The season’s ripe and luscious fruits have cooks everywhere asking themselves those all-too-familiar culinary queries:

What’s the difference between a slump and a grunt? Is a crisp the same as a crumble? How can you tell a cobbler from a betty?

By any name, these classic American fruit desserts are sure to please. They’re great at any time of year, but are especially good now when peaches, berries, and other fruits are at their ripest.

So what is the difference?

That depends, in part, on whom you ask and where you live.

A grunt in New England is a slump in the other parts of the country. A crisp in America is a crumble in England.

These desserts, while decidedly American fare, trace their roots to savory meat pies or potpies that were popular in Europe. Fruit became a sweet substitute for savory fillings.

In the “Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink,” editor Andrew F. Smith states that the fruit dishes became a staple of American “middle-class, working-class and rural life.”

Because they didn’t require the time or skill of an actual pie, these rustic desserts were considered fare for family, not company.

Fruit desserts are family friendly and will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Because of their fruit and biscuit makeup, the leftovers also work well for breakfast, he added.

Blueberry Buckle

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

5 cups fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a springform baking pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Reduce mixer speed to low, and add egg and vanilla, beating until fully combined. Add reserved flour mixture, alternating with the milk, a little of each at a time, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Remove from mixer.

Gently fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle streusel topping (recipe below) over cake. Bake until cake tester comes out batter-free, 60 to 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 1 10-inch round cake or 2 6-inch round cakes.

Mrs. Kostyra’s Streusel Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until fine crumbs form.

Using hands, squeeze together most of the mixture to form large clumps.

Makes enough to top 1 10-inch round cake or 2 6-inch round cakes.

Caramel Peach Grunt

For filling:

8 peaches, skins pierced and each cut into 10 to 12 slices (3 pounds prepped)

1/2 cup granulated sugar plus

1 cup for the caramel

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract For the biscuit top:

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 cup cold buttermilk

Gently toss the peaches with 1/2 cup of the sugar in a large bowl and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes to draw out some of the juices. Strain the juice into a separate bowl. Rub the cornstarch and salt together in a small bowl, add to the peaches, and gently toss to combine.

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the remaining 1 cup sugar and the water in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and stir until dissolved. Stop stirring and only swirl the pan as necessary to keep the mixture heated evenly.

Once the sugar has turned dark amber, remove from the heat and slowly pour in the juice collected from the peaches and the butter; be careful, as the caramel is very hot and will boil up when the liquid is added. Return the pan to the heat and bring back to a boil. Once the caramel boils, stir in the peaches and the vanilla, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the peaches have cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Add the butter and toss until evenly coated.

Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the size of small peas. Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a fork just until the dough barely holds together; it will be wet and sticky.

In 12 portions, each about v cup, drop the biscuits atop the peaches. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly golden and puffy. Cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Best served within 4 hours. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Notes on making caramel: Be sure all of your utensils are very clean. Use a spoon that will not absorb the heat or melt. Keep the heat level consistent. Medium-high heat is best.

Watch the caramel at all times, and do not even think about stepping away from the stove, especially when the caramel starts to show some color. Never forget how hot the caramel gets.

When adding liquid to caramel, always remove the pan from the stove and then add the liquid slowly. The hot caramel will boil up when liquid is added.

Do not stir once the caramel comes to a boil; swirl the pan. If you stir, the caramel will likely crystallize.