Beyond Pie: Cobblers, Buckles, Grunts, Sonkers and Pandowdies
A hands-on in-person cooking class. Alongside the baked goods, a hearty snack of cheeses, veggies and dips, and a seasonal salad will be served with wine and beer. This class is limited to 12 students. Review our registration and cancellation policies here.
These rustic desserts, with their colorful names, hail primarily from New England to the South, and are the perfect way to feed a crowd and showcase the bounty of our summer’s fruit. They have a common core: they start with a deep layer of juicy fruit and then get a crust. Plus, the crusts are just as diverse. They could be anything from cobbler biscuits to dumplings to pie dough to cake batter or even buttered breadcrumbs. Many of them are baked in large dishes and are meant to be shared with friends and family. They are casual, stress-free, and easier than pie!
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Mixed Berry Pandowdy
Pandowdy, like cobbler, has its roots in colonial America. It was a frugal dessert often made with leftover pie dough and fruit. The crust is partially broken or pushed into the fruit partway through baking, creating a rich, rustic dish where the juices soak into the crust.
Apple-Blackberry Cobbler with Sky High Biscuits
Cobblers originated in British suet puddings but were adapted by American colonists using more readily available ingredients. The name may come from the dessert’s “cobbled” appearance.
Surry County Sweet Potato Sonker with Milk Dip
A soupy, deep-dish baked dessert of sweet potatoes or fruit topped with a crust or a batter. Similar to a cobbler, and it is specific to Surry County, N.C.
Blueberry Grunt with Sweet Corn Biscuits
Both grunts and slumps originated in New England and Eastern Canada. These stovetop desserts are named for the sound they make as the fruit bubbles while cooking.
Marry Me Peach Crisp (yes, Jennifer received a marriage proposal for this)
The crisp, known as a crumble in the UK, became popular in the U.S. during rationing, particularly during World War II. The addition of oats made it a more economical dessert while adding texture.
Plum-Almond Buckle
A buckle is an old-fashioned cake-like dessert with roots in colonial America. It gets its name from the way the cake “buckles” as the fruit sinks into it during baking.
No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream—Effortless mix of whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk (no machine needed!)
This menu contains the following common allergens: Egg, Tree Nuts, Dairy, Wheat. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions that concern your ability to cook along, please e-mail info@18reasons.org before purchasing a ticket.
Let’s Cook Together!
Jennifer Altman began her culinary journey at age eight baking and cooking for her family and friends. After a career in science, she followed her passion and became a pastry chef. She is now a culinary instructor teaching both professional and amateur cooks nationally and internationally. She loves anything to do with food—cooking, gardening, recipe developing, teaching, and is particularly interested in food sustainability.
