Author: Rosella Presta

Have you ever heard of amaretto? Amaretto is an Italian liqueur that tastes like sweet almonds. It is traditionally made from things like almonds or stone-fruit pits. This gives amaretto its subtly sweet taste and delicious aroma. It is typically served as a digestivo. In Italy, this means you drink it after dinner to settle your stomach.

April 19th is National Amaretto Day so it is the perfect time to enjoy this delicious liqueur. 

The sweet, nutty flavor makes it easy to sip on by itself, but there are many other ways to use amaretto! In dessert or different drinks– here are 5 other ways to use amaretto!

An Amaretto Sour

One of the most famous cocktails that use amaretto is an amaretto sour. This can be made either with amaretto and sour mix or, our family favorite, amaretto, lemon juice, and simple syrup. The lemon and the sweetness from the simple syrup bring out the delicious nutty notes from the drink itself. 

In Tiramisu

Tiramisu typically consists of a coffee flavored liqueur, but you can add a little extra flavor by swapping the coffee liqueur for amaretto or mixing them together! The result is a next level tiramisu!

In an espresso martini

Just like the amaretto can take your tiramisu to the next level, it can do the same for your espresso martini! The rich espresso and sweet almond flavors blend perfectly together to add a little extra flavor to this dessert cocktail.

With Ice Cream

There is nothing better than a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream or gelato, sometimes it is just good for the soul! Now take the comfort of your favorite flavor of ice cream and pour a little amaretto over it! It will elevate the taste of the simple ice cream, but not in an overwhelming way! Another idea? Make it an affogato! So gelato, a shot of espresso, and a shot of amaretto all in one dish!

In cookies

Amaretto is known to be used in baking too for almond flavored desserts in addition to almond extract. It doesn’t take much and the cookies are incredible. Have you ever tried our homemade amaretti cookies? These almond cookies are made in our bakery daily– the old fashioned way! Adapted from our matriarch’s very own recipe, you’re going to want to try these out!

Salute!

From Our Family To Yours

I think we can all agree that sometimes we need a meal that tastes like a hug feels. Most of the time, a grilled cheese sandwich can do the trick! It’s the ultimate comfort food for many reasons! Maybe it reminds you of being a kid, maybe it’s the melted cheese (because who doesn’t love melted cheese), maybe it’s the special way you make it. No matter the reason, grilled cheese is classic.

April is National Grilled Cheese Month and we know that for adults and kids alike, you can’t go wrong with  grilled cheese come mealtime! 

When you think about grilled cheese, you probably automatically picture two pieces of sandwich bread and a slice of american cheese, but there is so much more that you can do to make your grilled cheese burst with flavor!  

Want to take your grilled cheese to the next level? Here are 4 ways to make your grilled cheese even better than normal!

1. Add cheese to the outside of bread

Why not make your grilled cheese extra cheesy? Coat the bread in olive oil or butter and add shredded cheese on the outside of the bread for great taste and a delicious crunch. This forms a crispy cheese crust as you grill each side of the bread and serves as an added layer of flavor. You can even use a different type of cheese to complement the inside.

2. Use a special jam or jelly on the inside

A unique way to add some flavor is by spreading a gourmet jelly or jam on the inside of the bread! If you like a little bit of spice, coating the bread with pepper jelly adds a delicious kick of heat. If you prefer sweet, add a fig spread! We have a variety of fig spreads with different flavor profiles so there are plenty to choose from. This simple action completely changes your grilled cheese and makes it even more delicious !

3. Add Mac & Cheese

Mac and cheese and grilled cheese both make perfect comfort foods, so why not combine them? If you have leftover mac and cheese, there’s more you can do then just warm it up and eat it the same way. The addition of a creamy mac and cheese to your sandwich will give make for an extra cheesy taste! You can even add bacon for a crunch and great flavor! You can even grab some of our already prepared mac and cheese from our prepared foods section so you don’t have to go through the hassle of making it yourself! The result is a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich in just a few extra, easy steps.

