Not Just A Colorful Term For Prospectors: Sourdough Blackberry Cobbler

I mentioned at the start of the week that "sourdough" meant "Alaskan old timer." That's true, of course, but we can't forget the tasty origin of that word. Alaska "Sourdough" Cookin' has a whole chapter on actual sourdough recipes. All of them require that you have a sourdough starter -- if anyone out there doesn't have one, or doesn't know about the care and feeding of one, chime in, and I'll post something to help you out. As we wrap up the week, I'd like to focus on some sourdough:

Sourdough Blackberry Cobbler

1 1/2 cups starter
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening
Blackberry filling

Put the flour into large bowl. Stir 1 tsp. salt into the flour. Cut 1/2 cup shortening into the flour until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Ad the starter while stirring with a wooden spoon. Work all the flour and batter together until it is one big ball of dough. Divide the dough into two parts, one of which is a little larger than the other. Roll the larger half into a rectangle about 12x16-in. and line a 9x13x2-in. baking pan with it. The pan does not need to be greased. Pour in your favorite blackberry filling. Roll remaining dough into a 9x13-in. rectangle and cut slits in it as you would a pie crust. Place this on top of the filling. Moisten the edges of the top crust and then fold the lining crust over the moistened edges. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or until brown. You may use cherry, apple, peach or other fillings which make good cobblers.

First off, I'm not sure I'd call this a cobbler. It has a top and bottom crust, both of which together completely encompass the filling. In my book, that makes this a PIE. Pie is a good thing. Pie is a nigh-on sacred thing. But it is PIE, not COBBLER.

Also, I'm just about as horrified as can be by the ingredient list. "Blackberry filling"? "Blackberry filling"?!?!? Please. Promise me if you do this, you'll use fresh berries. Sprinkle them with sugar, mash them a bit, and let them sit long enough to have some nice juices come out. But... don't use "blackberry filling."

You'll be so much happier if you use fresh.