Delicious Orchards Favorites?

[yankeefan]

OK- so what is everyone's favorite items from D.O.?

Im probably forgetting some things, but tops on my list are:

- fresh figs
- sun-dried red peppers
- muffin bread
- of course, apple cider doughnuts
- fresh wheat pasta
- apricots
- dried strawberries
- dried cantaloupe

Im interested to hear others.

[Rogsmom]

I love their apple cider donuts, chocolate chip cookies, mushrooms and tomatoes.

[The Megadon]

someone mentioned the almond butter cookies and i wholeheartedly agree.
also:
- pistachios
- dried strawberries (i don't even LIKE strawberries)
- porter cheese

oh my. now hungry.

[shesallthat]

Nobody does produce like them. It's worth the few extra pennies. A guy named "Jay" or Jeff will help you pick out the perfect melon when in doubt. He's always there and he's never wrong.

I love their corn, cherries (though this year they are on the small side), champagne grapes, eggplant, zuccini blossoms, cheeses, potato salad, biscuits, boston cream pie when very fresh, cupcakes, napolen and they used to make a turkey or ham wrap with russian dressing and havarti that is now only available when you order in advancel brownies with nuts, donuts and on and on.

[Rocket88]

Ramps when in season - I drive all the way from Atlantic City to get them.

[Lewes17266]

how far is your drive?

[Rocket88]

About an hour - know anyplace closer to me that sells ramps in season?

[Lewes17266]

No, sorry. I was just wondering the distance because I might like to drive to Delicious Orchards the next time I take the ferry over from Lewes. Does breakfast in Cape May, a walk on the Atlantic City boardwalk, and a drive to Delicious Orchards sound reasonable to you? In a day, I mean.

[cantkick]

Not really. Delicious Orchards is about 10 minutes from exit 105 of the parkway, so around 1.5-2 hours from the boardwalk. Plus it closes at 6:00. (And closed Mondays.)

[seal]

If you wanted to do AC and Delicious Orchard in one day, bring a cooler and it can be done. I would definately do breakfast in Cape May and then go directly to DO. From DO, take 537 east and make a left onto Swimming River Rd and then a right onto 520 in Lincroft. Immediately past the small shopping plaza on your right is a great lunch at Manow Asian Bistro.

After lunch, if you have room, get a treat from Ralph's Ices next door. Then continue out of Lincroft on 520 a few miles to meet up with the GSP to get you back home. On your way, stop in AC and do the boardwalk.

Well, that's how I'd do it anyway ;o)

[Lewes17266]

Thank you. It sounds like a plan to me.

[equal_Mark]

Thing is if you go directly from Cape May to DO you're sort of missing AC...

[RGR]

I think seal meant for the boardwalk stop in AC to take place on the way back to Cape May.

[The Professor]

Add my chorus to the one praising the apple cider doughnuts...nobody does them as well as Delicious Orchards does. I don't know if it's their own recipe or something from a commercial mix (which is what most placed like this seem to use...but whatever it is, and whatever they do to make them, none really compare to what they sell there.
Also a fan of their little wheat dinner rolls.

Long ago I became addicted to both the dried Bing and Ranier cherries they sell as well as the tart dried red plums.

I always recommend the apple cider there too, but with one caveat: Their regular apple cider is a bit on the sweet side, I suppose made that way to appeal to the lowest common denominator and the American 'too sweet' tooth. But best of all is the house branded apple cider they package in a _green carton_; it's nice and tart the way good apple cider is supposed to be. It is a thing of beauty...great to drink, and amazing to braise a nicely marbled cut of pork.

[newfie29]

The almond butter crunch cookies are my all time favorites -
- applesauce cake (w/frosting, of course)
- pates
- cheese selection
- haricots vert

[totoybr1]

Apple Cider donuts are the BEST!!! Also love there pies I go there every Thanksgiving and Christmas for them

[fpatrick]

Lemon Meringue Pie!!!
Eclairs!!
Almond Butter Crunch Cookies!
Prepared stuffed portabellos
Lemonade
Cider (duh)
Whatever fruits and vegs that are in season (recently, their range of plums come to mind)

Since it's about an hour from where we live in Hillsborough, we usually go late morning, then shoot over to Keyport Fishery for "fish on the dock." My wife usually augments the fried fish with some asparagus salad from D.O.'s prepared section.