4. Caramelized Onions

French onion soup grilled cheese? Yes please! All the elements of a French onion soup bring a sense of comfort, so why not transform this iconic soup into a grilled cheese… especially because we all know the best part of this soup is the melted cheese on top! That cheese is Gruyere cheese and it makes for a great type of cheese to make the star of your sandwich. Gruyere is known to be great for melting and has a rich, creamy taste! The addition of caramelized onions add a great flavor for an easy and customized grilled cheese!

These are just a few! You can use a specific bread, a mix of cheeses, specialty cheese, or maybe you add extras to your sandwich that take it to the next level! You can add things like

• mac and cheese
• bacon
• pulled pork
• avocado
• tomatoes
• flavored olive oil

Grilled cheese is a perfect way to play around and just have fun in the kitchen! So start cooking and just have some fun with it.

Want to hear something even better? We have everything you need for your basic and gourmet grilled cheeses on sale this week!

From Our Family To Yours

Spring has sprung!  Spring means so many things– warmer weather, more sunshine, colorful flowers, and great seasonal foods– especially produce! 

Springtime brings some great seasonal produce. Everything is fresh and full– bright colors, bountiful greens, and food that is good for you. 

At Caputo’s, we buy fresh produce daily. We follow the same process that our founder, Angelo, did when we started in 1958. Our produce buyers are up early every morning in order to get the freshest products at the best possible prices in our stores that same day. 

Here are 4 of our favorite spring foods, some ideas of what to do with them, and how to pick them!

Pineapple

Now is the time for the juiciest pineapple! Pineapple is a great anti-inflammatory, can aid in reducing sinus issues, is good for digestion, and more.  

Pineapples are great on their own, but with their juicy taste, they are also very versatile. Try making a pineapple salsa for your chips or tacos, make a pineapple upside down cake, blend it for your favorite smoothies, top it with tajin for a spicy snack, or grill it!

How to pick: Pineapple should be gold in color with strong, green leaves on the crown. There shouldn’t be many soft spots and it should be on the heavier side. If you can smell the sweetness coming through the bottom of the pineapple, then you know you have a good one! Pineapple can be time consuming to clean and cut. If you want to enjoy, but don’t want to take the time to clean a pineapple, stop by our cut fruit section and pick up some pre-cleaned and cut ones for you!

Asparagus

Spring is when asparagus reaches its peak! Asparagus is rich in folic acid, protects against cell damage, is good for your health, and low in calories. Asparagus makes for a great, creamy soup, can compliment most pasta and risotto dishes, is yummy with prosciutto, bacon, or pancetta, can be a side to any dish, and is great in a frittata!

How to pick: Asparagus should be a deep green color with some purple undertones that fades to white as it reaches the bottom of the stalk. The stalk should be firm and straight. The tip should be relatively closed. 

Blueberries

Blueberries reach their peak starting right about now in April and will continue to be in season through the summer. Blueberries are known for their high antioxidants which means they help fight oxidative stress, fight disease, and more. They are high in vitamins and low in sugar which makes it great for regulating blood sugar. They are actually often considered a super fruit! 

Blueberries are great in salads, in yogurt or oatmeal, make blueberry scones or muffins, or make a pie or a crumble! 

How to pick: Blueberries should be pretty even in size and have a plump, firm skin. The color should be a deep color.

Arugula

Arugula is a green that is harvested young, so it is great in early spring through fall! Arugula is nutritionally strong and known for its high levels of vitamins and minerals, like calcium, folate, vitamin c, vitamin k, and vitamin A– just to name a few. Arugula can be used in so much. You can use it in a salad– try it with some fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and salt for a light salad or a heartier salad with fresh fruits and nuts! It is great on a pizza, in a sandwich, or in a  homemade pesto. 

