Mixed Berry Cobbler

One week before the MCAT. The studying has stopped. Not because I am done — no one is ever done — but because there comes a point where additional studying does not add knowledge, it adds anxiety, and anxiety is the enemy of performance. MawMaw Shirley taught me this, not about exams but about gumbo: "If you keep stirring after the roux is right, you'll burn it. Know when to stop stirring." I know when to stop. The roux is right. The studying is done. The exam will happen and I will be ready because I have been ready since MawMaw Shirley put a spoon in my hand and said "don't rush."

I spent the week doing things that are not studying: cooking, walking, sitting in MawMaw Shirley's kitchen, watching bad television with a level of attention that the television does not deserve. I made gumbo on Monday — the full version, four hours, the long version that requires the patience I need to be reminded I have. The stirring was the meditation. The roux darkened the way anxiety lightens: slowly, inevitably, if you let it.

Priya got her MCAT score: 515 out of 528. That is the 91st percentile. She called me screaming. I screamed back. We screamed at each other for approximately forty-five seconds, which is the appropriate duration for screaming when your best friend gets a 91st percentile MCAT score. Then we both went quiet and she said, "Your turn next week." My turn. My roux. My thirty-five minutes, extended to seven and a half hours. I am ready.

Mama called Thursday to say she was praying for me. Daddy got on the phone and said, "You don't need prayers. You need sleep." Both are true. MawMaw Shirley called at 9 p.m. — late for her — and said one sentence: "Don't rush it." Then she hung up. Three words. The only three words I needed. Don't rush it. I won't.

The gumbo was Monday. By Wednesday I needed something smaller — something I could finish in an hour, something sweet and warm that didn’t ask as much of me as the roux had. I made this cobbler with whatever berries were in the freezer, and I ate a bowl of it sitting at MawMaw Shirley’s kitchen table while she watched her programs in the next room. It was exactly enough. Not everything that steadies you takes four hours — sometimes it just takes butter, berries, and the sound of someone you love breathing nearby.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

4 cups mixed berries (fresh or frozen — blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries)
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Pour the melted butter into a 9x13-inch baking dish and tilt to coat the bottom evenly.
Macerate the berries. In a medium bowl, toss the mixed berries with 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar and the lemon juice. Set aside and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the batter.
Make the batter. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk and vanilla extract and stir until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
Assemble. Pour the batter directly over the melted butter in the baking dish. Do not stir. Spoon the macerated berries and any accumulated juices evenly over the top of the batter. Again, do not stir — the batter will rise up around the berries as it bakes.
Bake. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the batter portion comes out clean. The edges should be set and lightly crisp.
Rest and serve. Let the cobbler rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired. Best eaten warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Mixed Berry Cobbler — The Other Thing I Made That Week