Peach Cobbler, A Book Review and the Weekly Menu

Lightly sugared and spiced peaches topped with biscuits and baked to a tender, sweet deliciousness.

This dessert was inspired by the Memoir, Educated by Tara Westover.  Join me as I discuss the book, share the recipe and plan my Weekly Menu......



I was invited to join a new book club by my friend Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla.  This  is a facebook group that gets together and reads the same book during a two month period and discusses it on the facebook page.  It is called "Lit Happens".

We just started at the beginning of this month. The first book we are reading is Educated, A Memoir by Tara Westover.  I had to wait for a couple of weeks to get this book from the library.  I read it in two days.  I don't know whether I loved this book or hated it.  It is well written.  It held my interest.  I didn't want to put it down.  It deals with hard subject matter for me.  I lost sleep.  I cried.  A lot.

Tara was born the last child of a survivalist Mormon family in the mountains of Idaho.  Being the last born, her parents were completely in the depths of their paranoia that the world was ending and that the US government was evil.  Her older siblings were allowed to go to school up to a certain age but Tara never had that opportunity.

Her childhood was spent preparing for the end of days and the government takeover that only her family would survive. They prepared by stockpiling canned peaches, putting together bags of belongings that they could grab quickly and flee, and burying underground fuel tanks.

It is the story of mental illness.  It is the story of racism, bias, hatred and mistrust.  It is the story of extended family and community turning a blind eye instead of being brave enough to get involved.

But, it is also the story of resiliency, perseverance and survival.  It is the story of becoming educated, mentally, physically and spiritually.  It is the story of Tara.  Her memories.  Her perceptions. Her belief.

There are those that say it is not true.  There are those that say it is mostly true.  There are those who remember the incidents in which she speaks but remember them differently.  We know this because Tara tells us about them and their opinions, thoughts and memories.  She is not trying to hide anything.  She is not arguing whose memories are most clear.  She is simply telling her story and, in the end, her perceptions are her reality.  As it is with each one of us.

It is not required, in this book club, that we create a recipe inspired by the books.  Nor is it required that we blog a review of the book.  However, as with every book I read, I can't help but notice the part that food plays nor can I not talk about it with you, my readers.  So here we are.  I am reviewing this book and sharing a Peach Cobbler recipe.

Because those peaches were talked about a lot.   Tara spent months and months helping her mother can peaches.  When she moved away to college her mother made sure that she took some of those peaches with her.  All I could think about is how sick you would get of those peaches if, in fact, the end of the world were to come and you were the only survivors.  I think I would have expanded my canning and preserving to include other things as well.  And they may have but Tara mostly remembered the peaches.

You can use fresh peaches for this cobbler or you can use drained canned peaches.  You can find my method for canning peaches in this post.  You will also find many other applications for preserving peaches.

The method used for this cobbler using fresh peaches starts just like making canned.  Cut an X on the bottom of the peach, drop into boiling water to loosen the skin and immediately blanch in an ice water bath.  The skins will peel right off.  Cut the peaches into slices and continue with the recipe

Before I share this recipe though I want to tell you about our upcoming week and talk about what we will be eating besides the Peach Cobbler that we will enjoy for dessert tonight.  I will also be linking this book and recipe up over at FoodiesRead.  Stop by and see what the others are reading this month.

Yesterday we had dinner at Frank's brother's house to celebrate our niece, Danielle's, birthday.  Today we are heading to Mass followed by a Confirmation Class for Marissa.  When that is done we are heading over to pick up her sister to spend the day.  We are carving pumpkins before dinner.

The rest of the week is typical.  School, therapy, hair appointments, dentist appointments, choir, etc. Here is what we are going to be eating......

Saturday
Dinner at Dan and Rebecca's for Danielle's Birthday

Sunday
Caesar Salad
Lasagna
Garlic Bread
Peach Cobbler

Meatless Monday
Pizza Soup
Skillet Dinner Rolls

Toddler Tuesday
Chicken Calabrese
Mashed Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli

Wednesday
Out after Food Pantry

Thursday
Smoked Sausage with Mushrooms and Onions
Pumpkin Risotto

Friday
Creamy Cranberry Chicken Wild Rice Soup

#peaches, #desserts, #fruitdesserts, #cobbler,

Desserts

American

Yield: 6-8 servingsAuthor: Wendy KlikPin it

Peach Cobbler

Lightly sugared and spiced peaches topped with biscuits and baked to a tender, sweet deliciousness.

prep time: 20 minscook time: 45 minstotal time: 65 mins

ingredients:

8 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

1/2 c. sugar, divided + some for sprinkling

1/2 c. brown sugar, divided

1/4 t. cinnamon + more for sprinkling

dash of ground nutmeg

1 t. lemon juice

2 t. cornstarch

1 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

lg. pinch of salt

6 T. cold butter

1/4 c. boiling water

instructions

Toss the peach slices with 1/4 cup each white and brown sugar, lemon juice , cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch.  Turn into a 2 quart casserole.

Place the flour,  remaining 1/4 c. of each sugar, baking powder, salt and butter (divided into tablespoon chunks) into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times.  Add the water and pulse just until combined.  Drop in chunks on top of the peaches.

Bake in a preheated 425* oven for 40-45 minutes, covering loosely with foil if it begins browning to much.  

NOTES:

Adapted from a recipe found at allrecipes.com submitted by aeposey

https://adayinthelifeonthefarm.blogspot.com/2018/10/peach-cobbler-book-review-and-weekly.html

Property of A Day in the Life on the Farm

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