The barn at Delicious Orchards. Paul Goldfinger photo at Colts Neck, NJ.
This area has apples—really. But all sorts of vegetables, and exotic specimens. They have a huge display of green beans, but the price has gone up. Supply and demand. Free cider samples are there. Paul Goldfinger photo. The crowds were just starting as we arrived in the morning.
Paul Goldfinger, Editor. Blogfinger.net. 11/21/22. Colts Neck, NJ.
Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck is a very popular place at Thanksgiving time. They are known for wonderful fresh foods including produce, baked goods, meats (especially turkey now,), chocolate, coffee and much more, always first rate and delicious. It is a massive store, well organized, and a sight to behold. To go there is a spectacle and an exciting place. Their stock is tremendous, and there is a river of customers entering the store and passing the pie department; they are known for pies. It seems that everyone grabs at least one pie.
It seems like what it is, ie a giant farm store.
The bakery is huge and functions 24 hours per day now. It is larger than the store itself. One bakery item which flies off the shelves now are their apple cider donuts. And there is one glass case containing nothing but items spilling over with whipped cream. And the coffee cakes are amazing.
My favorite department is where they sell all sorts of candy, fudge, chocolates by the pound such as dark-chocolate-covered cherries., peanut butter, historic candies for those who can remember them, coffee beans, and other treats.
We went there yesterday morning, and the Thanksgiving crowds were gathering, and the entire place was festive and excitable.
But after we found parking and approached the front door, there was some milling around, and we learned that their power had gone off. Generators brought the lights on, and the check outs were smooth, but the colossal bakery was shut down for 2 hours, and the staff was concerned. The timing couldn’t be worse.
The bakery was closed for two hours, but that was enough to threaten their output. Yet the customers were still shopping their heads off.
It turns out that a number of towns in the region had transiently lost power, and the Orchard was back in gear a few minutes after we walked in.
Eileen has been planning for this one meal for weeks, We were on a mission to get our pre-ordered Bell and Evans 11 pound turkey. You are supposed to get one pound per guest. But Eileen always gets more than she needs, and we are having a small group. Over the years she has made many turkeys, but each year it is as if she is reinventing the wheel because she studies turkey recipes from around the world. In the end, it is a traditional roasted turkey.
No one ever goes hungry at one of her feasts. On the agenda, besides turkey, are sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, mashed potatoes, vegetable stuffing (a family recipe), homemade cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole with crispy onion rings on top. You don’t want to lose your appetite eating appetizers.
Appetizers will include: vegetable crudité with creamy tuna dip, seafood salad, mushrooms stuffed with Boursin cheese, guacamole and chips, cheese platter with bagel chips and olives.
Desserts include home made chocolate chip cookies, e holland sundries Apple-Caramel pie with ice cream. Bradley Beach’s holland’s pies were rated #1 at the shore, so you had to order in advance.
R.E.M. . “#9 Dream”. By John Lennon. Amnesty International Concert to Save Darfur. Magic in the kitchen–all over town; Thanksgiving!
“Dream, dream away
Magic in the air
Was magic in the air?
I believe, yes I believe
More I cannot say
What more can I say?”