"Cobblers, Crumbles and Crisps"
August 19, 2010 - Volume 1, Issue 12
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Fruits at their Finest!
|  Fruits,
with their natural sweetness, are always an appropriate finish to a
meal or the ideal answer to a sweet craving. Add a bit of pastry to the
fruit, and the moment becomes even better! Classic fruit desserts such
as cobblers, crumbles, and crisps, are effortless preparations meant to
be assembled quickly without any fussiness. The results are simple and
simply divine.
IN THIS ISSUE,
we acquaint you with some of our favorite traditional fruit desserts.
You'll be prepared to visit the market in search of the moment's best
harvest of fruits and to begin baking. Baking dishes have never been
more colorful or versatile; we'll advise you regarding some of our best
recommendations, and why they rank high on our list. We conclude with
three classic recipes that provide a sweet finish to any summer
occasion.
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Ken's Notes:
|  BAKERS:
The perfect cobbler deserves the perfect baker, square or rectangular baker that is! The Cook's Shop stocks stoneware from Emile Henry and BIA along with enameled cast iron oval baking dishes from Lodge. If you can wait a week or so, we've just ordered a stock of glazed stoneware, 2 qt. and 3-1/4 qt., bakers along with 7" and 9" pie dishes from Chantal. And here's a first for Marietta - The Cook's Shop will be offering an exclusive Sea Blue (turquoise) glaze from Chantal, a color that Williams Sonoma, Sur la Table and other national retailers can't have! Want even better news? The bakers start at $20!
 COOKING CLASSES:
We've got a couple of good classes coming up:
Monday, August 23, 6:30p - QUICK SUMMER DINNERS - Gayle Shank will take you through the preparation of Pesto, Zucchini Casserole, Asian Pasta Salad and Sautéed Veggies With Angel Hair Pasta. $30.
Monday, August 30, 6:30pm - BARBECUE/SMOKING - Kevin Black from Blacksmith Barbecue will fire up the Weber's on our patio and teach you everything you need to know about smoking and barbecuing on the grill. He'll be covering cold, indirect and direct smoking, how to select the right cut of meat, and the difference between rubs and seasonings.$35.
Monday, September 13, 6:30pm - COOKING WITH DAVE RUBIE - One of our favorite local chefs, (Parkersburg Country Club), Dave will show you how to make flavored oils for salads and prepare a fish dish that will be determined by what's fresh on the day of the class. $40.
Monday, September 27, 6:30pm - PIES 101 - What better way to bring in Fall than with a pie baking class! Gayle Shank will cover everything from crusts to toppings as she prepares Pecan, Apple, Cream and Pumpkin Pies. $30.
CAKE DECORATING - Sometime in September we're hoping to have a Cake Decorating class with Mindy Barth. If you're interested, check our website or ask next time you're in the store. We should have this one organized in the next week or two.
All classes are limited to 16 participants. Registration in advance is required.
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Fantastic Finales - Classic Fruit Desserts
| Generations
of cooks before us have been combining summer's fruit bounty with their
culinary imaginations; we've been left with a rich legacy of wonderful
fruit desserts. The names of the different concoctions are intriguing
and entertaining all by themselves! Make a few of these fruit and pastry
combinations and you'll discover distinct personality traits in each --
all worthy of a repeat performance.
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Better Bakers
| Today's stoneware bakers not only offer a beautiful variety of
color, they have a sturdy composition that makes them endlessly
versatile in today's modern kitchen. Whether enameled cast iron or glazed stoneware, quality bakers are meant to last and become classic heirlooms in
your home.
 Practicality -
Baking in stoneware provides even, steady heat to the food. Unlike
thin metal pans where the bottom and edges burn before the center is done,
stoneware absorbs and distributes heat more slowly at first and retains
heat longer after baking. Quality glazes provide a naturally non-stick surface.
Versatility- Glazed stoneware provides all-in-one versatility. Bake, slice, serve,
and store all in one dish. Reheat your dish in the oven or microwave
the next day. Today's specially formulated stoneware is tempered to
perfection that allows it to perform at high temperatures, up to 500°F,
and store at 0°F freezing temperatures. Bakers move easily between
the refrigerator, freezer, oven, table, microwave, broiler, and finally
dishwasher.
 Durability - Our featured bakers are further distinguished in quality by their
durability assessed in several ways. The firing and glazing processes
create an "even" piece of stoneware. This means that stoneware bakers
are resistant to chipping and scratching. The hard glazes refuse to
stain, or absorb odors or flavors. Together, these characteristics
provide a safer cooking scenario and easy clean-up routines.
Style-- Our bakers possess bold,
beautiful colors in their glazes and enamels. Choose from several sizes
of bakers in the same hue, or mix-and-match your bakers across a variety
of colors. The classic glazes and smooth stylings
provide a graceful, ready-for-the-table presentation. Our baking dishes are styled with handles that are easy to grasp even with thick hot pads
or mitts; this allows for greater confidence when transferring a
finished dish from a hot oven.
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Smart Cobbler & Crisp Making Tips
| Tip #1:
 When transferring a frozen, filled baking dish to the oven, begin with a
cold oven and allow the dish to heat as the oven preheats. Lengthen
baking time to accommodate defrosting. Check the center of the fruit
dessert or casserole for doneness with an instant read thermometer.
