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Game Day Staples

It’s almost game day! Whether your team is playing, you want to see the commercials, or you can’t wait for Maroon 5’s performance, many people will be glued to their TVs on Sunday! No matter why you’re tuning in, the game day meal is very important. We have all the staples you need to make any viewing party a success and help you get ready for kick off!

One option to make your party a breeze is our Big Game Feast! Our Big Game Feast feeds 10-12 people and has every part of the meal covered! We’ve got your appetizers and main courses–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 $119.99!

If you’re just looking for some easy appetizers or meals, we also have you covered! Our homemade dips and guacamole pair perfectly with our homemade chips. Our tortilla chips are made in house daily and are amazing! They are great with the buffalo chicken dip sure to be at whatever party you go to 😉 Our grab and go section is stocked and ready for your game day needs! Our sub sandwiches are a great compliment to your feast. We also have chicken wings, chicken tenders, and more in our grab and go section! Then you can stop by our bakery to satisfy your sweet tooth. We have many desserts that fit the football theme! Football cakes, cookies in a football container, and more!

From appetizers to main courses to the perfect desserts– we are your one stop shop for all your big game needs!

 

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Iowa Premium Beef

Being a family business committed to bringing the freshest and highest quality products to our customers, we strive to source from local businesses. One area where we do this is in our meat department. Just a few hours west of Chicago is a small packaging facility, Iowa Premium!

Iowa Premium is a company in Tama, Iowa who sources cattle from local, family raised farms. The processes are all in accordance with and monitored by the USDA, making it a USDA Choice brand, as Iowa Premium sources locally. Most of the cattle come from within a 150 mile radius of the headquarters in Tama. They look for farms that raise cattle with an emphasis on sustainability and responsibility that adhere to the nationally recognized Beef Quality Assurance guidelines. The farm areas have rich soil, good climate, and average rainfall. These conditions result in high quality beef.

Iowa Premium uses black angus, corn-fed cattle. These qualities result in a unique flavor and easy marbling. Marbling is the white streaks in a lean piece of meat. The degree of marbling is a great indicator of flavor of the meat.  Many people follow the general rule that the more marbling, the better piece of meat. The cattle is corn-fed in order to create that rich, distinctive flavor that is unmatched by other brands. This adds to the degree of marbling and the quality of the meat!

You can get Iowa Premium exclusively at Caputo’s in the Chicagoland area. Stop by one of our locations to pick up some Iowa Premium and taste the quality! You can also pick up a recipe card to learn how to make a garlic herb crusted roast beef!

Also, stop by Addison on 1/25 from 12pm-4pm to meet an Iowa Premium representative who can answer your questions and help you get a Caputo’s gift card!

Check out http://www.iowapremium.com to learn more!

From Our Family To Yours

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Easy Peasy, Meyer Lemon Squeezy

Looking for a little bit of warmth in this chilly winter? We’ve got just the thing for you! A sweet twist on a classic, summery fruit– the Meyer lemon!

A Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. Originally they were only in China, but introduced to the United States in the 20th century by Frank Meyer. Meyer lemons are known for their distinct taste. While regular lemons have an acidic taste, Meyer lemons are known for their sweeter taste. Because Meyer lemons are a cross between the citrus mandarin, Meyer lemons have a sweeter taste.

They also have a different appearance. This special lemon has a small, round shape and an orange tint. The skin is thinner and smoother. In addition, the scent has more of a floral scent!  

Their unique taste and look makes Meyer lemons a fun addition to a plate. Whether a drink, a meal, or a dessert, Meyer lemons can take a meal to the next level! People particularly enjoy Meyer lemons in salads because of the sweet and refreshing taste, they can be used to make a great lemon vinaigrette!  There are a number of recipes that call for Meyer lemons or you can use them instead of regular lemons–it’s all up to you! Whether you’re making lemonade, pie, or something else! Check out this list of a bunch of fun recipes to try out with Meyer lemons: https://www.latimes.com/style/la-fo-meyerlemons16jan16-story.html

These lemons are known as a winter fruit, so they have a limited availability. We are very excited to be getting some from a farm in Phoenix, Arizona.They are organic… and they’re on sale this week! Stop by and get yours, then send us what you did with your Meyer lemons!

 

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Resolutions

The new year has officially arrived, can you believe it is 2019?! Many people start the new year with resolutions in mind and goals they intend to achieve. A popular resolution revolves around health. Now is the time when people take steps to improve their lifestyles and healthy eating is a big part of the adjustment. We are here to help you make the  move towards healthy eating!

One way to kickstart your healthy eating is by shopping in our fresh produce section! We get new produce in every day. Our produce buyers start their mornings going to the market and visiting local companies and farms– sourcing produce to send to our stores. This is the same way we have bought produce since 1958 when my grandfather, Angelo Caputo, would go through the same process of buying produce! The fresh fruits and vegetables are perfect ingredients for any meal you wish to make. From smoothies, to soups, to meals, to desserts, we’ve got the freshest ingredients for you to use.

