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Snax Online is undergoing a redesign and will be moving to a new location. Check back from time to time for a link. In its new format, this blog will cover a wider range of topics but also its usual five. In the meantime, keep up with what's happening in the world of books, art, food, film, and travel at http://www.FEASTofBooks.com --

See you in 2011!!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Bill Varney’s imaginative pairings provide a taste adventure . . .

Strolling down Main Street in Fredericksburg, TX, you might stop in at FROMAGE DU MONDE, known for its fine cheese and gourmet market—and the creative cookery of general manager BILL VARNEY! Varney doesn’t just walk into a room, he fairly bounces—he exudes enthusiasm and good will and meeting him just brightens any day. He is enormously knowledgeable about herbs and is the former owner of Fredericksburg Herb Farm where he honed his skills in raising herbs and learning how to use their delightful array of flavors in surprising ways to enhance any meal.

The day I lunched at Fromage du Monde, we topped off a meal of quiche and fruit with an unusual but delicious summer dessert. If you’d like to serve something different that your guests will love and ask you to repeat again and again, try this:















Lemon Verbena Peach Cobbler with Habanero Cheddar*

4 to 6 cups sliced peaches
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon verbena leaves
Zest of 1 lemon
A cup flour
¾ cup sugar
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
Cinnamon to taste
1 cup grated habañero cheddar cheese

Mix peaches with 1 cup sugar in bowl and set aside. Melt butter in 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Mince ¼ cup sugar, lemon verbena leaves, and lemon zest in food processor. Combine flour, remaining ¾ cup of sugar, milk, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and mix well. Stir in the lemon verbena mixture. Pour over the melted butter in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the peaches over the batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Then sprinkle with the grated habañero cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Yields 10-12 servings
*© 2010 by William Varney

Fromage du Monde is located at 226 W. Main Street, Fredericksburg, TX – (830) 992-3134

Bill Varney’s latest venture is UrbanHerbal, an online source for information about herb gardening and their use in food, home, health, and beauty: http://www.urbanherbal.com

--Rosemary Carstens
http://www.FEASTofBooks.com

4 comments:

Gail Storey said...

Whoa, Fredericksburg is the place to be for delightful culinary adventures! A charming town with scrumptious baked goods I remember well from a bicycle tour. Lovely people too. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Rosemary.

Elizabeth R Rose said...

Brings back great memories. I loved the Quiche!!

ClaireWalter said...

Peach season is still months away here, but that recipe is one to use when Colorado stone fruits come in. I like making cobblers and such, because they don't require pastry chef skills!

Claire @ http://www.culinary-colorado.com

Marian Thier said...

what is lemon verbena? peach recipe looks very yummy, especially when we go from no peaches to surfeit