Due to the unreasonably early spring on the Western Slope, the early varieties of Colorado peaches are already arriving at local farmers’ markets. Use them in this classic cobbler recipe contributed by Barbara Baker of Cañon City to the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
Baker also recommends preserving ripe peaches while they are abundant and cheaper by freezing them whole and unpeeled in heavy freezer bags. The skins will slip off after they begin to thaw when you use them for a Thanksgiving peach pie.
Another technique is to drop the peaches briefly in boiling water and then plunge them in ice water. The skins will slip off. Then slice and spread evenly on a plate or cookie sheet. When frozen, thaw the individual slices in freezer bags making them easy to use in cooking.
Want to match your cobbler with a Colorado dessert wine? Try a glass of Merlot Port from The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey.
Grannie’s Peach Cobbler
6 cups peeled, sliced Colorado peaches (about 2 medium peaches or 2 pounds)
3⁄4 to 1 1/4 cups sugar, depending on peach sweetness
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablesoon flour
4 tablespoons butter
Crumb crust:
1 cup sugar
1 1⁄2 cup flour
2/3 cup butter
cinnamon (optional)
To make crumb crust, gently combine sugar, flour and butter. Mix peaches with all cobbler ingredients and pour into 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan. Sprinkle with crumb crust. Sprinkling with cinnamon is optional. Bake for about 60 minutes at 350 degrees or until crust is brown and juice is bubbling. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.