Those of you who have gotten to know me through my classes or personal interactions at the store know that my early time at Caputo’s was not marked by my great love of cheese. The most unique cheese that I ever took home was manchego. Now don’t get me wrong, I still love manchego, but I was just a man in the spring of his youth who knew not what cheeses the world had to offer.

That was before I met my first true cheese love, Leonora. Oh goddess, oh muse.

Leonora is an alpine goat’s milk cheese from Leon, Spain, with a mild, natural rind. This is a cheese, that to quote one of Caputo’s finest employees, “Makes me hate other cheeses.” Yes, it’s that good.

In terms of production, a single herd of goats produce the milk for this delicate four-pound log of cheese. The rind is ashed and has naturally-occurring molds. The cheese is not meant to be aged for an extended period of time and should be enjoyed when the rich cream layer is just beginning to drift down from the rind into the flaky, flinty paste.

The texture alone makes this cheese a must, it could taste like cardboard and still be worth it. Leonora’s flavor is citrusy, grassy, and creamy and dissolves with leisurely pace if allowed to linger on the pallet.

Remember, though, this is not merely a cheese blog, this is a love story.

After about a year of deeply-felt, hot-burning, mutual love between myself and Leonora, the light loaves of joy seemed to be arriving in ill-health. They began to come in already too advanced to enjoy—beaten up and depressed, things were changing. We had no choice; Caputo’s had to stop carrying a cheese which arrived in too poor of shape to sell. That was more than five years ago. Leonora and I had to go our separate ways; we had to grow on our own. I did not see my love for five years.

In December, I was breaking down pallets when I saw a familiar box. I did not want my hopes to get the best of me, but as I saw the label on the side, I could not help but become ebullient. My darling Leonora had returned to me! I rushed the case upstairs, trying not to let my emotions get the better of me. It had been a long time, and I had been hurt before. We opened the box and tried it. My friends, Leonora is back—and better than ever.

Stop what you are doing, quit your job, cancel your vacation, get up from lunch and come to Caputo’s for some Leonora.

Trust me, with me around, it is not going to last in the cases for very long.

Leonora is featured in this month’s Cravings.

I’ve done it. Consider those rainy day blues cured—forever and ever. The treatment? Mozzarella di Bufala. Evan recently wrote about Mozzarella di Bufala, and I agree with every single thing he said. It’s a gem of a cheese that’s steeped in history and is a perfect reminder of warm, summer days. Our recently released sale this week on this life changing cheese has me in a much better mood than the current weather situation would normally have me in. This is the time of the year when I begin to look forward to tomato season, mostly so I can consume them in mass quantities with mozzarella and basil. Since there aren’t any mid-August tomatoes laying around, here are 10 ways to enjoy Mozzarella di Bufala with May’s very own seasonal ingredients:

1. Lasagna

Thinly slice your Mozzarella di Bufala and layer between pasta sheets and ricotta for an even more delicious cheese layer in this famous dish. Follow your favorite recipe or substitute it for Burrata in our Asparagus and Burrata Lasagna from last year. Mozzarella will melt deliciously into any baked pasta dish, but this one is my personal favorite.

2. Pizza

This is the most perfect use of Mozzarella di Bufala. Take our frozen pizza dough, a can of crushed tomatoes, and some basil home with your mozzarella, and you have the makings for the most traditional pizza ever. This pizza is why Napoletanos created Mozzarella di Bufala in the first place …. I’m sure of it.

3. Bruschetta

Fancy toast is all the rage right now. Say what you will, but I think bruschetta is the O.G. fancy toast. Select any number of toppings to combine with your Mozzarella. My favorites are locally fire-roasted tomatoes and artichokes, kale pesto, olive tapenade, or thin slices of prosciutto.  Serve cold or toss these under the broiler to begin the melting process of your precious Mozz.

