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Seasonal fruit makes for tasty regional cobblers Courtesy Damiano de Nicolo Wednesday Sep 27, 2017 at 12:01 AM Crisp, crumble and grunt; buckle, slump and pandowdy — they’re all terms used for a one-dish wonder that can be either savory or sweet, topped with batter or dumplings, and baked in the oven or cooked in a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop. A few more names for this easy dish are Betty, as in apple brown, and in the South, cobbler. In Georgia, that tends to be a cobbler made with a fruit that state is famous for, the peach. By More Content Now Disclosure: We earn a commission from items purchased after clicking on curated product links. ***** Crisp, crumble and grunt; buckle, slump and pandowdy — they’re all terms used for a one-dish wonder that can be either savory or sweet, topped with batter or dumplings, and baked in the oven or cooked in a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop. A few more names for this easy dish are Betty, as in apple brown, and in the South, cobbler. In Georgia, that tends to be a cobbler made with a fruit that state is famous for, the peach. One of the 50 talented chefs bringing the iconic dish from their state to the Flavored Nation event in St. Louis Oct. 28 and 29 is chef Damiano de Nicolo. The executive chef at Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Atlanta uses peaches for his cobbler, of course, but this comfort food is made from just about any seasonal fruit all over the country. In New England you might find it with strawberries and rhubarb or apples. Mainers like theirs with blueberries. Go to Oregon and try a cobbler with their famous marionberries or to New Mexico for one with apricots and even a touch of fresh chilies. Texas boasts plenty of citrus fruits like Ruby Red grapefruit, which might not be right for a cobbler but pears and figs certainly are. We’ve included a few cobbler recipes here, including Chef Damiano’s Southern Peach Cobbler. Feel free to substitute fruits like blackberries and even pineapple, or go nuts with a savory cobbler, a great side dish for the holidays. Find a recipe for a corn cobbler here, too. Chef Damiano’s Southern Peach Cobbler Makes 4 individual servings For the filling: ½ c. sugar ½ c. brown sugar ½ t. cinnamon 1/8 t. nutmeg 1 T. cornstarch 1 t. minced ginger Juice of 1 lemon 2 ½ lb. peaches For the crust: 1 c. all-purpose flour ½ c. sugar ½ c. brown sugar 1 t. baking powder ½ t. salt ¾ stick butter, chilled and diced small ¼ c. boiling water Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place 1 cup of water in a pot on the stove and begin to heat. The extra water is there because as water boils the amount in the pot will diminish over time. Combine the first five filling ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the peaches. Mix together until everything is evenly distributed. Add the lemon juice, ginger and peaches. Fold together gently. Split the mixture between four shallow enamel pie dishes and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Combine the first five ingredients for the crust in a bowl. Add chilled butter and work in with fingertips until the mix has a slightly crumbly texture. Stir in ¼ cup of the boiling water until mixture is smooth. Remove the peaches from the oven. Drop dollops of the topping on the peaches and put back in the oven for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the tops with a small amount of cinnamon and sugar. – Courtesy Damiano de Nicolo Savory Corn Cobbler Makes 8 servings 12 T. unsalted butter, and one more for greasing the dish 1 jalapeno, minced 4 scallions, sliced 4 c. fresh corn kernels 1 c. chicken broth 1 ½ c. heavy cream 1 t. Kosher salt Pinch of black pepper 2 c. flour 1 T. baking powder 1 t. fresh thyme 1 c. whole milk Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a skillet, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the jalapeño and scallions. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the corn and broth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 4 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in the cream, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Pour into a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and the remaining salt. Using 2 knives or your fingertips, add the remaining butter, cut into small pieces. Mix until it resembles crumbs. Stir in the thyme and milk. Drop heaping spoonfuls of the batter on top of the corn mixture. Bake for about 50 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired. — Courtesy Real Simple