Summer Fruit Cobblers - So Good!

From "Just Thoughts of a Plain Country Woman"  June 26, 1958

"With the very few first days of summer, we have blackberries, both tame and wild, to make into cobblers.  . . . I was reminded of a cobbler recipe that I used. . .  It is so easy because it does not need to be rolled out like biscuit dough and is so good it would make rabbit fight a dog -- you can use cherries instead of berries if you want to.

Heat one pint of fruit, one cup water, three fourths cup of sugar to boiling point.  Sift together one cup flour, one cup sugar, one teaspoon baking power and one half teaspoon salt.

Cut into this mixture two tablespoons shortening.  Add one half cup milk stirring as little as possible.

Pour batter into pan.  Pour boiling fruit mixture over it; bake in oven that is hot to start with, then decrease the heat.

The dough rises through the fruit till it is a crusty, golden fruity dessert."

 

Additional notes:  Shortening was used because it made products very "crisp" or "short" but nowadays, most people would not use Crisco but rather use butter.  Will produce the same product but just a little less "crisp".  

You will notice there are no directions for baking nor are there oven temperatures provided.  That is because this was a cobbler that was cooked over a wood stove, or placed in a hot oven when the rest of the meal came out.  The cobbler was then placed in the hot oven and continued to bake until it was time to serve -- nice and warm.  If you want to try it, heat your over to about 400 degrees, put the cobbler in and bake for about 10 minutes.  Turn the oven off and let it cool down as the cobbler continues to bake. 

Or you can bake it in a more modern fashion - Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, place cobbler in oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until dough is brown and crispy. 

 

Either way it is best when served with a big dollop of homemade vanilla ice cream and a nice cold glass of milk.