Category: News

Italian Heritage Month continues and we’re on week 3! 

One of the top foods in Italy is pizza! There is nothing like the smell, taste, or look of a pizza fresh out of the oven. The ingredients on the pizza make all the difference, the fresher the ingredients, the better the pizza! One type of pizza that embraces some of the freshest ingredients that is also our item of the week is a margherita pizza!

This classic thin-crust pizza originated in Naples, Italy, and it honors the Italian flag: Red from imported San Marzano tomatoes, green from fresh basil and white from gooey rounds of fresh mozzarella. 

This simple pizza recipe is a must-have during National Italian Heritage month and it is only available for a limited time only! This week only, we will be offering a La Bella Romana margherita pizza for you to try out and post about for your chance to win a Caputo’s gift card!

All the info here

From Our Family To Yours

Italian Heritage Month continues and we continue giving away Caputo’s gift cards!

Our Week 2 Item of the Week is arancini! 

Arancini is a traditional Italian street food. 

It is thought to have originated in Sicily in the 10th century. The name arancini comes from the word orange (arancia) because the shape and color is similar to an orange. Arancini is a ball of rice stuffed with a delicious filling! There are many ways to make arancini and the filling is different for each person. 

At Caputo’s we make our own, homemade arancini in our commissary everyday. We offer 2 different versions. 

Our meat arancini are stuffed with our homemade meat ragu and peas. Our second version is stuffed with spinach. 

Love our La Bella Romana arancini or shop at Caputo’s to get the ingredients to make your own? Show us! Arancini are our item of the week. Take a photo, post it, and tag us for the chance to win a Caputo’s gift card this week!

All the info on our contest here

From Our Family To Yours

October is Italian National Heritage Month and we are spending the whole month celebrating. 

Our founder, Angelo Caputo, immigrated to America from Italy in his late teens. He soon after opened Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets and his goal was to serve the growing Italian community in Chicago. He started with produce and slowly started adding more items, always keeping Italian specialties in mind. Since then, we have grown and are proud that our commitment to international imports and specialties has grown with us! We have a passion for keeping Italian traditions and culture alive! 

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 Throughout the month, we are taking a look at some of our favorite traditional or imported Italian items. We have picked items for each week and by enjoying them too, you can win a Caputo’s gift card! 

Here’s how it works:

Each week in the month of October (starting September 29th), we will pick a new item that is imported from Italy or significant to Italian culture. This item will be announced in our ad, on social media, on our newsletter, and on our webpage. 

The Rules:

1. Be sure to be following us on social media
   • Instagram: @angelocaputosfreshmarkets
   • Facebook: @AngeloCaputos
   • Twitter: @shopcaputos
2. Head to your nearest Caputo’s (or place an order for pickup or delivery) and find the Item of the Week
3. Take a picture of the item and post it
   • Tag us and use #CaputosContest
   • Post a picture– in store, how you enjoy the item at home… get creative!
4. At the end of each week, we will pick a random winner from the submissions and he or she will win a $20 Caputo’s gift card! 

You can get all the details (like what to do if your social accounts are private) on our website here!

Week 1 Item

Our contest will officially start on 9/29! The Item of the Week for week 1 (9/29-10/5) is Lupini Beans!

Lupini are a common Mediterranean snack related to chickpeas and lentils. In addition to their delicious taste, they are full of nutrients too. Lupini are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, and more. It can help your heart, lower your cholesterol, help your digestive health, and more!

Lupini is a bean inside a thick skin. The skin is edible, but it is thick and almost wax like. Most people prefer to take the bean out of the skin before eating.

Lupini are great as a salty snack on their own, in an antipasto tray, in a salad, and more!

Head to the store and get your lupini. Post pictures and tag us for your first chance to enter our item of the week contest! Follow the rules above or visit our website for more info.

From Our Family To Yours

Fall has officially begun! We can expect brisker days, Sundays spent watching football, fun activities, and some great produce!

Fall brings about some of the freshest seasonal produce! 

Here are 4 of the best fall fruits and veggies, and some ideas of what to do with them! 

1. Brussel Sprouts

From the cabbage family, brussel sprouts are a great fall veggie packed with health benefits! 

It is a great source of vitamin k which is essential for blood clotting and bone health. They are high in fiber which is great for your digestive and gut health.v They are a good source of omega 3’s (thanks to the alpha-linoleic acids which convert to omega 3’s) which can help with cholesterol and blood pressure.

Brussel Sprouts have a mild flavor that really adapts to what you cook it with! You can roast, steam, sautee… uit’s up to you! 

A  great way to cook them that really enhances the flavor and makes for a great side dish? Bacon Braised Brussel Sprouts

2. Apples

Apple picking is a classic fall activity. Fall is great for a juicy, crisp apple and we bring in a variety of locally grown apples throughout the fall season! These are great for cooking, baking, or even eating by themselves for a snack!

