER

Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler


So you've taken the family on a great summertime family activity; picking peaches. And now you are wondering what to do with all of this sweet, juicy, luscious fruit. The answer of course, is to make peach cobbler. There is no doubt about it, that picking peaches with the kids and maybe grandkids is a wonderful experience. Kids, especially kids that live in the city, need to know where their food comes from. I can tell you from experience, it is a great bonding time with your family to get outside in the fresh air and sunshine, and pick fruit together at an orchard. There is nothing really quite like it. We have some really wonderful orchards here in Jersey, and I would like to share with you some of the best here in south Jersey and close to central Jersey. There is a small orchard on Buck Road in Monroeville, called Haynicz's Orchardview Farm. You can find them on Facebook. Also there is one in Mullica Hill called Moods Farm.  www.moodsfarmmarket.com This farm has a lot of "pick your own" such as blueberries, cherries, and peaches. A great place to go. Two bigger places to go, with lots of fun stuff for the kids are: Johnson's Corner Farm in Medford, www.johnsonsfarm.com and Terhune Orchards in Princeton www.terhuneorchards.com.   Your kids will so enjoy this time of family togetherness. You will be making great memories along with getting the kind of fruit that cannot be purchased at your local supermarket. Peach picking in Jersey runs from about mid-July to the end of August. Keep in mind that fully ripened peaches should be picked when they can be easily removed from the tree branches, otherwise they are not fully ripe. If you have to tug to get it to come off, it is probably not ripe enough. This is really important,  because peaches will not ripen after they have been picked from the tree. They will only soften up. This could give you a soft peach, but not much sweetness. Also, don't rely on the color of the peach to determine its ripeness. Green skin on any variety of peach is a sign that it is not ripe. Softness is somewhat of an indicator. The peach should have a little give when gently pressed. Fuzz is supposed to be on the peaches when you pick them. Peaches sold in supermarkets have been put through machines to get rid of that fuzz before being sent to the market, as some people find the fuzz un-appealing. 
If you need to keep your peaches for longer than 3 or 4 days after you pick them, it is best to keep them in the regrigerator. Otherwise, you can leave them out in a bowl for 3 or 4 days. Peaches freeze really well too. Now to that peach cobbler. 

Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler

What you will need: 3/4 cup of white sugar - 2 cups of cut up peaches (with or without skin, I leave the skin on) Mix the cut up peaches with the sugar, and let stand while making the batter. 



For the batter you will need: 3/4 cup of white sugar - 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour - 3/4 cup of whole milk - 2 tsps. of baking powder - 1/8 tsp. of salt - 1 stick of butter

To make: Set oven to 350 degrees. Put the stick of butter in an 8" pan, and then melt the butter in the oven. 


Mix all of the remaining batter ingredients. Pour over the melted butter, but do not mix. 


Last, pour the peach mixture over the batter, but again, do not mix. 


Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Enjoy.



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