Photo courtesy of prouditaliancook on Instagram

We also have a wide variety of fresh juices. Our juices are cold pressed and high pressure pasteurized. In addition, they are locally produced right down the street from our Carol Stream headquarters.  The flavors of these pressed juices include beet boost, garden remedy, and pineapple peace. We also have some fresh juices squeezed in house daily! These juices are packed with vitamins and nutrients.

Are you starting off 2019 with healthy eating? Let us know how Caputo’s is helping you achieve your resolutions! Post your meals and ingredients on social media! Tag us and use the hashtag #CaputosHealthyCooking and you will be entered to win a $50 gift to Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets!

From Our Family To Yours

 

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Grand Re-Opening of Addison

In late October of 2018 the new 10,000 square foot addition of our Addison store officially opened! This new addition brought what our customers love from our Carol Stream location to Addison as well as some other unique features! We expanded our hot foods department, added a coffee bar and a bar, highlight our fresh salsa and fresh guacamole, included a tortilla machine with fresh tortillas made daily, and much more! We are so excited about all of these new features and want you to share in our excitement! We’ve got some fun upcoming events to celebrate our re-grand opening of Addison!

One event will be a menu tasting! We will be sampling appetizers from our catering menu! This event will take place on January 12th from 11am-2pm then again later that day from 4pm-7pm. This event will take place again on February 2nd from 11am to 2pm and from 4pm  to 7pm. This complimentary tasting will also include wine samples from some premium brands!

 

Our next event will take place on January 19th, again from 11am to 2pm and from 4pm to 7pm. This event is a pasta demo. Our chef will be preparing orecchiette d’estate. This demo will feature orecchiette pasta, an ear shaped pasta that is a traditional type of pasta in Mola di Bari,  Angelo’s hometown. L’estate means summer in Italian so orecchiette d’estate (orecchiette of summer) is a very light dish. It is prepared with fresh vegetables, our homemade Italian Sausage, and our La Bella Romana homemade marinara sauce. Delicious year round!

As food is a big part of our business and our new addition included a large expansion of our hot foods, we will be having $1 mini sausage sandwiches with sweet peppers!  This special will take place on January 26th from 11am to 2pm and from 4pm to 7pm. Our homemade sausage comes from an old-world recipe that has been perfected throughout the years. From the making of our sausage to the spices, it is all homemade and mouth-wateringly delicious!

We are thrilled about the new additions to our Addison store! We thank all of our loyal customers for their continued support throughout the remodel! We look forward to celebrating with you during these events and more upcoming events!

 

From Our Family To Yours

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Traditions for Good Luck in the New Year

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 New Year’s Eve is no exception! Italians like to enjoy hearty foods that will symbolize good fortune and prosperity in the New Year!

The main focus of Italian New Year’s Eve meals is 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. 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 and say that it was a sign of good luck.

Many people also enjoy sausage or pig trotters to accompany their lentils. Sausage is a fattier meat. This is said to symbolize abundance. The sausage and lentils eaten together is meaning that the New Year will be even better than the last!

 

Then you finish your meal and ring in the New Year with grapes! At the stroke of midnight, you eat 12 grapes, one for each month. With each stroke of the clock and each grape eaten, you make a wish for that month!

 

 

 

 

                From Our Family To Yours

                           Buona Fortuna e Buon Anno a tutti!

 

 

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Feast of the Seven Fishes

Christmas is less than a week away! Last minute shopping and preparation is being done. Every family has different traditions. Whether traditions revolve around games, presents, or food– there are many different rituals that people look forward to every holiday season. 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 of light, meatless dishes. Angelo Caputo grew up in Mola di Bari and would enjoy frittelle (fried dough) and capitone (eel) on Christmas Eve.  As with many Italian traditions, they are rooted in faith. Many people speculate that the tradition gets its name because seven is a motif in the bible– the sacraments, days of creation,  and more!

    

The Feast of the Seven Fishes was created based upon the traditional meals enjoyed around Italy during Christmas Eve and stick with the meatless theme. The meal includes a variety of fish, each prepared in different ways. Every family has a different amount of fish types to eat– some eat 7 and some eat 10! There is no limit, it’s however many you and your family want!

 

We’re here to help you make your Christmas Eve meal and every meal a success! Stop by for all the food you need for your dishes!  Whether it’s the Feast of the Seven Fishes or another a different tradition, we have what you need!

 

We want to hear your Christmas traditions! Comment down below or email your traditions to events@caputomarkets.com

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Check Out Caputo’s And Win

Our 60th year in business is wrapping up, but we’re still celebrating! We have had so much fun with different celebrations during the year and we still have one left! The final Check Out Caputo’s will take place in Addison on December 15th!