How to pick: You want a bright green color with strong leaves. The arugula should look dry. At home, you can store your arugula in an airtight container with paper towels to extend its shelf life. 

From Our Family To Yours

Easter is only a few days away, so that means the prep has begun. Easter, as with many holidays, has many special traditions and so many revolve around food. You may make certain breads or desserts, maybe a certain meal. One food item that we look forward to each year is Calzone! 

Calzone is sometimes referred to as Easter Pie, though it’s not sweet. It is a crust stuffed with different, savory ingredients. There are many different versions and different names for this–  each unique to different regions, towns, and even families. 

In our kitchen commissary, we make two different versions of this Easter Calzone from scratch– a traditional version and a sausage version.

Traditional Calzone

The Traditional Calzone is made with eggs, black olives, onions, and mozzarella cheese. All the ingredients are put into our homemade crust.

This meatless option is great for Good Friday. On Fridays during lent, those partaking are supposed to fast from meat. On Good Friday which is the Friday before Easter, you are supposed to fast. 

Fasting in Christianity calls for people to eat one full meal and two smaller meals, but the two smaller meals cannot equal a full meal when put together.

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Sausage Calzone

The other version of calzone we offer is a sausage one. This one is our homemade sausage, eggs, black olives, onions, and mozzarella cheese. This calzone is typically enjoyed on Easter day. The addition of meat makes it a heartier calzone. Heartier foods were typically used at feasts. Since Easter is a celebration and everyone is rejoicing, the more ingredients, the better for the calzone with meat!

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We will have both the traditional and the sausage calzone in stores!

Romana’s Calzone

On Good Friday, Romana and Angelo would have the calzone as their only meal of the day. Romana would make hers a the Barese way– a homemade crust with a filling consisting of onions, tomatoes, olives, and anchovies… we all know that every Barese recipe has anchovies in it somewhere!  We refer to this as Scalcione, another name for the calzone or an onion pie! This calzone was their only meal of the day to respect fasting. Want to see how this is made? Check out her daughter keeping traditions alive in our family and making this delicious Good Friday meal here

From Our Family To Yours

It’s National Sauce month! The sauce you use can change a whole meal. We have a whole line of La Bella Romana sauces that can be your sous chef and truly enhance a meal without you having to sacrifice quality or taste.

 As a family owned and operated company, we know how important what you feed your family is and we take pride in offering our extended family of customers great meal options. We go to great lengths to prepare high quality foods using the freshest and healthiest ingredients. 

Did you know that in our warehouse, located in Carol Stream, we have a kitchen where we prepare the foods that you see in-store? We make everything from scratch, exactly how you would at home… just without all the mess! We use fresh food and produce straight from our shelves to prepare these meals and dishes so you can trust what you’re getting. 

We also have state of the art technology which aids in our cooking process. Because of this equipment, we are able to extend the shelf life of our products without adding any preservatives or additives. All of the items in our prepared foods section are all natural and made from scratch using only high quality ingredients. 

So this National Sauce Month, stop by and give our sauces a try. Here are 4 of our homemade sauces and ways to enjoy them

Supreme Sauce

Our very own supreme sauce is a creamy sauce, bursting with flavor. It tastes like a pink tomato sauce.

• A breaded chicken and melted bocconcini or mozzarella sandwich (think chicken parm, but with with supreme sauce)
•  Your favorite pasta with crumbled sausage 
• As a pizza sauce 

Marinara sauce

Made with real ingredients, our homemade marinara sauce is an easy way to get your homemade Sunday sauce in, but without the time or the work!

• Your favorite pasta
• Over chicken for an easy chicken parm
• Over our homemade breaded eggplant or breaded zucchini with mozzarella for a veggie alternative to chicken parmesan
• A shortcut to your homemade lasagna
• With stuffed peppers

Vesuvio Sauce

A Chicago classic, vesuvio sauce is a white wine sauce with notes of fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon. It is light, flavorful, and can go with almost anything! While the classic dish is a juicy chicken and potatoes with peas, there are tons of other ways to enjoy it too

• Over fish
• Grilled steak and carmelized onions sandwich with vesuvio sauce
• A breaded chicken sandwich with vesuvio sauce
• Add some pepperoncini for a spicy twist

Limone Sauce

A light and tangy sauce that is versatile so it can go well with so much! It really is an all purpose, bright sauce!

