May is the start for my favorite time of year. Warm weather, spring cleaning, sundresses, barbecues, pitchers of icy cocktails, and lots of shared meals. The warm days are still tempered by cool nights, and the first blooms of spring have now sprung. Here’s the list of goodies and treats we’re enjoying to help us welcome the month ahead:

CHEESE: Leonora

Yep, this should look familiar. We highlighted Leonora last month, but we can’t quit this baby. Read what we had to say last month below. This month you can expect a few quick recipes and even more cheese love from your favorite SLC cheese mongers.

If you’ve visited any of our stores recently—namely downtown—there may have been an incredibly eager cheese monger or two nearly force-feeding you a sample of this little beauty. What you’re experiencing is cheese geekiness in its more exuberant, pure form. Leonora was an all-star, staff favorite years ago at Caputo’s. We lost it for a long period. All of a sudden this winter, it was back, gracing our cases and palettes with its acidic perfection. This log of pure goat’s milk cheese from Leon, Spain, has an intense acidity in its flaky, dry interior, but balances itself with a cream line just beneath its thin rind that makes it its own best friend. Wanna guess what I like to pair with Leonora? More Leonora. If that’s an unacceptable answer, then I’d say white wine. All the white wine, to be exact. Stay tuned for musings from Evan, and make sure to come by for a taste of this cheese. It’s a knockout. But be warned, no one has ever loved Leonora more than Evan.

CHOCOLATE: Ritual Ecuador 85%

It’s true, Ritual is now local! Its lovely chocolate factory and cafe is now open minutes from the historic downtown Park City neighborhood for you noshing pleasure. Check them out the next you visit Park City, but don’t forget you can still get all of their amazing bars at each of our Caputo’s locations. We’re often not as fond of chocolate that has more than 75% cacao content (cacao really blossoms with the addition of sugar) but this 85% bar from Balao, Ecuador, has us rethinking what it means to be really dark and really good. The surprising sweetness offered by this high percentage bar is a pleasant surprise, making it both easy to eat and incredibly flavorful.

Added bonus: This high percentage bar is all cacao. It’s not a 75% bar with added cocoa butter to raise the percentage, which speaks to the true craftsmanship and artisanal element of all things Ritual. You’ll notice when trying a Ritual bar that there is an exquisite snap on your first bite and silky smooth mouthfeel, all due to long conch and attention to detail—down to the microscopic proportions. What’s more, a higher percentage of cacao, especially with brands like Ritual with no addition of cocoa butter, make this an easy choice for ice creams and semifreddo applications. Higher cacao content = deeper chocolate flavor. Milk powder and extra sugar often hinder my attempts at extremely flavorful frozen chocolate treats, but the key lies in percentage. Make your own batch of ice cream or semifreddo and see what I mean—you won’t regret it.

SAVORY: Chili Beak
For me, this is not a craving, this is a straight up addiction. I. Can’t. Stop. That said, this should be on your list for new local products, and it deserves a great deal of attention. Picture this: You’re in the middle of devouring one of your favorite entrees and realize it could really benefit from a little extra spiciness. Vinegar-based hot sauces often take over any dish they’re dashed onto, and you end up with a mouthful of acidity and a lingering, odd heat from who-knows-what-kind of pepper. Not anymore, friends, not anymore!

Chili Beak is made with four ingredients: dried Mexican chilies, sunflower oil, garlic, and Utah salt. The result is a so-sexy-smooth oil-based hot sauce that lets the chilies do the talking. You get a slowly-developing heat that is made even more addicting by good seasoning. That missing acidic component from vinegar lets even the most delicate flavors of your original dish shine while still being able to enjoy the introduction of both heat and flavor. Crazy, right? I’ll provide plenty of recipe ideas in the weeks to come, but start off with my favorites ideas—simple add ons. Give your jar a loving stir, and drizzle over your morning eggs, mix into your favorite mayonnaise or aioli, and stir into your favorite hummus. You’ll find yourself reaching for this multiple times a day, and we don’t blame you, we’re doing the very same thing.

SWEET / DRINK: Bittermilk Charred Grapefruit Tonic

Meet your new secret ingredient for the easiest and most impressive home cocktails. Fans are singing praises for Bittermilk across the country, and the full line of Bittermilk has already been highlighted in the Wall Street Journal! Joe and MariElena Raya are the owners of Gin Joint in Charleston, South Carolina, and the makers of our newest all-natural cocktail go-to. Simply mix your Bittermilk of choice with a spirit and ice. Voilà: a cocktail, and an impressive one, too. Add a garnish if you insist, but how easy does that sound? No more muddling, peeling, and hunting for a whole shipping cart full of grocery items to serve your friends a delicious libation. You just need this lovely bottle and a quick jaunt to the liquor store.

With six fantastic concoctions, there’s an option for every spirit and every soul. Whiskey fans? They’ve got a few for you. Clear liquor only? Fret not, this Charred Grapefruit Tonic works with gin, vodka, AND rum. Try them all—we have. We’re currently digging this in particular because of its multiple uses; plus, spring feels like the perfect time for a fun spin on a the classic gin & tonic. We’re big fans, and we hope you’ll join the club.