Check Out Caputo’s is a fun game we will play with the guests in our checkout lanes! We have had one event at each store and will host our final one from 11am to 3pm on Saturday December 15th. The game is very simple and full of lucky winners!

Here’s how it works:

Every 15 minutes, one lucky check out lane will be drawn at random from a bingo machine. Everyone in the selected lane will win a $5 Caputo’s gift card to use for their next purchase. In addition, they will be given a chance to come up and spin the wheel to win great prizes!

Once up at the wheel, the lucky customers will be asked to pick a number between 1 and 60. If the spin lands on the corresponding even or odd to the number they choose, they win a prize! If the spin lands on the number they pick, they win TWO prizes.

For example, I come up to the wheel after my lane has been drawn at random and pick a number. I choose the number 58. I spin the wheel and it lands on 28. I am still a winner since the wheel landed on an even number and I picked an even number! Because I picked an even number, I get to pick any 1 prize to take home!

The winners will have a variety of prizes to choose from! The prizes include kitchen utensils, panini makers, blenders, storage containers, and much more! Here are some of our lucky winners!

 

We hope to see you on Saturday! Check out some highlights from our past events here:

 

 

From Our Family To Yours!

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Shop Online by Shopping Caputo’s

With the weather getting colder and the snow approaching, it is not always easy to run to the grocery store and pick up the necessities. If you don’t feel like braving the weather or are so busy and can’t make it to the store, we’ve got you covered! We offer online ordering and delivery with Shop Caputo’s!

We deliver to a wide variety of locations and even offer in store pickup! Check out the zip codes we deliver to here:

At Caputo’s, we always want to ensure the satisfaction of our customers and we go to great lengths to achieve it. When we started 60 years ago, produce was our focus. Though we’ve expanded, we take pride in offering a large variety of only the freshest produce. Our Shop Caputo’s pickers have been trained to select only the freshest and highest quality produce that fit customer preferences! When you shop for produce online, you are able to add instructions or pick the color or ripeness of certain products! We pick the produce just like you would!

 

 

 

We also ensure freshness. All perishable objects are picked the day your order will be delivered! Your deli and meat items will be sliced on the selected delivery day– no pre-packaged items, always fresh! You can customize the cut of your lunch meat and how you want it packaged. This is especially helpful on those Saturday mornings when there’s a wait at the deli counter!

We offer all your favorite items. You can shop all our aisles and even shop our ad! All your favorite items that you shop for are brought right to your door–no lines, no waiting, with the same care you would use in shopping yourself!

Our online shopping website is easy to use and very convenient. We are open Monday-Saturday and will deliver to you same day if you order before 2pm during the week and before 10am on Saturday. We also offer store pick up at any of our locations! Want free delivery! Use the code “grapevine” on your next order and receive free delivery! This code is only available for a limited time.

Visit https://www.shopcaputos.com/store/Default.aspx or call 630-480-8205 to place your order!

 

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A SWEET Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday full of food– turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and much more! But some might say that the most important part of every meal is at the end– the dessert! We have the perfect desserts that are sure to be a hit at your Thanksgiving dinners!

A classic dessert that is a staple in every Thanksgiving meal… PIE! Many people consider pumpkin pie the go-to Thanksgiving dessert. While pumpkin pie is delicious and always compliments a Thanksgiving meal, there are so many options for pies alone! Peach, pecan, cherry, blueberry, and–Angelo Caputo’s favorite and an american classic– apple pie! So many options to satisfy any craving. While you’re picking out the perfect pie, don’t forget the ice cream to go with it!

Our bakery has cooked up some special treats specifically for the holiday! Butter cookies with holiday sprinkles, brownie platters decorated for thanksgiving, cookie cakes decorated for Thanksgiving or for the football game, and turkey cakes! Turkey cakes are individual cakes covered in chocolate and decorated to look like turkeys. They are just as delicious as they are cute!

Along with holiday desserts are the classic desserts. Our bakery has a wide variety of homemade desserts that are perfect for any occasion. Tiramisu, cannoli, pyramid cakes, eclairs and so much more! There are options for everyone to enjoy! In addition to those is our classic twist on cannoli! We offer a cannoli dipper which is a tray with cannoli chips and and cannoli filling in the middle of the tray–perfect for any party!

Let us do the work– stop by to pick up a dessert that will please all of your loved ones! Need some last minute items on Thursday? We’re open and here to help! Our holiday hours are:

Elmwood Park: 6am-6pm

Addison: 7am-5pm

Bloomingdale: 7am-5pm

Hanover Park: 7am-5pm

South Elgin: 7am-5pm

Naperville: 7am-5pm

Carol Stream:7am-5pm