I’m on my vacation in Ocean Grove and one of my vacation joys is having the time to prepare my own food with fresh ingredients. A friend directed me to Delicious Orchards in Colt’s Neck, just off Route 34. I know that for many people grocery shopping, at best, is a chore but, for me, it is a culinary adventure (few things make me happier than a farmer’s market or a Trader Joe’s).

The store opened and all the ladies with their shopping carts rushed inside. The people who worked there all seemed either significantly older than us or exceptionally young and there was not a lot of diversity in the place. The staff was very friendly though and you had the sense it was a good place to work.

The space is very open and has a country store feel with low ceilings and no aisles. The first section we entered was the bakery where it all looked quite good and we were told items were made on site. We picked up a loaf of Italian style bread. Our fellow vacationer, Bruce, bought a pan of brownies and a coffee danish ring.

Next came the fruit — mounds of local strawberries that you could pick through and choose your own. There were melons, grapes, peaches pears, citrus, berries, dried fruits, and nuts. They also had prepared fruit plates and mixed fruit.

At some point this summer, I’d like to make another trip here to go raspberry picking.

Onto the beautiful vegetable section. Corn on the cob is a must-have on vacation. They had morel and chanterelles which fascinate me but my budget does not allow me to buy $25-a-pound mushrooms, so I got the portabellos to put on the grill and top with goat cheese. The mesclin and baby arugula looked so fresh and the parsley was super cheap so I got some of that too. After tasting their “ugly Jersey tomato” samples with sea salt, we had to have a few pounds of those to make bruschetta — which meant also getting a lovely bunch of aromatic fresh basil.

I eat mostly vegetarian food, but Bruce and my darling Chris are omnivores and thoroughly enjoyed the meat department where the hamburgers, fresh sausage and pork loin looked appetizing even to me. There is a prepared foods area too, for those who don’t enjoy cooking but appreciate wholesome food. There were bbq’d chicken tenders, stuffed peppers, spinach lasagna, and veggie burgers that appeared to have real veggies in them. The store also carries fresh pasta (I noticed ravioli made in Hackensack), fancy gourmet jarred food, cheese, fresh milk and eggs, and drinks like lemonade and apple cider.

The coffee and candy section was next. After sampling a free cup, I ordered a half pound of Delicious Orchards blend freshly ground — six of the world’s finest coffees make up this blend of higher-grown Arabica beans; it was distinctively sharp and medium bodied, with a smooth, rich delightful flavor

The sorbet I wanted to buy was made in Red Bank but was $8 a pint, so I went with the Ciao Bella Blackberry Cabernet sorbet. When we got back outside, I tried out a kid’s portion of their ice cream which is made in Staten Island. I had the butter pecan which was delicious.

The only real criticism I have is that the only organic produce they carry seems industrial organic (instead of small farmer organic). All in all, it was a fun way to spend the morning and we have a bounty of produce to grill and make some very healthy & delicious meals.

Delicious Orchards
The Country Food Market
36 Route 34
Colts Neck NJ 07722
(732) 462-1989
www.deliciousorchardsnj.com

— by Melissa H.
Melissa has lived in Hudson County for 16 years. She is passionate about issues of faith and social justice, politics, and creative wholesome vegetarian cooking.

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