Cobblers, crumbles, slumps and grunts: A guide to baked fruit desserts

There are few types of food, let alone sweets, that everyone can agree on. But if I had to pick one with widespread, if not universal, appeal, it woul...

There are few types of food, let alone sweets, that everyone can agree on. But if I had to pick one with widespread, if not universal, appeal, it would be rustic, nostalgic and casual baked fruit desserts. You know the kind: best served warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and easily made with whatever fruit you have around.

As to what to call the various types? That’s another matter entirely.

If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between a cobbler, crisp, crumble and a buckle - oh, and let’s throw the Brown Betty, slump and grunt into the mix - you’re not alone. And with good reason: There’s no agreed-upon definition for this class of beloved American desserts, and the names often vary by region or even family.

I appreciate this overarching definition from the 2006 edition of "Joy of Cooking” by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker that captures the breadth of the genre: "This family of desserts is based on biscuit or pie dough, dumplings, breadcrumbs, or crumbled toppings; the fruit may be cooked under, over, or inside the dough, or between dough layers. A few are adapted from European pastries, but most are American inventions, simple home cooking.”

Summer is prime time for these types of desserts. The fruit is abundant and varied. The desire to celebrate it is irresistible.