Enjoy this lovely month of May, fellow Cravers. We cannot wait to help you find these at your local Caputo’s, so don’t be shy. We’ll guide you to your craving of choice, and send you on your way with a bounty of ideas on how to prepare them. I hope you’ll adore these cravings as much as we do!

What: HUGE CHOCOLATE SALE!

Every bar is 50% off. Yes, you read that correctly. Every. Single. Bar.

This is the biggest chocolate sale we’ve ever had, and we can hardly contain our excitement.

April, you love it or you hate it. I love it, and I love this month’s cravings. We kept it short and sweet for April since we’re all busy scrambling to clean up Easter eggs and get our taxes submitted. Here’s what we can’t get enough of this month:

CHEESE: Leonora

If you’ve visited any of our stores recently, namely downtown, there may have been an incredibly eager cheesemonger or two nearly force-feeding you a sample of this little beauty. What you’re experiencing is cheese geekiness in its more exhuberant, pure form. Leonora was an all-star staff favorite years ago at Caputo’s. We lost it for a long period. All of a sudden this winter, it was back, gracing our cases and palettes with its acidic perfection. This log of pure goat’s milk cheese from Leon, Spain has an intense acidity in its flaky, dry interior, but blanaces itself with a cream line just beneath its thin rind that makes it its own best friend. Wanna guess what I like to pair with Leonora? More Leonora. If that’s an unacceptable answer, then I’d say white wine. All the white wine, to be exact. Stay tuned for musings from Evan and make sure to come by for a taste of this cheese. It’s a knockout. But be warned, no one has ever loved Leonora more than Evan.

SWEET: Marou Ben Tre 78%

Don’t look at me, Matt always says it best when it comes to the chocolate obsessions.

“Marou evokes many thoughts and emotions. From exhilaration, lust, fear, and back to comfort. It is an incredibly complex and exotic chocolate. It manages to be ethereal and visceral at the same time. On the one hand it is like an exotic and mysterious woman whispering in a language you can’t remotely comprehend. On the other it is like a musical journey from slow Asian instrumentals to death metal.

Using 100% Vietnamese ingredients including shade grown cacao from 5 different provinces, Marou captures aromas and flavors never before experienced by our Western palates. While it will take us much more tasting to really get to know the soul of Marou’s chocolate, one is perfectly clear. The two French expatriates behind Marou live in Vietnam make chocolate that is a cousin to French, but distinctively Vietnamese. Marou makes globalization look sexy.”  -Matt Caputo

Yep. Marou. The Ben Tre region along the Mekong River lends itself to cacao that is well balanced and not too acidic. It’s a thing of Vietnamese beauty, and one that I’ve loved using this for budinos and flourless cakes. My craving extended beyond the bar, but be sure to give this a try next time you visit one of our stores. You’ll see what Matt’s talking about.

SAVORY: Salame Beddu Cacciatorini

We’ve got a soft spot for small batch salami, and boy does this fill that soft spot with delicious, porky goodness. Salame Beddu is a small artisanal production in St Louis that is nothing short of exciting. I first tried this at a recent dinner gathering with some work pals. One of our warehousing guys brought it along as an afterthought and hostess gift for yours truly. Turns out it was the star of the entire evening (even more so than my famous Amatriciana). We couldn’t get enough and immediately polished off the piece, and then we couldn’t stop talking about it. Seriously, half the night’s discussion was about this new brand none of us had ever heard of. Salame Beddu passed the taste test well before we heard their lovable story of artisanal passion and dedication to quality. Due to such a small production and recent well-deserved attention, we may run out of this little guy. But fear not, we’ll stock whatever we can get from our friends in St. Louis. Everything we’ve tried is equally as delicious as the devilishy spicy Cacciatorini.

After the Easter decorations are stashed away for 2016 and you’ve submitted those pesky taxes, you’re going to be hungry. And you’ll definitely want something tasty and satisfying, whether it’s pork, cheese, or chocolate. You deserve, we’ve got your back on this one.

Guys, it’s already March! We’ve dabbled in spring, I pulled out a pair of shorts, and then I had to dig my snow boots out again. It’s been a crazy few weeks for us here at Caputo’s. We’re adding new brands of chocolate and delicious new treats to the cheese and charcuterie cases almost weekly. The influx of exciting new ingredients and the crazy weather have us craving all sorts of things.

Here’s what we can’t keep our hands off of and how we play on consuming them:
CHEESE: Testun al Barolo

Testun al Barolo is a semi-firm mixed milk cheese from the Piedmont region of Italy. The cheese has a beautiful, complex flavor thanks to the sweet and grassy milk from alpine pastures and its aging process. It ages for a minimum of four months in small oak barrel under the residues of the Nebbiolo grapes, the grapes for making Barolo wine. The fruity wine flavors seep into the crumbly paste, adding sweetness and complexity to the paste. There’s no better presentation, in my opinion, than our testun cheeses. The packed Nebbiolo on the rind of this cheese is intriguing, lovely, and a fun center piece for a cheese plate.

