When you're a Yankee reared by a southern woman, one of the many dishes you must learn how to make is a peach cobbler. It's most often served with homemade vanilla ice cream. Family picnics always ended with the magical moment of eating peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream--memory making moments that last a life time.

So when free stone peaches are finally available, I just can't help myself: it's time to make a peach cobbler.

For me, the key to a good peach cobbler is to use ripe free stone peaches; not to use too much sugar; and allow the cobber to cool so that the syrup can develop.

The topping, a kind of sweet biscuit need not cover the entire dish. Spooning out a small portion of the batter along with peaches is more than enough to enjoy the great flavors and textures of a peach cobbler.

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The Recipe
Serves 8-10

Prep time: about 20 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes

Suggested tools: Non-reactive bowl, Dutch oven and 7-1/2" x 11" baking dish

Ingredients for Filling

6 large RIPE free stone peaches, pit removed and sliced thinly
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon corn starch
1-1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup of boiling water (or milk)
Sprinkle of nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

For Filling
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Toss together peaches, sugar, lemon juice and corn starch
Transfer ingredients to a Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat.
Lower to medium heat, stirring frequently, simmer ingredients for 8-10 minutes
Remove from heat, pour into baking dish and set aside

For Topping
Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
Add butter and, using a fork, mash butter into dry mixture, to get a coarse meal-like texture
Mix in the water
Divide dough into about 6 lumps and drop on top of the peaches (the dough will spread a little)
Sprinkle topping and peaches with nutmeg

Place dish on middle rack of oven and bake 25 minutes. Allow the baked peach cobbler to cool and syrup to thicken. Serve with vanilla ice cream--please!