There’s so much you can do with them, but using apples for making a sweet dessert is one of our favorites! Get the very best of fall with this Cider Glazed Apple Bundt Cake

3. Pears

Fall is a great time to enjoy pears. Bartlett, anjou, bosc, comice… so many to choose from! They are all uniquely delicious and have great benefits like they are high in fiber, can boost your immune system, lower cholesterol and more! 

You can incorporate pears in so many dishes. They are great to throw in a salad,  add to a side dish, or even use on your pizza! Try this Pear, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Pizza for your next pizza night! 

4. Pumpkins

The iconic fall vegetable… pumpkins! Not only are pumpkins fun to take pictures with or spend the night carving, they are also delicious to eat! That beautiful orange color of pumpkins isn’t just to make them pretty, the orange color comes from the high amount of beta-carotene. This then converts to vitamin A which makes it great for your eye health! Beta-carotene is also great for your immune system, and can help with skin protecting. These are just a few perks of incorporating pumpkins in your fall diet. 

When you think of pumpkin, you can’t help but think of pumpkin desserts! The natural sweetness makes pumpkin puree a main ingredient in many fall sweets. Why not try to use it as a side though? Try these Pumpkin dinner rolls! These pair perfectly with butter and a little cranberry sauce or enjoy it on the sweeter side with butter and a little cinnamon sugar.

From Our Family To Yours

We are very excited to officially be opened for business in Orland Park! On September 8th, we will open our doors and start serving Orland Park and surrounding communities. 

We will bring the best of what we’re known for. Here are some of the things you can look forward to in our brand new store! 

We have fresh, top quality meats and seafood. Fresh produce which we still buy daily, just like Angelo would do when he started over 60 years ago. Cut fruit and salsas made fresh in house. An international deli which features imported and domestic meats, cheeses, and olives of the highest quality, Our La Bella Romana Bakery which features items made from scratch daily, many of which are Romana’s very own recipes– amaretti cookies, cannoli, eclairs, butter cookies, and more! 

We have a large variety of items imported from all over the world! Olive oil, pasta, pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, taralli, olives, and more! 

We have an extensive line of prepared foods! You’ll find a large line of homemade meals, sides, entrees, soups, pasta sauces, and more. All of these items are made from scratch daily. All natural and no preservatives. It’s just like you would cook at home, but without all the mess. 

Our hot foods department has a hot bar, a pizza station, a fresh made sushi station, and more so you can have a good, homemade meal right in the store.

 Bar Angelo where you can get a coffee, espresso, beer, wine, or mixed drink! Enjoy a beverage or a coffee at one of our tables or even bring it with you while you shop. Then stop by the gelato case and pick from our variety of authentic gelato flavors for a delicious treat. 

This opening is bittersweet for us as it marks our first new store since we lost our heart, soul, and founder. We know Angelo and Romana are looking down on us as we expand. We will continue to honor and respect their names.

We hope to see you at our new store and we look forward to serving you!

Where: 11333 W 159th St, Orland Park, IL

Store Hours: 6am-9:30pm

From Our Family To Yours

Back to school means back to packing lunches. You can have your classic peanut butter and jelly, turkey and american cheese, or mortadella and provolone, but sometimes you might want to mix it up! Pack your kids something new and exciting, but still easy and quick! 

Here are some ideas for an easy and different lunch time (and they’re not just for kids)

La Bella Romana Salad

Already prepared, any of our salads are easy to bring for lunch, filling, and delicious! We have a variety of different kinds for you to choose from– Greek, house, Caesar, chopped… Lots of options that require little to no work!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Easy to store in a thermos and enjoy for lunch! No time to make the soup? Our prepared foods section has a variety of pre-made soups that all you have to do is heat!

Recipe: https://shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?dishId=2779d0ff-81fa-4827-81bb-309db6f42f52

Avocado Grilled Cheese

Make this sandwich in your cast iron skillet, which is one of our absolute favorite pans to cook with. They’re very inexpensive and cook your food to perfection. From the crispy bread and gooey cheese, to the fresh avocado, you’re sure to make this sandwich on repeat!

Recipe: https://shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?dishId=a43846e7-0829-4595-a481-decc7c500155

Stromboli

there are endless possibilities for filling variations when it comes to a stromboli. This stromboli is stuffed with melted mozzarella cheese, Italian spices, roasted red peppers, and garlic infused kale. Bake to golden brown perfection in 30 minutes and enjoy.

Recipe: https://shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?dishId=182f98f0-aa83-4e6f-bbfa-faf02686b78d

Chicken Pot Pie

Already prepared and full of fresh ingredients for a delicious and easy meal!