4. Prosciutto Wraps

This is the easiest way to get our cheese from plate to mouth other than eating it by itself. Wrap thin slices of prosciutto around slices of mozzarella and basil leaves. Drizzle with oil and enjoy immediately. If you’d like to make this more of a meal than a snack, add other veggies or lay wraps atop dressed greens. Speaking of salads …

5. Spinach, Pea, & Herb Salad

Dress Spinach, snap peas, basil, and mint with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Toss chunks of mozzarella over the top and you’re now looking at my favorite springtime salad.

6. Eggs

Pick your means of cooking eggs, and I’ll give you a place for the mozzarella. Omelette? Toss it in with your veggies. Frittata? Sprinkle chunks in before baking. Fried? Between bread and egg, of course! Eggs love Mozzarella di Bufala almost as much as our cheese mongers do.

7. Arancini

Tonight, make risotto. Lots of risotto. Tomorrow, make arancini. These little fried balls of rice and other delectable ingredients are heavenly, but they’re even better when rice is packed around pieces of mozzarella before frying. Just think about cutting into a warm fried ball of rice that gives way to melty Mozzarella in its center. You’d better wipe away that drool before it lands in your lap.

8. Salt, Oil, Pepper

This was my Nonna’s favorite appetizer, and I’m sure it had everything to do with how quickly it quieted the entire room. Sprinkle an entire ball of mozzarella with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, then drizzle your very best condiment grade olive oil over it. Serve with crackers or warm bread and enjoy the peace and quiet while you finish making dinner.

9. Roasted vegetables

Roasting brings out all the natural sugars from veggies like beets or carrots. Find your favorite recipe for these or roast simply with salt and oil and serve over slices of mozzarella. In this case, the simplicity is as beautiful as the flavors.

10. Strawberry and Balsamic

It almost sounds like dessert, doesn’t it? Lay slices of mozzarella out in a circle on a salad-sized plate and top with sliced strawberries, hazelnuts, and chopped basil. Finish this dish by sprinkling the entire plate with sea salt, and then a drizzle of your thickest or favorite balsamic.

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!

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.

One of the understated pleasures I have experienced in my years working for Caputo’s has been watching the gradual transformation and growth of our cheese selection to include some phenomenal domestic cheeses.

Although we remain a Southern European specialty foods store, in my mind, cheese is one of the primary things that sets us apart. Now we, in the good ol’ U.S. of A., may not have as much practice as say, France, but we are making some damn good cheese these days. One of the companies that have been at the heart of the American-made cheese renaissance is Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro, Vermont.

Jasper Hill is a small dairy farm that’s making a big difference with the food they produce. They are drawing well-earned acclaim for their fantastic skill at promoting the terroir of the Northeast. Jasper Hill has received a lot of deserved fame for their affinage but their creamery is no slouch either. Now to the matter at hand: Harbison, which is my favorite domestic cheese. Well, at least today (I really like cheese).

Harbison, named for a Greensboro icon, comes as a small, self-contained wheel, which weighs about two-thirds of a pound. It has a delicate, white, bloomy rind that is incased in spruce bark early in its six to 13 week aging. Some people mistakenly call this soft ripened cheese a domestic attempt at Camembert or Vacherin Mont d’Or. Comparing Harbison to other cheeses as a sort of poor man’s substitute really cheapens what it is. Harbison is not Camembert. It doesn’t have to be. Harbison is Harbison and it’s really, really good.

When you open a wheel of Harbison you will notice the soft, spreadable texture. Eat this with a spoon or spread on a good baguette. Don’t overthink it. Harbison is rich with woody and vegetal notes like roasted vegetables and mushrooms. Where this cheese really stands out is that those notes are offset with a citrusy sweetness that knocks it out of the park.

Pair this with a good white wine like Latour Grand Ardeche, a French white which is routinely the single best steal in any wine store (I think it’s about $14.99 right now, 2015) and you will have made your evening complete.

The next time you are watching the news and some talking head says something like, “We used to make things in this country,” do what I do, eat some Harbison and celebrate to yourself the fact that some people still do.