a delicious bounty

over the weekend, we had plans with our friends kim and mike to go apple picking and then for kim and i to make an appley dessert while the men grilled our dinner. well, rainy and muddy conditions put the kibosh on the picking part of the plan, but we made do and had a great day anyway. they took us to an incredible place in colts neck, new jersey called delicious orchards which is literally a supermarket-sized farm stand.

they had all kinds of produce, organic and non, from the very usual to the very unusual.







i would say it was the largest array of produce i've ever seen in any one place, including the largest peaches i've ever seen and the smallest pineapples.


look at the size of these potatoes.

and look at these ocas, or new zealand yams which the sign suggests cooking the same way you would potatoes. i could see these looking gorgeous and autumnal cut in large chunks and roasted with potatoes, yams and maybe some parsnips and onions.

also, they had a ridiculous assortment of dried fruits which were all sold by the pound, mix and match, including dried kiwi, strawberries and cantaloupe. unfortunately, the kiwi tasted like fish, but the strawberries! they tasted like a gummy candy version of an actual strawberry.




they carry 150 cheeses, even some in rinds shaped like pumpkins. yeah.


and assorted pastas, jams, salsas, honey, 85 varieties of coffee and tea, fresh flowers and homemade peanut butter.



not to be gross, but the peanut butter actually tastes like partially chewed peanuts, in a totally delicious and natural-tasting way. i know it sounds crude, but think about it - just tastes like nothing but peanuts. i'm excited to have it for breakfast on some toast, particularly as the mornings get cooler.

also, fudge, candies and baked goods.



after tasting the cider in a giant barrel in the apple section, we couldn't resist buying a carton to bring home. kim and mike got the regular, while we opted for the tart version. it is SERIOUSLY tart with a great kick.


we "picked" apples, as in, from a bin...we chose fujis.


when we got back to the house, kim and i made an apple coffee cake with crumb topping(seriously awesome). we made the recipe as written, with the exception of the fact that we used light sour cream. i have to say, though, it was seriously decadent even so. a sweet end to a day that welcomed in the bounty of fall with wonderful friends.

delicious orchards sign photo from www.deliciousorchardsnjonline.com