Two River Tastes: Autumnal Fare

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Our first humble entry for our new column, Two River Tastes, just happens to fall in fall. It’s hard to be grumpy over summer’s end when the streets are lined with yellow and golden trees. Our community has taken off their flip-flops and put on its winter boots. Both born and raised at the top of the Jersey Shore, we are currently working girls in Monmouth County and you could assume that we’ve already experienced the best fall foods in the area. Wrong! Our beloved Two River towns never cease to delight us with its savvy food trends. As sisters and friends, our favorite activity has always been sharing or fighting over something delicious. A famous incident amongst our family is when our little brother – now 19 – refused to share a slice of Italian apple cake with us. We have yet to forgive him. On that note let’s begin and end with dessert.

Donuts
Donuts

Cider Slushies
On a rainy October day we drove to Freehold to visit Battleview Orchards, a picturesque drive and orchard to say the least. We bypassed the apple picking and went to see what happens with the freshly picked fruit at the store across the street. All ages, from babies to senior citizens, lined up at a tiny little booth with a white-topped roof. We deliberated over our options, the Apple Cider Donuts or the Apple Cider Slushies? We opted for both before Instagramming the brightest yellow mums and wandering around the general store.
We waited patiently to finally be rewarded with their famous apple delicacies. The donuts were warm to the touch in a classic brown paper bag. Dusted generously with granulated sugar and small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, each bite we took was satisfying and the bold apple flavor was well worth the drive.  Now for a cold drink to wash it all down. The Apple Cider Slushie, more elegant than its name, was lightly iced and bursting with tart apple flavor (Totaling $10). Refreshing and crisp, we decided it was almost better than a cup of hot apple cider. We will definitely go back for a second round, but this time we will buy a jug and spike it with spiced rum!

Rigatoni Autunno from Undici.
Rigatoni Autunno from Undici.

Real Rigatoni
Our inner Italian grandmothers were intrigued when we heard about two new seasonal pastas at Undici in the heart of Rumson. We first shared the house-made Rigatoni Autunno ($26). The rigatoni is balanced well with a few of our favorite veggies; roasted cherry tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and peppers layered with caramelized onions, slivers of garlic, savory Pecorino Romano, and extra virgin olive oil – or as we like to call it, green gold. This could be a summer dish but we decided it was perfect for fall. Smoky, sweet and worth another trip.
For a secondi pasta, we had the house-made Fettuccine with Veal Ragu ($27); it had all the fixings of a great stew but it made for a seriously delicious pasta entrée. Ribbons of fettuccine laced in a rich veal and tomato reduction with the holy trinity of mirepoix, and Grana Padano. Big enough to share even though you won’t want to.

Pumpkin Mousse Parfait from Antoinette’s Boulangerie.
Pumpkin Mousse Parfait from Antoinette’s Boulangerie.

Pumpkin Time
It’s time for the annual pumpkin overdose. We searched for unique tastes on the flavor that owns the season and found our best and most delicious bet at Antoinette’s Boulangerie in our beloved town of Red Bank. Not ones to go in lightly, we purchased our two final desserts to round out this seasonal tasting – and column.
The first, a Pumpkin Mousse Parfait ($8). Light and airy with a layer of vanilla cake in the center, it was flavorful but not overpowering. Just enough pumpkin for someone who just wants a little taste of the season. On top there was a sweet apricot glaze that mingled well with the pumpkin mousse. An excellent contrast of tastes that all pumpkin fans should consider! But just when we thought it couldn’t get better, we had our first nibble of the Pumpkin Tart ($6.50). This was by far and away the best taste of autumn we had all season. A buttery tart crust cradled the pumpkin custard filling that was better than any pumpkin pie we’ve ever tasted. We took a second bite and lingered over the perfect pumpkin flavor that also had an enchanting layer of apricot glaze. A definite standout amongst all the other pumpkin treats that are out there!
We hope The Two River Times readers are making the most of this food friendly season! We would love to hear about your fall favorites at tastes@tworivertimes.com.
Until next month, seasons’ eatings!


Antoinette’s Boulangerie
32 Monmouth St, Red Bank

Battleview Orchards Country Market & Bakery
91 Wemrock Road, Freehold

Undici Taverna Rustica
11 West River Road, Rumson

Food adventures are in their blood. As members of the Sickles Market family Tori and Sasha Sickles have grown up tasting and sharing food discoveries with friends and family, both locally and around the globe. Food detours are a common practice for the sister duo ever ready to find the perfect rendition of a dish, tasty snack or lip-smacking beverage. As Sickles Market’s marketing manager in Little Silver, Tori’s responsibilities include tasting the very latest in food trends and she has been an invited judge on food tasting panels. Sasha is a copywriter with the Sawtooth Group, Red Bank, and handles several food-based accounts. You can follow their food journeys on Instagram @torikaylan and @sasha_ad and here in “Two River Tastes,” their new monthly column about food, culinary trends and casual eateries.