[MartiniQueen]

Their dried fruit is exceptional, especially those huge raisins...fabulous in banana bread pudding. I also love their coffee...the pumpkin spice (available in the fall) is wonderful, and on occasion a piece of their peanut butter fudge...worth every fat gram and calorie! :)

[karins]

chocolate chip cookies

[bgut1]

I haven't been in a while but I would add the following to the above noted items: apple cider, lemonade, orange juice, brownies, hamburger patties, hot dogs, sausages and epoisse (best price in the area).

[nyebaby37]

BQ, what is epoisse

[HillJ]

nye, Epoisses de Bourgogne is cheese, pungent but delicious!

[bgut1]

Thanks HillJ. Photo below.

[HillJ]

My office is near D.O. and for a while I couldn't stay away; having lunch outside almost daily.

My family loves their:
apple cider donuts and they freeze beautifully
the apple cider is wonderful, as is the apple cider freeze from the outdoor cafe
all of the cheese & wine parties we throw are due in large part to DO's cheese selection (prefer it over Sickles Farm)
the entire dried fruit section is outstanding

this time of year I can't pass up the
tomatoes
mushroom varities
herbs (even tho I grow my own)
CORN
eggplants

my cart probably contains something from the
chocolate/sweets dept
coffee tea dept
and the outdoor plants dept every time

my personal favorite item at D.O. is still:
cheese bread

[shabbystorm]

Realize this is an older post but today based on your recommendation above had my first DO Apple Cider Freeze/Slushy - AMAZING!
Thank you for posting.
This was pure HAPPINESS!

[HillJ]

Dang shabby, were you on line w/me. DO is one of my new accounts and I never leave there without a cider slushy!

[RGR]

I've never had the cider slushy. I was at DO late this afternoon, but the today's weather was way too cool for me to try it. (More like mid-May than July!) I will keep it in mind the next time I'm there on a much warmer day.

[shabbystorm]

That's funny - I was there after lunch.

Your right it was cooler today, just glorious. I was SOOOOOOOOO thirsty from eating that BBQ at lunch I was parched - gave it a try - sweet, cold, and delicious.

[HillJ]

It was chilly today. We just returned from Havana Grill/Highlands for dinner and the outdoor dining area was breezy but we loved it anyway!

RGR, would love to hear your impression of the cider slush.

[RGR]

Will do, HillJ. I'm sure it will be soon since the forecast is for more seasonal temps ahead, i.e., in the 80's, and DO is on my regular food shopping rotation.

[seal]

Their pies are mostly great. My favorites are the apple pies, especially the apple crumb and the iced apple when they have it.

Their apple crumb cake, sold in the same metal tin as their brownies, is so good I had it sent to me when I lived in los angeles years ago.

Most of their melons are as mistake proof as somebody like me, who has a hard time choosing a melon, can ask for.

The local shitake shrooms are big and fresh and cook up nicely.

About the only thing I don't like there are their prepared foods.

[nyebaby37]

DEF the AC Donuts, was just talking about them! Dried fruit and during season, the ice cream sold outside. The BEST icecream ive had and that includes nj, ny and italy! I do not know the brand, i was told once Sedutto's and another time Hersheys. May do a trip there this W/e. Their chocolate selection is decent, coffee too but the lady back there is a meanie.

[RGR]

I just bought coffee there yesterday, and the woman who waited on me couldn't have been nicer.

As I posted elsewhere, they've greatly expanded the outdoor service. It's now like a cafe. A wide-ranging menu + lots of shaded tables where you can enjoy a bit of al fresco "dining."

As regards favorites, it's the only place in the area that carries D'Artagnan's merguez sausage. They have a goat blue cheese that I like -- not found anywhere else. I always buy Parmesan cheese by the chunk there. When it comes to baked goods, my favorites are their danish, particularly the almond but also the prune, and the eclairs.

[jsfein]

Love all the dried fruit, apple crumb, irish soda bread, and my kids' favorite -- "String Bean Mountain."

[sivyaleah]

You beat me to the apple cider donuts, but I'll add the apricot danish, yum!