Franciscan monks introduced peaches to St. Simons and Cumberland Island in the Golden Isles in the 16th century while Cherokee Indians grew peaches in the US until the 18th century. Raphael Moses, a Columbus planter, was marketing peaches in Georgia in 1851 and is commonly credited for being the first to sell peaches successfully outside the South. Peach production later exploded after the Civil War, when farmers from Georgia were looking for alternatives to cotton. They were so successful that during the following decades Georgia earned the fondly given nickname ‘The Peach State’. With the peach as the official state fruit (as of 1995), it’s only natural that in Atlanta and throughout the state, recipes featuring peaches are extremely popular.
Since Georgia is famous for these wonderfully rich, sweet peaches, it’s only natural that one of the state’s most famous recipes is peach cobbler. Making peach cobbler from scratch is the best way to enjoy the dish. The following recipe serves 8-10 and can be put together in around 1 hour
Ingredients
6-8 fresh peaches (peeled and sliced)
1 stick unsalted butter (melted)
1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
⅛ tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice from ½ lemon
Method
Preheat oven to 375°F, pour melted butter into centre of 9×13-inch baking dish, do not spread butter around pan. In a separate bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder. Slowly pour in milk and vanilla extract, and stir to combine. Pour batter over butter, but do not stir. Add brown sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a saucepan on high heat. Stir frequently until sugar is completely melted and peaches have released their juices. Pour peaches over top of batter. Do not stir. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until top of cobbler is a golden in colour. Serve warm or cold, or with a scoop of ice cream or topped with whipped cream
