First off I want to wish everyone out there Happy Fourth of July!!! (For everyone outside of the USA… Happy Monday!!)

Of all the recipes in my kitchen arsenal this one for my Mayme’s Peach Cobbler is the MOST special to me.  Mayme’s Peach Cobbler was served at almost every family gathering (especially on the Fourth Of July because that’s when the Parker County Texas Peaches were at their peak) and was almost always gone before the main meal was ever served.  People knew if you didn’t get a helping as soon as you or the cobbler walked in the door there would not be any left later.  Funny enough, more times than not I can remember the peach cobbler arriving with a few spoonfuls already missing… My Papa LOVED Mayme’s Peach Cobbler with the sweet pure flavor of the peaches, the tender dumplings, and that flakey delicious crust, it’s really quite irresistible.

I recently made Mayme’s Peach Cobbler for some guests we had over because it has always been my go to dessert especially in summer, but this time it really got to me.  See I haven’t made this cobbler since the day of her funeral this past December.

I stood over the pot while the peaches, sugar and butter simmered away and as that sweet smell filled the air around me it was enough to transport me back in time….  I was a little kid again and I was sitting by Mayme’s kitchen stove in my pale yellow metal bar stool helping Mayme make Peach Cobbler.

I cried.  But they were not all sad tears. Some tears were happy tears happy because of all the special memories shared in the kitchen with her.

So without any further ado here is Mayme’s Peach Cobbler Recipe with love from me to all of you!

Mayme’s Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

4 cups Peaches (fresh or frozen it’s really up to you!)

Water (about 3-1/2 cups)*

1-1/2 Cups Sugar

4 Tablespoons Butter + a little extra at room temperature*

2/3 Cup Shortening

2 Cups Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Ice Water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put peaches in a large pot and add enough water to cover the peaches by about 2 inches (that’s about 3-1/2 cups) Bring to a boil, add in the sugar and butter.  Stir until the sugar dissolves.

While peaches cook, make the crust.

Cut the shortening into the flour and salt.

Add ice water and form into a ball.

Divide the dough in half.  Wrap half the dough in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator. On a well floured surface, roll the other half of the dough into a thin sheet and cut into small dumplings.

*Dust the dumplings with flour and drop one at a time into the boiling peaches.

Let the peaches and dumplings simmer while rolling out the top crust.

On a well floured surface roll out the second half of the dough into a crust for the top of the cobbler.  Rub with a little room temperature butter, sprinkle with sugar, and slash a few vents.

Pour the peach mixture into a baking pan.

Place the top crust over the cobbler (the top crust doesn’t have to reach all the corners).

Bake at 350 until golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Serve the cobbler warm topped with Vanilla Ice Cream…. It’s the TEXAS way!!!

**NOTES:

In Mayme’s recipe she never specifics how much water to put in with the peaches…. In her old pan it was about enough to cover the peaches by 2 inches.  After a little testing about 3-1/2 cups of water should do the trick. If you cobbler seems to have to much juice then just ladle out liquid until you have the desired amount.  Remember it’s going to reduce some too while cooking in the oven.

Mayme used margarine instead of butter.  I use butter.

My Mom and I had a debate the other day because she said Mayme would add a whole stick of margarine/ butter to the peaches but the recipe I have calls for only 4 tablespoons plus a little extra for flavor on the top crust. Either way you choose you will  not be disappointed. Extra butter is never a bad thing.

Finally, Mayme’s original recipe didn’t say this but Mayme would always dust the dumplings in a good coat of flour just before dropping them into the boiling peaches.  As a kid this was part of my job when helping Mayme make the Peach Cobbler.