Category: News

St. Joseph’s Day is March 19th and it’s a big celebration in Italian culture! 

This day calls for a feast! Some people attend parties where friends and family come together to honor St. Joseph or San Giuseppe. You might even notice many St. Joseph’s Day tables in your communities around this time as a tribute to him. The traditions vary, but most celebrations include a lot of food and the St. Joseph’s Day staple– Zeppole!

Italians usually celebrate St. Joseph’s Day with a big feast. The tradition of the feast dates back to the middle ages. Sicily was in the middle of a big drought. This drought was causing crops to dry up and left Sicilians on the brink of famine. They prayed to St. Joseph to relieve them with rain and in return they would honor him with a big feast or a banquet. When the rain came a few days later, they honored him as they said he would.

This tradition is still intact and many people come together to feast in St. Joseph’s honor! There are a few traditional meal items for you to enjoy on March 19th!

Fava Beans

It is believed that fava beans are what saved the people suffering from the drought from starvation. Enjoy some pasta with fava beans or find fava beans as decoration on the table!

Pasta con Sarde

Pasta con sarde is a long cut of pasta with breadcrumbs and anchovies or sardines Traditionally, Mafaldine pasta is used. This long, wavy pasta cut is great for gathering all the breadcrumbs on the pasta. The breadcrumbs are meant to resemble sawdust, an ode to St. Joseph’s carpentry background! 

Zeppole

Dessert is a must and on St. Joseph’s Day, you’re sure to find zeppole on the table! Zeppole are traditional donut-like fritters that are coiled on top. They are stuffed with different fillings and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar. This is fitting because St. Joseph also happens to be the patron saint of pastry chefs! There are many different types of zeppole. Traditional zeppole are filled with cannoli or custard. We make both of these versions from scratch in our bakery! Stop by and pick up your zeppole and try out our new flavors to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

What are your go-to meals or traditions on St. Joseph’s day? Share them down below!

St. Joseph’s Day is also celebrated as Father’s Day in Italy, so be sure to wish all the father-like figures in your life a Happy Father’s Day this Saturday!

From Our Family To Yours

March 2nd marks the beginning of the Lenten season, an important time for the Christian community! This is the 40 days leading up to Easter and is a period of reflection and sacrifice. There are many traditions during this time and one important rule to follow is the fasting from meat on certain days.

Every Friday in Lent, you are supposed to refrain from eating meat. Lent is a time of simplicity and when observances were being created, meat and land animals were considered a symbol of celebration and prosperity. Because of this, Christians abstain from eating meat to honor the fact that it is a solemn period of time. The day of the week was chosen because Jesus suffered and died on a Friday. For these reasons, the practicing religions cut out meat on Fridays.

Although it seems simple, when it comes to making multiple meals that don’t include meat and that everyone will like can become difficult week after week. 

Here are 4 meatless meal suggestions to help you out when you’re not sure what to make!

Stir Fry

Grab your favorite veggies, rice or noodles, and your favorite sauce for a meatless dinner that will leave you wanting more! A stir fry is great because it is totally customizable– you get to pick every aspect of it and can choose the ingredients that work best for your meal. You can add or remove as many veggies as you like, just like you can pick the sauce that will completely change the flavor! 

Stir Fry Recipe: https://shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?dishId=9a62d670-55cf-4753-aac3-a7e9df18d630

Pizza Night

Get the whole family involved and make your own pizza! 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! It’s great bonding and just a fun night, especially if you make a Nutella pizza for dessert!

Want pizza, but don’t have time to make it yourself? Grab one of our 16” take and bake pizzas for dinner. With multiple different options as far as toppings, it’s an easy dinner that everyone will love.

Making your own pizza and want some inspiration? Check out these gourmet pizza ideas here

• 

• 

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. Plus, don’t forget about the mix ins and spices! With so many different combinations to try, pasta dishes will never get boring! 

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

• 

• 

Not in the mood to cook after a long week? Stop into one of our stores and check out the prepared foods section! There are tons of meatless options for yourself or for the whole family!

