In other, warmer parts of the country peaches are a harbinger of summer when harvests are ready by mid-July. In Maine, however, we’re a month behind, with only a few growers in the southern half of the state even growing the fruit. But our peaches can be nearly as good as the famed Georgia peach: sweet-tart, beautifully colored fruit that finds its way into pies, cakes, ice cream, cobblers and jams.
Peaches will be in markets soon
Kelly Orchards in Acton is highly revered for their peaches and one of the largest growers in the state. Foxes Ridge Farm is another peach orchard, also in Acton. You’ll regularly find them starting in mid-August at the North Berwick, Kennebunk, Springvale and Sanford farmers’ markets. (Note Foxes Ridge only attends the Kennebunk market). In Portland some vendors carry Kelly peaches such as Snell Family Farms and Uncle’s Farm Stand at the Wednesday and Saturday markets.
When you buy peaches look for those that are still somewhat firm, letting them ripen fully on the counter. What you buy on a Saturday will be soft and sweet by Monday. Don’t cook or bake with peaches until they’re fully ripened.
The modern peach is also thinner skinned, less fuzzy so that you don’t necessarily have to skin the peaches, though for pies and ice cream I generally do.
Here is one of my favorite peach desserts, an unusual cobbler that is old-fashioned and epitomizes a comfort-food dessert.
Just peachy cobbler
Ingredients
- Pastry dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick plus 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- About 1/3 to 1/2 cup iced water
- Filling
- 6 cups peaches (about 8), pitted and sliced but not skinned
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 4 tablespoons butter, sweet or salted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Pastry. Prepare a baking dish, approximately 9-by-12-inch or slightly less but buttering it well.
- In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour and salt 2 times until mixed. Add the butter and
- Pulse until the mixture is the size of small peas. Gradually add the water, pulsing, until the mixture comes together and is moderately moist.
- Divide the dough in two, wrap in plastic and refrigerate while you prepare the peaches.
- Filling. In a large sauce pan mix together the peaches sugars, water and butter and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring several times to prevent sticking.
- Spoon half the mixture into the prepared an. Roll out one of the balls of dough and cut into inch wide strips. Cover the fruit with the strips. Add the remaining peach mixture. Roll out the remaining dough in the same way. Cover the peaches with the strips.
- Put the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 45 minutes or long until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Serve warm with very good vanilla ice cream (preferably homemade).
Notes
This is an unusual cobbler recipe adapted from recipes most commonly found in cookbooks on down-home southern cooking. It’s absolutely delicious.