• Over fish
• Over chicken
• Over vegetables
• Over sauteed shrimp and linguine
• With cheese over your favorite pasta cut

From Our Family To Yours

March 8th is International Women’s Day. It is the day to honor and celebrate the achievements of women. 

In thinking about the meaning of this day, I cannot help but to think of two incredible women who deserve so much praise– Romana Caputo and Antonella Caputo Presta. Both women have led a life of sacrifice and are foundational pillars of our company.

Our matriarch and my grandmother, Romana Caputo, was one of the best women there was. Any person who has crossed her path is sure to tell you a memory centered around her cooking skills, generosity, or classiness. A self taught cook, she spent hours in the kitchen–  preparing feasts, cookies for weddings or parties, or a simple dinner which was probably the best meal you’ve had. No one who encountered my nonna was left hungry. She loved her family and did everything she could for them, no questions asked. It was her mission to make sure all of her loved ones were happy. She did everything she could to lift others up. She was always there for her husband, Angelo Caputo, as his biggest support and his rock through the grueling hours of his hard work. She had the biggest heart and the kindest soul. The picture of class, she made everyone in her presence feel like a part of her family.  It is inspired by her beauty and exceptional cooking skills that we get the name of our private label, La Bella Romana. Translated to the Beautiful Romana,  Angelo created our private label as a way to acknowledge all she did for our family and company. Although gone too soon, she has left a beautiful legacy and we continue to honor her in every way that we can. Her spirit and her mission lives on through her daughter, Antonella.

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My mother, Antonella Caputo Presta, is the rock of our family and an incredibly important part of our company. She has made it her mission to make sure the legacy and work of her parents do not go unnoticed or unappreciated. She proudly tells anyone with tears in her eyes about all her parents did in their lives. What she doesn’t realize is that the same traits that she so proudly uses to describe my grandparents are the very same traits that she embodies. Strong, smart, hard working and protective like Angelo and generous, dedicated, humble, and classy like Romana… Just to name a few. She has spent her whole life (and continues to) honoring her parents and I know they were so proud of her. She will never look for credit or draw attention to anything she does, but we would not be where we were today without her. She started working at a very young age . She would take early morning trips to Michigan with Angelo to pick up fresh produce at the age of about 9 years old. She can tell you about the freezing days at the original store on Harlem and Wrightwood, the distinct smell of the store that brings tears to her eyes at just the thought of it, or her exceptional skills in the front end (she could beat anybody in a bagging groceries competition.) She will sacrifice her happiness and wants to make sure that her kids or grandkids are happy. As you get older, you look back and start to realize all the sacrifices your mom made for you and as we reflect, the list of sacrifices our mom made for us, for her parents, and for her loved ones is endless.She has taught us the importance of family, which I am so grateful for as my siblings are my best friends. She is always there for advice, a story, a prayer, a hug, a meal, and anything else you may need. 

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I am blessed to have such strong, beautiful women in my life and am so grateful to be able to call Romana Caputo and Antonella Caputo Presta my role models.

Don’t forget to honor the women in your life on March 8th by picking up mimosa cakes and cupcakes. If you order ahead, you will receive a free Caputo’s cake server! Also on March 8th, female shoppers will receive a yellow rose while supplies last.

Happy International Women’s Day to all the beautiful women ❤️

From Our Family To Yours

A very important date globally, and especially in Italy, is March 8th– International Women’s Day! International Women’s Day is the day to celebrate the achievements of women across all areas of life and to show your love and appreciation for all the women in your life. It has become an important yearly celebration and there are many ways to honor this date.