From Our Family To Yours

When it comes to comfort food, chili is one of the top favorites. The fresh ingredients and mixes of spices make it so unique and filling! If you’re looking for a homemade chili to fill this craving, our La Bella Romana Chili is a must try! National Chili Day is February 24th, so grab a bowl and cuddle up on your couch!

Award winning, our La Bella Romana Chili is made from scratch daily in our kitchen commissary. We use fresh ground beef and ground pork from our meat department and a blend of herbs, spices, and veggies that make it delicious and soothing for the soul.

• 

• 

There are so many ways you can enjoy chili other than just eating it on its own! If you want to change it up and bit and get creative, here are 4 ways to enjoy chili other than by itself

As a salad topper

You can use chili to replace dressing! Take a scoop of chili and put it on top of your salad. It adds a lot of flavor and the meat and beans in the chili even adds protein (it sounds strange, but don’t knock it until you try it)

Chili Nachos

Who doesn’t love nachos? Add some chili, cheese, guacamole, and jalapenos to take it to the next level! Use our homemade tortilla chips for an even better plate of nachos. Our chips are made in-house by hand cutting and frying our homemade tortillas which are made in our Addison store daily! 

• 

• 

In Mac and Cheese

Adding chili to mac and cheese is quick and easy. The pasta and cheese from the mac and cheese adds a delicious cheesy gooey-ness to the already delicious chili

Tex Mex Pizza

You can replace pizza sauce with chili for a tex mex pizza! Grab our homemade dough or plain crust and go crazy. All you have to do is add the chili and cheese. The chili already has ground meat and pork, so you get a little bit of everything in every bite!

We hope you enjoy National Chili Day and our La Bella Romana chili!

From Our Family To Yours

There are a few main highlights to every watch party for Sunday’s Big Game– the game itself, the halftime show, and the food! There is so much excitement leading up to the Big Game– maybe you’re rooting for a team,you’re excited for the performance, you’re getting together with some friends and family, but no matter what part you’re looking forward to, food is involved! 

People go all out with their spreads, eating the classic football watching dishes! If you’re hosting, but have too much to do to think about what food to prep, we have you covered! 

Our Big Game Feast is back and it’s one you don’t want to pass up because it will make feeding your guests so easy! The feast feeds 10-12 people and has all your game day staples, plus everything is homemade! You can trust you’re getting a  good, quality meal, but without the work! 

The Big Game Feast includes a spread of different foods! The feast comes with 3lbs of chicken wings, 2 pizzas, a half pan of pasta, 3lbs of beef, and 12 pieces of our homemade italian sausage. We’ve got your sides– 5 inch french rolls for your sandwiches and sauteed sweet peppers and giardiniera for extra flavor! It also includes 12 mini chocolate football cakes for dessert! This feast is available hot or cold and is only $109.99! 

You can order the feast here

If you’re not looking for a full feast, make sure you stop by for all you need! Pur homemade chips pair perfectly with any of our homemade dips, salsas, or guac which you can find near our cut fruit. Our rotisserie chicken makes for great pulled chicken for any recipe that calls for it… buffalo chicken dip anyone? Our prepared foods section has homemade wings, pizzas, pulled pork, and more if you’re looking for just a dish or side for your watch party!

We hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

From Our Family To Yours

If you’ve driven by our Bloomingdale store or you follow us on social media, you’ve likely noticed a difference in our store facade. This was all part of our recent remodel! We re-did the interior and exterior of the store as well as added a few new departments!

The Bloomingdale store has a brand new and modern look! New floor, lights, and more boasts for a modern and pleasant shopping experience!

• 

• 

• 

The remodel includes the addition of new departments! The addition includes a service Coffee Bar, authentic Italian Gelato Case, made from scratch hot food bar featuring a vast variety of entrées and daily specials, freshly made pizza station, and chef manned sushi station. Soon, there will be indoor and outdoor dining areas so you can relax and enjoy a meal or an espresso in the store!

