Lovely weather we've been having, yes? Great for a drive in the country. Well, okay, going to
Curtis Orchard doesn't really qualify as a drive in the country—it's so close by. But that's the beauty of CO; you
feel like you're in the country, but you don't have to go far out of town at all to get to it.
If you've never been, the orchard is on Duncan Road, just south of Curtis Road. The family-owned operation occupies land originally bought by one George Curtis in 1892; it was transformed by later generations of Curtises into an orchard in 1977 and has been going strong ever since. Around 5,000 apple trees thrive there today.
At CO you'll find plenty variety of apples: Honeycrisps and Delicious, Empire and Gala, and many more. You can visit the little country store and buy yourself a bag, or you venture into the orchard and pick your own. There's a list on the Web site of
the varieties that are available now and in the coming months.
If you opt to pick your own apples, you can use one of these wonderful old Radio Flyer wagons to load up. Aren't they great? I'll bet those have been at CO for many years.
Apples. How do you like to eat them? Moms are usually associated with apple pie (though my mom never made a pie in her life), and what is homier than warm, cinnamon-spiced, butter-enriched apples baked in a crust? Some people like ice cream or whipped cream on their pie; others go for a slice of cheese. Speaking of cheese, one of my dad's favorite things was a crisp, raw Macintosh apple accompanied by sharp Cheddar. Apples and cheese are one of my favorite food combos, as well.
If you're not up to making your own pie, you can certainly buy one at Curtis Orchard. They bake pies fresh daily, along with berry and peach cobblers, and they also fry up apple fritters and apple doughnuts every day (I have to eat one of those doughnuts every time I go).
You'll also find a variety of fruit butters for sale at the country store. We didn't pick any up on our recent visit, but the pumpkin butter looked especially inviting to me. Next time.
Attached to the country store is a cafe, where you'll find such entrees as beef brisket, pulled pork, sandwiches, and something called the Flying Taco (Fritos topped with chili plus cheese and onions if you like). Keith tried the pork sandwich, with sides of au gratin potatoes and green beans, and I went for the Flying Taco with coleslaw and green beans.
The "taco" was not bad, though there wasn't much chili on it. The green beans were cooked practically to a mush, and the slaw was thick with mayo. The potatoes, however, were very tasty (everything is homemade in the cafe's kitchen). And the pork sandwich was good, too.
But one doesn't really go to CO for the cafe, does one? I mean, it's all about the apples, and the doughnuts, and the pumpkins. There are mountains of pumpkins for sale at the orchard; when we've taken children out there, the kids go ga-ga over them. This is but a small representative sampling.
And, if you are taking children, it's also about the petting zoo, the big slide, and the pony rides.Yep—it's part orchard, part country store, part bakery/restaurant, and part carnival out there.
There's lots of shady outdoor seating available; we sat on a swing for a while, soaking up the perfect temperature and the cool breezes (and eating our doughnuts). And on Sunday afternoons, there is also music. This fellow was serenading everyone with country standards.
Curtis Orchard is open daily from July 20 to December 20. The cafe operates from August 20 to October 31 and is currently open every day for lunch.
Curtis Orchard
3902 South Duncan Road
Champaign, IL
217-359-5565
Hours for the orchard and the cafe are listed on the Web site, and you can also peruse the
cafe's menu there.
Hey, and while we're on the subject, check out this easy, tasty-looking
recipe for apple crisp from Kate of Thyme for Cooking.
Labels: local farms, local groceries, restaurants
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12 Comments:
The Curtis pies are, IMO, the best 'bought' pies around. Pricey at $13, but it's a 10" pie, loaded with apples or cherries. I'm on their Thanksgiving call list for ordering pies, and I usually get a few frozen to keep over the winter.
CO was our only source for tomato jam (until I started canning!). My kids love to walk over there on a nice day. Even if you don't spend money (beyond, of course, your doughnut and quarters for the goat feed) they always manage to have a great time.
Remember going to Curtis with my Grandparents as a kid. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
The kids' weekday lunch is a good deal, too. Despite going to CO for apples for years, we had lunch at the Cafe for the first time a few weeks ago. For $5, my 3 year old had a grilled cheese with a CO apple sipper, chips, and applesauce. She also got a glow bracelet and admission to the paid play area for free. She was thrilled! Although there's a posted no outside food policy, no one fussed at me for having brought cereal and a sippy for my youngest (who has food sensitivities and thus can't eat off the menu yet). There were lots of high chairs, too, and a dress up area for older kids. The restrooms are easy to get to, and there's a step stool for kids to reach the sink. I'm sure we'll go back again this fall.
I do have one complaint about the Cafe, however: the double whammy of omnipresent styrofoam and no option for recycling bottles and cans (that I saw, anyhow). With a hyped-for-apple-picking-NOW kid and a squirmy baby, I didn't want to cart around and carry home the kicked sippy and my water bottle. But I didn't want to toss them in the trash, either. That was the one sour note for an otherwise fine outing.
"Flying Taco"? In Texas, that's called a Frito Pie, and it's standard fare at high school football games.
I'll forgive Curtis Orchard, though, because you can't get apples like that in Texas!
I grew up in Rolling Acres, in a house overlooking the land that became Curtis Orchard. I remember watching those trees get planted and grow.
I just moved from C-U to Nebraska - sure would love to taste one of those apple cider donuts right now!
It has a Wizard of Oz theme, so I think the Flying Taco might be a nod towards the flying monkeys...just a thought.
When my kids were small, trips to Curtis Orchard were frequent. Now that they're grown up, I've found a more pleasant experience at the VERY best apple orchard around: Wolfe Orchard, traveling west, just a quick right off Monticello Rd, before you get to the town of Monticello proper. They specialize in Heirloom apples: Spitzenbergen; Grimes Golden; Winesap; Smokehouse; Crow Egg; Buff; Bellflower; Mutsu; Fuji; Macintosh; Ben Davis...just to name a few. You've never tasted such a great assemblage of apples in your life. They also have the absolute best Asian Pears. You must visit. The vista from on top of the bluff on their farm is beautiful! Hope and Ron Wolfe are the nicest people you'll ever know. Open noon-6 everyday but Monday, during apple season.
love co. always get a 6 pack of cider donuts whenever we drop by.
but we also love their cider. so delicious!
I'll remain an anon for the inside dirt I have to dish. The donuts are premix and the pies come in frozen. That is not a knock against them. They certainly make those donuts fresh and they are delish. The pies though, check your local vendors...
Thanks, all, for the comments.
Fern's mom: I must try tomato jam. Have never had it!
Kris, I was also looking for a way to recycle my can; ended up taking it home (but I didn't have children/babies with me!).
Violet: All the best to you in your new location. How interesting that you lived right there and watched the trees grow...
Mary Ellen, thanks for the tip on that other orchard; I'll have to check it out.
Hahna, I meant to mention the cider; even had a photo but forgot to include it.
Anon, yes, I just read in the News-Gazette that CO used to make their own pies but now buy them from someone in Arthur, IL, frozen, and bake them on site. It's too bad they're apparently not able to still make the pies from scratch, with their own apples...however, I would think that whoever is making them in Arthur is making good pies.
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