In Italy, this celebration is referred to as La Festa della Donna. Many people celebrate by giving their loved ones flowers, specifically the mimosa flower. The beautiful, bright yellow coloring of the mimosa flower represents the sun and the flower itself is a symbol of strength and sensibility. They are given out as a sign of respect. The flower looks delicate, but in reality it can withstand a lot, just like women.

The appreciation for this flower is what inspired the cake traditionally enjoyed on this day– a Mimosa Cake! 

The mimosa cake or torta mimosa is beautiful outside with a delicious and simple inside. The outside is yellow sponge cake that has been cut into squares and arranged on the outside of the cake to resemble a mimosa flower. The inside is yellow sponge cake and we offer two options. One is simply filled with our homemade custard. The second option is our yellow sponge cake with a pineapple filling since some of the cakes traditionally have a touch of citrus flavor. Both flavors are delicately light, airy, and simply delicious!

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If you’re not looking for a whole cake, we also offer mimosa cupcakes!

Honor the strong women in your life by ordering a mimosa cake or cupcakes for them! You can even get the cake customized to say their names or wish a special message! 

 All orders placed through the bakery ahead of time will receive a free Caputo’s cake server with their order! Limited amounts of cakes and cupcakes will be available in store on March 8th, so secure yours by ordering in advance! 

Did you grow up with mimosa cakes, but remember it a little differently? Our bakery team is happy to work with you and make your cake dreams come to life! Email us at lbrbakery@caputomarkets.com or call us at (630) 620-4444 ext 1036

On March 8th, all women will get a yellow rose when they arrive in our stores to shop (while supplies last)!

From Our Family to Yours

Did you know we make our own tortillas and tortilla chips? 2/24 is National Tortilla Day so it’s the perfect chance to try them out if you haven’t already!

In 2018, we remodeled our Addison store. Part of this remodel was bringing in a brand new tortilla machine from Mexico. This machine allows us to make our very own, homemade corn tortillas in-house every day. 

Like all of our other prepared foods, our tortillas are all natural and have no preservatives. We offer yellow or white corn tortillas that are made from scratch in this machine daily. The tortillas are made in our Addison location and then sent to each of our stores from there. 

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Once you have tortillas, our meat department is the next stop. We have a variety of pre-marinated taco and fajita meats and poultry ready to go at our meat counter. All you have to do is cook and enjoy! 

We also turn our homemade tortillas into tortilla chips! While making our tortillas, we make extra specifically for making chips. We cut the tortillas into triangles and fry them to perfection. They are salted, cooled, and packaged in brown paper bags. 

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These chips pair wonderfully with items from different departments, especially our homemade guacamole and salsas. Made fresh daily, our guac and salsas are made using items right from our produce section! Guacamole, classic salsa, pineapple salsa, mango salsa, and more! You can also try our chips with our homemade chili. They are great for dipping in the chili on its own or making chili nachos.

From Our Family To Yours

The Lenten Season has begun. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter recognized in the Christian calendar. Those who partake in Lent may follow a number of different rules. One of those rules is fasting from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday until Easter. Although this sounds simple, sometimes you don’t realize how difficult it may be and how easy it is to forget. We’ve got all the perfect meatless options to make Friday meals easy, delicious, and something to look forward to!

If you want some fun ways to mix it up while keeping away from meat, check out these 6 ideas:

Eggplant Parmigiana

A classic and delicious meal idea! Layers of eggplant, marinara sauce, and mozzarella, it’s full of flavor and one of the best comfort foods! Pick up a pre-made one in our prepared foods section or make your own!

Want to make your own, but in a time crunch? Grab our homemade marinara sauce, some of our breaded eggplant from our prepared foods section, a bag of Caputo shredded Mozzarella, then layer, bake in the oven, and enjoy!