• 

• 

The remodel also allows for expanded departments. A bakery expansion which allows for more of our homemade pastries, cookies, breads, and more!  Our cold prepared foods line will be expanded and offer a larger variety of made from scratch meal options.Our goal is to provide a great food experience with a vast array of specialties and offerings. 

• 

• 

Come check out the changes and stay tuned as the remodel continues and the finishing touches are added!

From Our Family To Yours

January 20th is National Cheese Lover’s Day and it seems like a good reason to celebrate! We take our cheese very seriously and offer a large selection to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a snacking cheese or one for your sandwich, imported from Italy or something local, sharp or mild, soft or hard… we have something for whatever you’re looking for!

With a deli and cheese section full of different varieties to choose from, it can be intimidating to choose your favorite.

Here are 3 cheeses that we think you NEED to try.

Parmigiano Reggiano 

Imported from Italy, parmigiano is a hard Italian cheese. This cheese can only be made from cow’s milk who eats a certain percentage of foods. There are many producers of this cheese,  but all factories are regulated to ensure that any parmigiano reggiano cheese meets certain standards and grades. This cheese is great cut in cubes or even freshly grated on pasta!

Homemade Ricotta 

Our homemade ricotta is one of our top favorites! Available in our deli, ricotta is made from re-cooking the milk whey leftover from the production of other cheese. The result is a soft, creamy, and delicious cheese! There is so much you can do with ricotta. Need some ideas? Check out our ricotta blog here!

Homemade Bocconcini

Another top favorite that has our mouth watering just at the thought of it! We take fresh mozzarella curd and hand stretch it and then tie it. A  secret recipe that has been tweaked to perfection, it is a must try. Bocconcini is great in a sandwich, to use in recipes, to put it in a salad, or just eat it straight from the container.

What’s your favorite cheese? Let us know in the comments!

From Our Family To Yours

When the weather is so cold, you might be looking for things to do indoors. You want to stay in and cuddle up in the comfort of your own home rather than brace the frigid temps outside. On those days, you’ll probably turn to comfort food! You want food that brings you a sense of nostalgia or joy. A great thing to do on one of your days inside is to make your ultimate comfort foods and enjoy! It’ll bring you a wonderful sense of warmth during these cool times.

Your comfort food may be pasta, something cheesy, pizza, soup… anything that brings you that sense of happiness! If you’re looking for a recipe to try out, we have some ideas!

Here are 4 comfort food recipes you NEED to try!

Chicken Pot Pie

A warm, flaky crust filled with all the good things that will fill you up.This chicken pot pie recipe is a must try

Recipe Here

Baked Gnocchi

This pasta bake has all the good stuff! Homemade tomato sauce, fluffy gnocchi, and plenty of cheese!

Recipe Here

Chicken Noodle Soup

What screams comfort more than chicken noodle soup? Fresh vegetables and chicken in a delicious broth… the ultimate comfort food!

Recipe Here

Cheesesteak Sandwich

Loaded with thinly sliced beef, caramelized onions, meaty mushrooms, and melted pepper jack cheese, all atop a crusty baguette, this iconic sandwich will take your tastebuds on a delightful journey 

Recipe Here

Let us know your comfort foods down below

From Our Family To Yours

With the weather getting colder, you may be turning to some warm comfort foods! There are many things that can bring you comfort, but for us in the cold weather, soup is a go-to!

January is National Soup Month, so it’s the perfect time to explore recipes and make the perfect winter soup! Soups are simple to make and good for the soul!

Want some shortcuts? Here are 3 for you to use!

Rotisserie Chicken

Many soups call for shredded chicken. A great and quick way to have chicken is to buy our rotisserie chicken! It shreds very easily and it tastes delicious! It’s one less step for you without sacrificing quality

Pastina

If you like a little pasta in your soup, pastina is a great addition! What is pastina? They are mini cuts of pasta and we have a variety of options to choose from! Orzo, ditalini, stelline, and more! All great options for soup!

