Writer Debi Lander knows her stuff especially when it comes fruit nestled under a cozy topping. But then she came across that combination in a whole new, old way in the form of Sonker in North Carolina. Let’s trail along with her.

Writer, Debi Lander, in a nostalgic squad car, playing the part.

Look familiar? That’s the idea!

When it comes to pie or cobbler, my nose leads the way.  I’d choose fruit pie over cake any day, and consider myself an expert pie judge.

Visiting Mount Airy, North Carolina, Andy Griffith’s hometown and the model for Mayberry on his TV show: The Andy Griffith Show, I came across something called sonker.  As Andy would say, “Its mighty good.”

If inquiring minds want to know, I’m afraid I can’t help! The fact is no one knows how sonker exactly got started.  But, it’s been a staple for generations in Surry County, North Carolina.

To quote the Surry Sonker Trail brochure, “The common belief is people made sonker as a way to stretch usage of their fruit in tough times, or as a way to utilize fruit that was toward the end of its ripeness.” Sounds like what I do when I bake banana bread from overripe bananas.

The crusts vary, but sonker is similar to a cobbler or a potpie because you use unshaped dough, often sweetened with sugar or sorghum cane molasses. Some recipes call for a pie-like crust; others incorporate a breadcrumb topping.  Why, you can even make sonker in a pot on the stove, with a crust akin to dumplings.  (I wonder how Aunt Bee made hers?)

My first taste of sonker came at Southern on Main, a lovely restaurant in the little town of Elkin, North Carolina. I ordered blueberry sonker á la mode for dessert. While the other diners were raving about it, I must admit I’m a pie snob. The baker used canned instead of fresh blueberries. I’m a stickler, so would rate this dish good, but not great for that reason.

Blueberry Sonker, a la mode, a popular way to enjoy the dessert.

My second tasting occurred at The Living Room Coffeehouse on Pilot Mountain (a thinly disguised Mount Pilot like Andy refers to in the TV series). Nikki, famous for her pickles, served up a blackberry version. She infused it with a hint of basil and added whipped cream on the side.  The flavor was too nouveau for traditional me, but again others loved the presentation, and the blackberries were fresh.

Blackberry Sonker on the Surry Sonker Tail.

After my nostalgic and fun squad car ride around Mayberry (a must-do when visiting Mt. Airy), I stopped by Miss Angel’s Heavenly Pies on Main Street. The third was the charm; I found some of the best darn peach sonker ever (or zonker as Miss Angel calls it). Her confection featured fresh peaches with a buttery pie-like topping and crust, crumbled into pieces and topped with a drizzle of moonshine glaze. Angela Shur, the owner, a native of Long Island chose to move to Mount Airy bringing just a tad of the north with her. She calls her version “zonker,” claiming that when you eat hers, you go zonkers. I sure did!

Zonker, a word-play take on Sonker that really hit the spot.

Eight places in Surry County serve the dessert, now termed a heritage food, on their regular menu and each is different. The folks in those parts say sonker is similar to snowflakes – – no two alike.

A Sonker Festival takes place the first Saturday in October. The Surry County Historical Society started the festival in 1980.  For more information visit: www.SonkerTrail.org or www.YadkinValleyNC.com.

Extra: Drinking around the Sonker Trail

Visit the Mayberry Distillery and pick up some moonshine. Van McCoy, surprisingly a retired monk and a hometown Mount Airy boy, runs the distillery. I found his tour a hoot, and not just for the generous moonshine tastings.

The Yadkin Valley is also a booming wine region, and became North Carolina’s first federally designated American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 2003 thanks to the efforts of owners Charlie and Ed Shelton of Shelton Vineyards. A getaway to these parts featuring mountains, bluegrass music, Mayberry, Sonker, and Merlot makes a budget-friendly and memorable escape.

Drinking along the Surry Sonker Trail.

Did you enjoy this article by Debi Lander? Enjoy some of her other articles on RealFoodTraveler.com. 

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