Pizza or Panzerotti

Get the whole family involved and make your own pizza or panzerotti! We offer all the ingredients you need for a homemade pizza night. You can stop by our prepared foods section for homemade dough, sauce, veggies, toppings, and more! You can even use our dough to make your own panzerotti which are delicious baked or fried. It’s great bonding and just a fun night… especially if you make a nutella pizza for dessert!

Don’t have time to make it yourself? Grab one of our 16” take and bake pizzas or a few of our homemade panzerotti for dinner. It’s an easy dinner that everyone will love.

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Pasta

Versatile, easy, and delicious– three words we love to hear when it comes to meal time! While pasta seems like a basic dish, you can get creative with it! Our aisles are full of different pasta options- short or long, fresh or frozen, imported or domestic. Once you choose what pasta cut, then you move on to the sauce- our homemade supreme sauce, classic tomato sauce, arrabiata, and so many more. Looking for extra flavor? You can easily add veggies to any pasta dish or a protein like shrimp.  With so many different combinations to try, pasta dishes will never get boring! 

A Caprese

A caprese is a simple, yet customizable sandwich! A simple caprese is basil, tomato, and mozarella in a sandwich. What’s great is you can make it customizable through the bread and by adding different toppings. You can add an olive tapenade or spread, sub sandwich dressing, pesto sauce, or even a flavored olive oil!

Seafood

Not only is seafood a good meatless option, there are plenty of health benefits! Fish is filled with omega 3s and different nutrients that your body craves. Our extensive fish department will help you find just what you’re looking for.Fish can be eaten as meals or can be added to different dishes for great flavors– seafood risotto, pasta with clams, or just a simply grilled salmon are all great dishes with lots of flavor!

Fish can be intimidating to cook, but we can make it easy! We offer a variety of pre-marinated seafood options. They are full of flavor and all you have to do is put it in the oven and pick your sides. Try out 

 Pro tip: try one of our pre-marinated salmon choices in the air fryer!

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Pepper and Egg

This Lenten classic is back! Scrambled eggs, sautéed sweet peppers, and melted cheese makes for this incredible and limited time only dish. We will have Pepper and Egg sandwiches available in our hot foods on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent! In addition to our pepper and egg, there will be a meatless special and a fish special every Friday in hot foods!.

From Our Family To Yours

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Tradition has it that you are supposed to eat rich, fatty foods before Lent. Lent starts a period of fasting and reflecting, so many people take the day before as an opportunity to indulge and give into your cravings! 

This celebration is adapted from many different cultures– Carnivale, Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, and more. One of our favorite ways to celebrate has been adapted from Polish culture.

A must have on Fat Tuesday– Paczki! Paczki are a Polish donut usually with some kind of sweet filling in the middle. In the month of February there are two days dedicated to enjoying Paczki– Fat Tuesday and National Paczki Day. Fat Tuesday is always the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent) and National Paczki Day is the Thursday before that. This is because in Poland many people indulge in Paczki on the Thursday before Lent, known as Fat Thursday or Tlusty Czwartek. It can be dated back to centuries ago when people would use up all the ingredients in their house before fasting for Lent. The use of eggs, milk, sugar, etc. would result in a delicious treat with a sweet filling. 

Many people believe that not enjoying a Paczki on these days can lead to bad luck… and who would want to risk that?

Looking to indulge on this Fat Tuesday? You’ve come to the right place!

We have a full line of standard and gourmet paczki!  

Standard

The classics that you can never go wrong with! There is a flavor for everyone.

• Raspberry
• Strawberry
• Lemon
• Bavarian Cream
• Apple

Gourmet

Love the standard ones, but want to spice it up a bit? These fillings made in house take our paczki to the next level. 

• Boston Cream
• Nutella Mousse
• Strawberry & Whipped Cream
• Orchard Apple
• Cannoli
• Banana Custard

We will also have kings cakes available!

Orders yours today to secure them or stop into one of our locations on 2/13! Available while supplies last

From Our Family To Yours