Use cheese

It’s always tasty to have a little bit of cheese in a soup, especially a melting cheese! For soup that requires a melted cheese on top, gruyere is a great option! It melts easily and is full of flavor. Also adding a little grated parmigiano reggiano is a great way to add flavor and keep your soup the consistency you meant it to be!

La Bella Romana Soups

We know that a soup can take a lot of work and time to make. Don’t feel like cooking, but want a warm, homemade soup? We can help! We have a full line of soups– vegan, vegetarian, broth, cream, hearty, and nostalgic– we have it all! Some of our recipes are original recipes going back over 20 years. You can get the same soup your mom or nonna would make with flavors that will transport you right back to their kitchen. 

Our soups are made in-house. We use all natural ingredients, no preservatives, and no additives so you can feel good about what you’re eating! We use real cream, fresh vegetables, our homemade sausage, and meat prepared by our meat department. 

Here are just a few of some soups we offer:

• Chili (awarding winning and will make your taste buds do a happy dance)
• Cream of Chicken
• Minestrone
• Vegan Butternut Squash
• Chicken and Dumpling
• Clam Chowder
• Cream of Broccoli
• Lentil
• Beef Barley

• 

• 

• 

and so much more! Check out all of our offerings in store in our prepared foods section!

From Our Family To Yours

The New Year is right around the corner. One thing you may know is that some Italians can be superstitious and like to stay true to their traditions. Many traditions involve some type of food and the New Year’s Eve traditions are no exception! Italians like to enjoy hearty foods that will symbolize good fortune and prosperity in the New Year!

Lentils

Lentils have many symbols for this holiday meal. They are round like coins. Lentils are eaten for the hope of prosperity and good luck. This tradition can be linked back to the early days of Rome. In our family, my mother picked up the tradition from her mother and the matriarch of Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets, Romana Caputo. Nonna Romana would make lentil soup to be eaten after the clock strikes midnight as a sign of good luck and prosperity for the New Year.

Many people also eat sausage with their lentils. This is said to symbolize abundance. When sausage and lentils are eaten together, it means that the New Year will be even better than the last!

We offer dry lentils for you to make yourself or pick up one of our homemade lentil soups from our prepared foods section!

Grapes

Another way to ring in the New Year is by eating grapes! At midnight you eat 12 grapes, one for each month. When you eat each grape, you are supposed to make a wish for that month!

Don’t forget the panettone, nuts, and fruit!

Buona Fortuna e Buon Anno a tutti!

From Our Family To Yours

Christmas is almost here! It’s time for those final preparations which includes planning your meals, but sometimes, per tradition, you already know what your meal will consist of! An important tradition in our family and many Italian-American families is the Feast of the Seven Fishes.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes gained popularity in America; however, is not known as the same thing in Italy. Each region of Italy has different meals that they prepare for La Vigilia, or Christmas Eve, so the traditional meals tend to vary region by region. Although the meals are different, they mainly consume light, meatless dishes. As with many Italian traditions, they are rooted in faith. Many people speculate that the Feast of the Seven Fishes gets its name because seven is a motif in the bible– the sacraments, days of creation, and more! The Christmas Eve meal includes varieties of different types of fish all prepared in different ways. There is no limit to how many varieties of fish you can eat- each family has their own routine. 

Here are 3 of our favorites that we can’t wait to enjoy during the feast:

Shrimp

Fried, in pasta, or with cocktail sauce- shrimp is a delicious seafood that is easy to incorporate into many dishes and that is widely loved (even by those picky eaters).

Octopus Salad

Our homemade octopus salad goes through a specific process. We first tenderize the octopus, then marinate it with our signature blend of spices, oils, vinegars, and vegetables. It is a perfect course during your feast!

Lobster Tails

Lobster is a light fish that has a bit of a sweeter taste. With a little bit of warm butter drizzled over the fish, you can’t even tell it’s a fish which makes it another great option for the picky eaters!

Stop by and visit our seafood department for a wide variety of fresh fish! See some of our offerings here

From Our Family To Yours