KANSAS! Magazine—Hoffman Gristmill’s Classic American Cobbler

The fall 2018 issue of KANSAS! Magazine was just released and includes a story I wrote about  Hoffman Gristmill in Enterprise, Kansas. It includes this history of the first mill built by Christian Hoffman in 1868 on the Smoky Hill River in Enterprise and details the twists and turns, including people, places and trains, that made today's mill a reality. 

The recipe included with the story, is an adaptation of one my mom (Phyllis Newell) has made for years. This version uses “sifted wheat flour” which has 80% of the bran removed from the whole wheat flour. It is not as fine as all-purpose flour but can be used interchangeably. The mill uses Turkey Red heritage wheat, the same variety brought to Kansas in 1873 by the Mennonites. This non-hybridized wheat is locally produced in the Navarre area. 

Cover of the fall 2018 issues of KANSAS!

KANSAS! Magazine website: https://www.travelks.com/ks-mag/

KANSAS! FB PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/KansasMagazine/

Page from the story (A Kansas Staple—Enterprise's Hoffman Gristmill, pp. 30-35)
 Above -- Joe Minick running a piece of equipment he engineered  in today's Hoffman Grist Mill. It was Joe's vision and hard work that was responsible for the recreation of the 1868 mill
In color -- Joe on the left; Reed Hoffman, grandson of Christian who build and operated the first mill. Reed provided funds for rebuilding  the mill.
Photo by Emily Barnes, Abilene KS

Classic American Cobbler  

With available ingredients, including freshly ground wheat flour and fruit from the orchard or foraged berries, early settlers created cobbler, a dessert that is now considered to be an American classic. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup granulated sugar + extra for sprinkling on top

1 cup Hoffman Grist Mill sifted wheat flour

1 stick butter, softened 

2 large eggs

Fruit: fresh fruit cut to cover bottom half of pan & sweetened to taste with sugar. Could also use sweetened frozen fruit or a (30-ounce) can of pie filling

DIRECTIONS    

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease or spray an 8-9-inch round or square pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, butter and eggs to make a thick batter. 
3. Arrange fruit in bottom of prepared pan
4. Spoon dollops of batter over fruit; spread to partially cover the fruit. Sprinkle with additional sugar if desired.
5. Bake around 45 minutes until lightly brown.