DriftAwaySoap's Soap Box the Blog

Wild Grape Cobbler

August 31, 2010 at 2:02 PM (Bake, Drift)

I love berry hunting.  Every time we go on a hike, which is really quite often, I have my eyes open for new spots.   After this season’s disappointing blueberry and blackberry pickings I have been on a serious prowl.

The other day I had a hankering for berry cobbler and nothing was going to stop me.   The day before the day in question, I had spotted what I thought were huckleberries out by Mill Hill (that’s Dead Horse Valley to us locals.)  I took the kids and their friend out there to pick some but all the berries were overripe and bitter and splitting open.    Then I remembered that a few days earlier,  I had noted that the wild grapes out at Squam Farm were getting close to ripe.  So I took the kiddies out there for a look see.   Most of the berries were still green but around one particularly sunny corner we hit the jackpot.   I filled half of my son’s small beach pail with dark ripe grapes and scurried on back to the kitchen.

I had never heard of anyone making a grape cobbler before.  Especially not with wild grapes.  Although quite tasty, wild grapes are still quite tart and have really big seeds.   The obvious problem would be how to remove those.

First, I separated the skins from the pulp.  Most came out easy peezy with a little squeezing but some needed a little prodding with a knife.  Then, I put the pulps and seeds in pot and simmered for a few minutes until it all went soft.   I mashed the pulp through a strainer until all the seeds were left behind.  Then I put all the juicy pulp and about half of the skins plus a 1/4 cup of sugar into the bottom of a small square pan.

I mixed up a simple topping by combining the following in a bowl:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt

Then I cut in by hand:

• one stick of cold butter

And mixed in:

• one egg

I dropped big spoonfuls of the topping on top of the grapes and baked for 30 some minutes at 375 degrees.

The hardest part was waiting until after dinner to eat it.

My brother in law came by later and both he and my husband proclaimed that this cobbler was epic.   They raved on and on about how outstandingly delicious it was.

Win.