Shop: https://shopcaputos.com/shop/prepared-foods?productId=50e41805-715d-493b-ab8b-b5384fcdf41d#rank=3&shelfRank=3&searchandizing=8d9e508e-a70e-4e40-aef8-0e32260f4c71

From Our Family To Yours

At Caputo’s, we love tradition and we are incredibly proud of our Italian heritage. A great way to combine both is with a game of Bocce!

We are partnering with Hardcore Italians for our 2nd Annual ACHI Bocce Tournament!

Come by our Carol Stream Store on August 21st, 2021. Our teams are all filled up, but there will still be plenty to do!

The main event– a 48 team bocce tournament! We will have teams playing from early morning to late afternoon. Even if you don’t have a team, come out to watch a few games. We will have more to occupy your time!

You can enter our Meatball Eating contest or Morra Competition. 

For the meatball eating contest, every contestant will have a plate for 10 homemade La Bella Romana meatballs from the Caputo’s kitchen. The first person to finish the 10 or whoever eats the most in 3 minutes will win a $10 Caputo’s Gift Card and Caputo’s Apron! You can also enter the Morra competition! Play the famous hand game that dates back centuries! Enter the competition for your chance to win a trophy or a medal! These events are open for anyone to sign up and you can sign up here

Our food truck will be there with a full menu of homemade sandwiches and Italian classics. 

Italian Cards so you can have a fun game of scopa or briscola, bags, and more! We hope to see you there on Saturday!

From Our family To Yours

August 11th is National Panini Day! Growing up in an Italian household, a panini for lunch is a must. Some quality meat and cheese on authentic toasted bread drizzled with olive oil brings back so many memories that you can almost taste! 

With a deli full of authentic, imported meat and cheese and a made from scratch bakery, a panini was always something to look forward to. There are so many options to choose from and so many items to pair together, each combination gives a unique and scrumptious taste. 

It’s hard to pick what to put in a panini, so here are our top 3 items in each 

Here is what I put in my favorite panini:

• Ciabatta Bread
• Prosciutto Cotto 
• Salami
• Arugula tossed in olive oil
• Homemade Ricotta seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano
• La Bella Romana Giardiniera 

Put some olive oil on the bread, put the ingredients inside, press it on the panini machine and enjoy! 

What’s your go-to panini? Enter our Panini/Sandwich Recipe Contest for your chance to win a $100 Caputo’s Gift Card!

All the info on the contest here

From Our Family To Yours

Summertime means a lot of outdoor activities! One of the best things to do on a summer night  is a bonfire. There is nothing like sitting around a fire with your friends or family– listening to music, sharing stories, and creating memories. Don’t forget the s’mores!

S’mores are a classic summer treat that we look forward to. The combo of toasted marshmallow, chocolate, and graham crackers is a fantastic trio. Late nights around the bonfire during summer has us thinking about the delicious dessert. While a classic s’more is great, there are some things you can do to make your next s’more indescribable! 

Here are 5 ideas to take your s’mores to the next level.

1. A peanut butter cup or peanut butter

Is peanut butter a guilty pleasure of yours? Chocolate and peanut butter are a fantastic duo, so why not bring it into a s’more?! Substitute your chocolate bar with a peanut butter cup for a new, savory flavor! This delicious pairing gives you sweet and salty in every bite!

Already have your ingredients, but want this peanut butter duo? Shmear your graham cracker with peanut butter and then add the rest of the s’more ingredients! You get to control how much peanut butter goes on it and you get the great flavor!

2. Cookies

Who doesn’t love a fresh cookie? It makes a great ice cream sandwich and it makes a great base for smores! Try to swap out your graham crackers for a cookie. Whether homemade or store bought, small or big, sugar or chocolate chip… the options are endless! It’s a fun way to change up the taste of a classic s’more!

Some cookie flavors to try– chocolate chip, sugar, peanut butter, snickerdoodle, double chocolate… have fun with it!

3. Fruit

Want to add a little freshness to your s’more? How about some fruit. Chocolate and fruit go well together… think chocolate covered strawberries or bananas. Being that S’mores are a pretty rich treat, adding some fresh fruit  like strawberries or bananas gives it a brand new flavor! Plus how good are juicy berries in the summer!

4. Pretzels 

In a very sweet dessert, sometimes you want a little salt. Adding a pretzel is a great way to add a little salt and more of a crunch. You can even swap out the graham crackers for pretzels. 

5. Nutella

Nutella is delicious on so many things and s’mores are no exception! Swap out the chocolate bar for some creamy Nutella and you will not be disappointed! A softer bite, a subtle hazelnut flavor, and pure deliciousness!

Using different candies, chocolate graham crackers, and so many other ways… enjoy the best days of summer with some of these innovative ideas!

From Our Family To Yours