A Good Old Fashioned Cobbler

 This is the season for cobbler. The fruit is ripe for it , especially peaches and it's a simpler bake than a pie or tart. It's also a great summer dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

What is cobbler exactly and how did it get that name? The recipe came over with the British colonists and it is a sub in for suet pudding. They were unable to get enough bread for a traditional one so they covered stewed fruit with a batter.A cobbler's top is usually made from a batter biscuit or, if in Britian , a dumpling top. As for th e name it was first recorded in 1859 and possibly derives from the archaic word cobeler meaning wooden bowl. Another version may stem from the fact that the topping may have the look of a cobbled stone pathway. A third explanation comes from the Oxford english Doctionary has roughly assemble or cobbled together . Earlier home bakers would use leftover scraps of  pie or scone dough to make the cobblers top over whatever filling that was readily available. Apple pan dowdy,., another great dessert is a cousin of the cobbler. This is where the dough is mixed into the fruit filling and baked.Another cousin is the Betty which is made with a bread crumb or crushed graham cracker  topping. There are also slumps too which are cobblers baked on a stove top instead of in the oven.

This is definitely the season for cobblers. Peaches are in season right now and they're perfect for a juicy , sweet cobbler. The cobbler dough is usally made with flour, sugar salt,  and butter. One egg yolk is added for color and body. You also need vanilla extra for flavor and two tablespoons of very cold water ( put a small cup of water in fridge for this). As for th e filling, if you are picking the fruit fresh, look for a perfectly golden hued peach. This kind yileds a very sweet flavorful fruity taste.As for the skin if 's up to you to leave the peel on or not. eigh peaches are used to make the filling. They should be sliced thin and pitted. Mix these with a quarter cup of white sugar, quarter cup brown sugar and quarter teaspoons each of cinnamon and nutmeg. Also add lemon juice and cornstarch  to the slices. Toss them in this so each are evenly coated. They're then baked in a 425 degree Farenheit oven for ten minutes. As they're cooking , prepare the dough. Sift the dry ingredients and then add the butter with your fingertips until it resembled a coarse meal. Add water and stir. remove the peaches from the oven and drop the  dough over the peaches. Then sprinkle an equal mix of cinnamon and sgar over the dough. Bake  in a preheated oven (arounnd 425 degrees Farenheit) for thirty minutes. Serve with a big scoop of ice cream or better yet a big blob of whipped cream.

I'ts summer and that mean'sa fresh peach cobbler. It's an easy make and bake. Create one for a lovely hot weather dessert.

Le Bouchon A Hidden Gem Along The Hudson

 Cold Spring New York is one of those idyllic towns with beautiful views of the Hudson River and a thriving riverfront town. It's quaint and picturesque, being only an hour north of New York City.There are some good restaurants there including Le Bouchon,a phenomenal Alsatian French bistro with a lovely outdoor garden.

The quaintness alone can draw anyone into this eatery that even has spaetzles, baked into a chic mac and cheese and a dish of duck confit. The restaurant is located at 76 Main Street,at the corner of Main and Fair Streets. It's on the first floor of  a charming early 19th Century building with a cheery red interior and ample back garden complete with a fountain and brick patio.

Despite its' meagerness , the menu has a wide range of different Alsatian  and American inspired dishes along with craft beers and wines.

I started with their Alsatian onion soup which had a good amount of Gruyere cheese and flavorful onion broth. The onions were plentiful and melt in your mouth tender.

I had to have the charcuterie plate which was a generous mix of mortadella ,prosciutto, salame and an in house pate. This last was interesting. It kind of had a beefy liverwurst quality to it (I didn't ask what it was made from, however). There was also a generous helping of cornichons, those cute but tart little pickles and a small cup of mustard..

Of course I had to have dessert,knowing that French restaurants  always have the best choices. I chose their flaky apple tart with vanilla ice cream.

This was a wonderful confection of sliced apples baked in a choux pastry and served with different berries and vanilla ice cream. The apples and ice cream were perfect together (I suspect that Le Bouchon makes the ice cream ) and the pastry was just buttery and tender. C'est parfait, especially with the accompanying blueberries and blackberries.

Le Bouchon is worth the trip alone to beautiful, picturesque Cold Spring, New York. It is a quaint eatery serving Alsatian food with an American twist. Head up there this fall for a lovely dinner , reminiscent of Northeastern France.