The Farmhouse Kitchen: Cobbler Time with a Summer's Bounty

Once upon a time in a land of sweet tea and sweltering temperatures, blackberries would grow alongside winding back roads in remote areas of the country, close to where I grew up. People would drive out into the wilderness, clad in fishing boots and carrying 5-gallon buckets, with one mission in mind: fill up the bucket with blackberries. And, if by chance said ‘people’ was my mom, we — my brothers and me — would be invited to tag along. Smelling of Avon Skin-So-Soft and DDT, we’d busy ourselves picking berries. Wild blackberries didn’t grow in rows, and I can’t tell you how many times I got my ponytail tangled up in a bush. The work wasn’t for the faint of heart. We’d pick some, eat a few, and I’d be fine until she’d say something motherly like, “rattlesnakes like blackberries, too, so y’all be careful where you step.” (I’ve come to learn that she lied when she said that) But, when we were done — covered with splinters, fingers stained with inky juice, and eaten up with chiggers — we’d head home to a Clorox bath and a nice early bedtime.

I have fond memories of all the things made from our summer’s pickings — jams, jellies, preserves, and cobblers. The memories of those summer activities are just as sweet as the foods that went along with them. Sitting under my maw maw’s peach trees shucking corn was about my least favorite thing to do, but the peaches those trees put out were the sweetest I’ve ever tasted.

Summer’s bounty should be enjoyed. Pick a few berries. Buy a few peaches. Make a cobbler or two. Use these recipes if you don’t have your own, and thank the good Lord that you don’t have to dodge rattlesnakes or briar bushes to put something delightful on your table!

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