Tip #2:
For crumb toppings calling for oats, choose regular oats.
"Quick-cooking" oats may absorb the fruit juices too quickly creating a
mushy crumble instead of a crispy crumble.
Tip #3:
Check your collection of hot pads and oven mitts for holes or thin
spots. Ensure kitchen safety with potholders that protect but are not
too thick or clumsy. New fabrics and styles are available that provide
insulation yet allow for greatest dexterity when handling hot items.
Tip #4:
At the risk of stating the obvious, a scoop of a rich vanilla ice cream
is the perfect accompaniment to a fruit cobbler or crisp. The warm
cobbler with the cold ice cream is a great sensation along with the
complementary flavors.
 Tip #5:
Choose a baker for your cobbler or crisp that matches the volume of
your recipe. Fruits will release their juices and bubble up during
baking. Allow enough space at the top to avoid an oven spill.
Tip #6:
For a presentation variation, use individual ramekins or au gratin
dishes to bake your fruit dessert. Take care not to overfill and serve
on a charger while still warm.
Tip #7:
Lodge's Dutch Ovens will also turn out perfect
cobblers and crisps. They have the added advantage of being useful on
the stovetop for making slumps and grunts.
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Q & A's
|  Q: Do I need to peel the fruits used in my desserts?
A: This
is a matter of personal preference and the quality of the fruit being
used. Tough skins will soften during baking. Most stone fruits, for
example, nectarines, plums, and apricots, will not require peeling. You
may wish to peel apples based on their variety, age, and your desired
results.
Q: The fruit dish was delicious, now what's the best way to clean the baker?
 A: The
sugar in fruit can caramelize along the edges during baking potentially
challenging clean up. Simply fill the baker with water and allow to
soak for a while until any residue is softened. Unless glazed all over,
including the bottom, it's advisable not to fully immerse bakers in
water; just fill the inside when soaking.
Q: My baked fruit dessert was very runny and juicy when finished. How can I get it to "set-up" better?
A: Fruits
vary in their water content and in their pectin content. Pectin is a
natural plant component that when released from the fruit causes the
juices to gel. Common fruits high in pectin include apples, plums,
currants, and citrus fruits, Low pectin fruits include apricots,
blueberries, cherries, peaches, strawberries. For low pectin fruits, add
a tablespoon of cornstarch to every 2-3 cups of prepared fruit.
Q: What is crazing?
A: Crazing,
in the context of ceramics, appears as a fine spider web of cracks on
the baking dish. Crazing represents cracks in the glaze and is
undesirable in several ways. Cracks in the glaze may hold food and not
clean well leading to an unsanitary condition. Crazing is often a
precursor to cracking of the entire piece of pottery. Choose quality
ceramics that resist crazing.
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| Cookbook Review | Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More
by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson, copyright © 2009. Published by
Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Photo credit: Sara
Remington © 2009. Available from http://www.tenspeed.com
A Gourmet Magazine Cook Book Club Selection
James Beard award-winning chef, Cory Schreiber, and
Portland's Baker & Spice, Julie Richardson
 This
charming book showcases a year's worth of fruit deserts in every way
imaginable. Organized by season, the authors walk us from the orchard
and berry patches, to the oven, and on to the table. Whether a crisp or a
crumble, or a cobbler or slump, the recipes highlight fruits at their
seasonal best. Each recipe begins with an opening context that puts the
dessert into perspective while highlighting the accompanying pastry
technique. We are schooled toward success in achieving the right crumb
or batter consistency for each pastry type. The close-up photography is
sumptuous and mouth-watering. We were reminded of fruit desserts from
our grandmother's table and simultaneously treated to the latest trends
in fruit and pastry desserts. Overall, a delightful addition to our
summer!
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Three Classic Fruit Desserts
| Nectarine, Boysenberry and Almond Crisp
View & Print
The
toasted almonds dancing on the top of this crisp were our favorite part
of this summer dessert. The deep purple of the berries dominated the
color of the crisp, but the dual flavors of the nectarines and berries
paired beautifully in flavor and taste. The author recommends baking
this crisp in a shallow baker to improve evaporation of these two very
juicy fruits.
 Apricot Raspberry Cobbler
View & Print
Part
cake and part biscuit, the cobbler batter pushes its way up through a
generous heaping of apricots and raspberries. The result is a luscious
collage of cake and fruit in every spoonful. The fruit juices released
during baking form a perfect sauce for the cobbler. A scoop of vanilla
ice cream would fit nicely on top of this dessert.
 Double-Crusted Pluot Crisp
View & Print
If
you can't get enough of the crispy topping on your fruit dessert, this
recipe is for you. There's a double dose of streusel, one on the bottom,
and one on the top, that vies for center stage in this crisp. While
pluots, (a plum and apricot cross), are featured in this version, nearly
any stone fruit or combination of fruits would be absolutely perfect
with this crust.
Reprinted with permission from Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More
by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson, copyright © 2009. Published by
Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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| Skip the main course and jump straight to a fruit cobbler or crisp dessert! |
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