Serious Eats: New York
Jersey Dispatch: Delicious Orchards
A few minutes before ten on a cold Tuesday morning, a crowd had gathered in front of Delicious Orchards in Colt´s Neck. When the door clicked open and they pushed their way inside, every last one of them mobbed the doughnut table. There were pies, breads and sacks of those doughnuts in the front of the store, and a small takeout section too. A cooler held duck breast, porterhouse pork chops, and a fine prewrapped cheese selection.
But what really brings people to Delicious Orchards is produce. Beginning with berries and melons, then the apples, citrus, potatoes, onions, pears, peppers, cabbages, dried fruits, and through to the beets, mushrooms, hot peppers, and tomatoes. This place is a produce adventure.
If you´re a "local" fan, you´ll be pleased to see almost every item marked with its state or country of origin. Cauliflower from New Jersey, herbs from the Bronx (okay, the Bronx isn´t a state), and blood oranges from Australia all share the shelves. The fruit is so good here that even my wife will consider eating it.
I have my own favorites and this place delivers them in a way nobody else does. Seven kinds of pears including Stark Crimson, with a deep red color and rich flavor that reminds you of good pear gelato. Assorted heirloom apples from New Hampshire; I didn´t know any of the varieties but I still bought over three pounds. Three kinds of papayas, apples, apples, and more apples, and... free cider samples!
Tomatoes are a big deal here. Of course they specialize in New Jersey toms, but like those places in Baltimore that have crabs all year round, we Jersanians need our tomatoes 24/7/365 so there are canned local products and imports too.
With winter weather coming and farm markets closing, Delicious Orchards becomes the place to go for local (and brought in) winter vegetables. Collard greens, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cardoons were out on display along with all sorts of pumpkins.
Anything else? A pretty good dried fruit selection that included kiwi slices and those herbs; chervil, fresh bay leaves, and a host of other bunched and packed items. Great looking mushrooms from Kennett Square and eight different kinds of fresh and dried chilies including non-canned chipotles rounded out the selection.
On your way out, stop off at the snack bar (it´s between the registers and the parking lot) and grab a cup of coffee and a couple of those doughnuts. They´ll fortify you for the day of cooking ahead.
Delicious Orchards
36 Route 34, Colts Neck NJ, 07722 (nr. Route 18; map)
732-462-1989
deliciousorchardsnj.com
Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 A.M. through 6:00 P.M.