THINGS COOKS KNOW FRESH & FRUITY

Crumbles and crisps, grunts and slumps! These jammy baked desserts are some of summer's greatest pleasures. But what's the difference? And what's the best fruit for a pandowdy? Read on!

- LIZZY BRISKIN

COBBLERS, GRUNTS, slumps, pandowdies, crisps, crumbles, and buckles. While slightly different in their own little ways, all these adorably named desserts generally follow the same playbook, says Abra Berens, a chef in Three Oaks, Michigan, and the author of Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit. "Fruit gets tossed with sugar, goes into a baking dish or pot, and gets covered with something that bakes up crunchy on top and soft underneath. They're all so simple, but much more than the sum of their parts."

They're even better when you use summer's peak-season bounty, says Jocelyn Delk Adams, the baking expert behind the brand Grandbaby Cakes and author of Everyday Grand: Soulful Recipes for Celebrating Life's Big and Small Moments. "Fresh fruit-instead of frozen-will elevate the overall flavor in a way that's unbeatable."

Wanna make (and eat!) one? Of course you do! First read up on what exactly these delightful desserts areyou'll be able to wow your friends with an explanation of the difference between a cobbler and a grunt. Then go to realsimple.com/summerdesserts to pick out a recipe or two.

Cobblers