Talk to a Southerner and they'll tell you that cobbler is a "Southern thing." Ask a Northerner and they will lay claim to it, although they may refer to it as a Brown Betty or a buckle.

Cobblers have appeared in both European and American cookbooks since the 19th century and they were probably around for another century or so before that. They may have gotten their beginnings as meat and vegetable dishes and over the years, evolved into desserts.

Some of the many names given to them are pandowdy, grunt, brown betty, slump buckle, crisp, croustade, bird's nest pudding and crow's nest pudding. The names may differ, but they all share the same things: seasonal fruits and berries with a top crust. It's a true testament that a recipe doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious.

With Floridians' easy access to the peaches in season, this dish is a perfect match for this time of year. Try finding fresh, organic peaches or blueberries at the Green Market on Fridays and Saturdays. Also, if you'd like to find a gluten-free substitute for the crust mix, Richard's Foodporium next to Serendipity at 664 Main St. is your best bet.

Once you’ve mastered this dish, try using different berries and fruits in the recipe. Baking and cooking should be fun, so get creative and don’t ever be afraid to try new things.

You may substitute thawed, frozen blackberries if you can’t find fresh. Also, when peaches are out of season, use thawed or canned peaches. Just don’t get the canned peaches in heavy syrup, they’re too sweet.

Peachy Blackberry Cobbler

(Makes 12 servings)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 ½ cups, plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 ¼ lb. (5 cups) blackberries

2 lb. (6 medium) peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into ½-inch thick  wedges

3 cups biscuit mix, such as Bisquick

1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 425 F, and generously butter a 9 x 13-inch baking or casserole dish.

1.  Whisk together cornstarch and 1 ½ cups sugar in a large bowl. Add blackberries and peaches (without juice, if using canned) and stir to combine. Transfer to baking dish and bake 10 to 15 minutes until just starting to bubble. Remove from oven.

2.  While the fruit is in the oven, combine the biscuit mix and milk in a bowl and mix until just combined.

3.  In baking dish, on top of fruit, drop 12 spoonfuls of biscuit dough (about 1/3 cup each). Sprinkle dough with remaining teaspoon of sugar.

4.  Bake 25 to 35 minutes, until top is a golden brown. Serve warm on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.