CHOCOLATE: Rozsavolgyi Csokolade Trincheras 

Don’t let the name scare you. I know, it’s a mouthful of letters in an intimidating order, but this bar is so worth fumbling through the pronunciation. Our friends at Roszavolgyi in Hungary are making beautiful, award-winning bars we can’t help but devour. Awarded a Silver Medal by the Academy of Chocolate in the “Bean-to-Bar Best Dark Bar” main category, these cocoa beans from Trincheras, Venezuela are roasted at very low temperatures to preserve every little bit of their natural taste. Guys, this is the stuff dreams are made of. Just wait until you hear what Matt has to say about this one.

SAVORY: Salumeria Biellese Culatello

Prosciutto is often considered the king of Italian salumi. This is the one cured meat that will forever reign in our hearts. Salumeria Biellese makes their culatello in the most traditional and delicious way. Only the largest muscle mass from the hind leg of heirloom breed pork is used. Simple seasoning and over a year’s worth of curing results in a supple, delicious cured pork that is second to none. Slightly drier than traditional prosciutto and more robust in flavor, culatello is a remarkable item perfect for serving alongside other fine charcuterie. Wrap spears of asparagus, layer on flatbreads and pizza, or add to your favorite pasta and vegetable dishes.

SWEET (But also savory): Fennel Pollen

This is the main event, the creme de la creme, the Justin Timberlake of the NSYNC lineup for March. Blame Matt. I got so excited about this that we’re dedicating an entire week of March to this one ingredient. If you are familiar with the flavor of fennel, this is the more heavenly, aromatic, fantastic version of ground fennel seeds. I really can’t say enough about how much I love this. It belongs in cakes, on top of roasted chickens, as part of a crust for roasted red meats, even in semifreddo. Intrigued? Fennel pollen week will convince how versatile this is, and how desperately you’ll need a jar of your own.

I can’t wait to share our recipes this month. As always, eat deliciously, and feed those cravings.

See ya, January! It doesn’t feel like a whole month has gone by, January was a whirlwind for me. So we move from January to… April? The weather has been absolutely whacky. If February wants to crossdress as a Spring, I don’t mind following suit. Sure, I love the warm weather and ability to wear a dress to work instead of layers and layers of clothing. I must say though, that I feel cheated. Winter is not holding up its end of the deal, and it’s throwing my seasonal cooking for a loop. All I want to make are stews, soups, and braised entrees, but the weather is dictating a warmer weather type of cooking. I’m reaching deep into the depths of a recipe box I’ve kept for years, searching for new things to help me find new inspiration to mesh the month and the truly absurd weather.

I’ve received inspiration from food magazine clippings, recipes picked up from past travel, and our newest cravings. These goodies will do the trick. I’ll be able to satisfy my cold weather food needs with ease. Check these out:

CHEESE: Raclette

Nothing says winter eats like melted cheese, and nothing melts nearly as well, or as famously, as Raclette. This Swiss gem is government protected to ensure the creamy, melty, and entirely decadent experience that comes along with this cheese. Melt this over boiled potatoes, roasted meats, or even apples and pickles. Everything is better with a gooey layer of melted cheese on it, right? Have yourself a raclette party with your favorite cheese geek friends and see what other treats can be layered with cheese. Heck, make a big pot of fondue and dip to your heart’s desire.

Hurry and get your melt on before February becomes June. I know I’d hate to miss melty cheese season aka the end of winter.

CHOCOLATE: Amedei Toscano Red
Amedei is top notch, but you knew that. What you may not know is the masterful and unexpected inclusion bars are nothing short of addicting. Here, deep, dark chocolate meet freeze dried raspberries, cherries, and strawberries pieces for a pleasantly tart crunch. This bar is actually perfect for this month. You get transcendent dark chocolate, which is exactly what I crave after a long, cold day or big meal, with pieces of fruit that really taste just like the middle of summer. My two favorite seasons meet in this lovely little package.

SWEET: Amour Spreads Blood Orange Rosemary Marmalade

Ok, let’s talk about addiction. My name is Adri and I am a blood orange addict. You name it, I’ve got it. Juice, candied peel, frozen pulp, and, of course, marmalade. I love Amour, their entire line of hand-crafted, local preserves are a treasure and Salt Lake City is so lucky to claim them as our own. I grew up with a love for the combination of rosemary and citrus, but this marmalade has made that love even stronger. Stay tuned for a recipe later this month. Layers of marmalade will be the spotlight of one of my favorite desserts.

SAVORY: Cornichons

We couldn’t talk about Raclette without talking about my favorite little pickles! Cornichons are small, tart pickles made from tiny cucumbers known as gherkins. These Maille cornichons are pickled in a mix of vinegar and aromatics including tarragon, cloves, baby onions, and mustard seeds, and are produced according to a rigorous French production process. My melty cheese needs a crunchy, tart little pop. This is it.

I’m excited to see what February has up its sleeve this year. Maybe some snow? Maybe some more crazy, warm days? Either way, it’s going to be delicious and I can’t wait to show you all what we come up with. Happy eating, friends!