Caputo's Market - Foodie Extravaganza ... Seriously.

Since I have moved to Utah, I have heard about Tony Caputo's Market & Deli - an Italian market in Salt Lake City but the time and space continuum did not allow for a visit until recently. 

And what a visit it was. 

I wanted to pack my bags and just live there.  I could sleep in the Cheese Cave, right?  Yes, I said CHEESE CAVE ...

"Cheese Cave: Caputo's state of the art cheese cave is one of only a handful in the country. Many complex systems are set in place to replicate the perfect environment for aging cheeses.  It allows Caputo's to offer over 200 perfectly fresh farmstead cheeses. Cheese fanatics are welcome to drool as they peer through the huge glass wall into the cave."

 

If you look very closely, you can see the imprint of Queen Bee's nose on the glass.  The guy at the counter was great as we picked a few ounces of a number of cheeses so we could try as much as possible - this is what we bought:

Fontina Val D'Aosta, Quicke's Cheddar, Humboldt Fog (a goat cheese with a line of ash), Scoparolo (a combo of pecorino & goat cheese), Juni (with Juniper Berries!), Beehive Promontory and Beehive Cheddar (of course, I had to get the Beehive cheeses!), and Grotte Caputo.  A feast to be sure but what would a feast be without meat to complement my carnivorous palate ...

Off we went down the line to check out the salamis and meats ...

Capocollo, Genoa, Felino by Creminelli and Sopressata  all equal HEAVEN. 


And where does all the YUM come from?  "In House Salame Maker: With over 14 types of proscuitti and dozens of salami, including those made by the house salame maker, Cristiano Creminelli, Caputo's can claim the best cured meat selection in Utah and, possibly, in America. Cristiano's family has been hand making salame for over 400 years and their salumificio (salame shop) was named best in the entire region of Piedmont in 2006. In 2007, he came to Caputo's to make all natural salame with all natural Utah pork."

We continued our shopping by perusing the selection of chocolate ... yes, chocolate ... shelves of it and from some of the most delectable chocolatiers in the world.  We scooped some real caramel and then trooped over to the Deli because there was no way that we were going to make it all the way home without eating something!

I grew up in an all Italian neighborhood in the northeast so I am seriously picky about Italian food and sauce.  So when I say that Caputo's had the best meatball sandwich that I have had since I left the South Philadelphia area ... I mean it.  I would go back just for the meatball sandwich - it was that good.  We also tried the best pasta salad which was fresh and delicious and was able to tide us over as we drove back to Provo.

We chopped some apples and pears, gathered crackers, grapes and bread and set out all of the pieces of Paradiso from Caputo's - Our Feast ...

Our hands down favorite cheeses were the Grotte Caputo, Quicke's Cheddar, Fontina val D'Aosta and Beehive Promontory.  All of them were delicious!  The Juni with the juniper berries is a very unique taste and was the least favorite - definitely an acquired taste.

Everyone had a different favorite with the meats but the Sopressata gained a slight lead.

The Beehive Blog pronounces Caputo's Market ~ The Bee's Knees! 

We cannot wait for our next visit to Caputo's - they now have three locations so change it up and run, don't walk over to Caputo's and create your own Foodie Extravaganza meal!  If you are out of area, call them and ask about shipping ... it is worth it.  And don't forget to tell them that you read about them on the Beehive Blog!


Caputo's Market Main Site

Say Hi to Caputo's on Facebook

Tweet @CaputosMarket

Communal in Provo also serves Caputo's products so you can always sneak a fix in!  Here is the Beehive Blog review on Communal!

 

Communal Restaurant in Provo - Foodie Paradise & Then Some

While Provo (Utah, that is) has some decent eating establishments, many are chains and since moving here, I had yet to find a Foodie experience that I admire as can be found in the Salt Lake offerings.  Well, that dry spell ended tonight under the deft hands of the staff of Communal, Sous Chef Luke and Co-Owners and Co-Chefs Joseph McRae & Colten Soelberg.

 We traveled all of 8 blocks to reach the warm and inviting atmosphere of Communal - beautiful lighting and decor all centered around an open kitchen made for an upscale casual feel.  Our server, Megan, was delightful from the first "hello" and we lacked for nothing.  My dining companions were my Mom (a gourmet foodie for as long as I can remember) and my 13 year old son and 12 year old nephew; a challenging group.

We began our journey with a shared starter that included:  meat from Caputo's, caramelized onions, tomato jam, house made pickles, crostini, melon and a tomato & goat cheese bread pudding.  First impression ... YUM.  and then YUM again.  Each bite was an individual journey on its own and received thumbs up from the whole group.  The favorite of the platter was definitively the tomato & goat cheese bread pudding.

The main entrees were next - hanger steak with bordelaise sauce, salmon with a tomato bacon vinaigrette, and the daily pasta preparation which was fettucine with an heirloom tomato sauce.  Initially, both boys got the pasta but when it was not quite to taste for my kiddo, Megan scooped it up and insisted he order something else to try.  And he did - the christiansen farms berkshire pork belly with a cherry sauce ... and he loved it - so much that we all barely snuck in a bite.  We ordered the boulangerie potatoes as a starch and it came in a crock - red potatoes baked with onions and bacon and I was again reduced to noises and a WOW. WOW. WOW!

    

The hanger steak was cooked perfectly - I like it mooing and doing a dance and it did dance ... all the way to my mouth!  The sauce was rich but did not overpower the meat at all.  This dish also received 4 thumbs up.

Mom said the salmon was divine and FRESH ... and cooked just right.  My bite confirmed the freshness and it was excellent.  Even though I am not a salmon fan, the freshness and preparation were evident.  Another four thumbs up.
My nephew enjoyed the pasta (judging from the empty bowl) - the serving was large with a hearty sauce.  My son exchanged his pasta for the pork belly which had all of us mumbling unintelligible happy noises ...  tender, moist, divine ... and with a side of the best mashed potatoes in the universe ...  there were eight thumbs up.

 

Since the pork dish was an addition, the boys bellied up to the bar and chatted with Sous Chef Luke and Damian, the cook.  Yet another example of the warm and friendly atmosphere at Communal ... it certainly made a wonderful impression on the boys who are ready to schedule another dinner!

Head Chef and Co-Owner Joseph stopped by the table and chatted for a few minutes and I could see where the gracious foundation of the staff came from - he made a point to talk to everyone in the dining room.

Our lovely meal was topped off with ... well, I would say dessert but it was more like ... Nirvana.  We shared two desserts - the first was the amano's chocolate smore and the second was the cornmeal cake with strawberries.  A pot of french press coffee and real cream and I was ready to pack my bags and move in to eat for the rest of my days!

Local, sustainable products ... a warm & caring staff ... a beautiful & inviting atmosphere ... creative and delicious food is what makes Communal.  We will just call it our new favorite restaurant and be thrilled that it is in the neighborhood!  Kudos ... truly well done and we can't wait to return!

We did not eat at the communal table - we did call ahead and make a reservation for a private table.  The option is open to sit at the bar as well and chat with the Chefs!  Starters range from $9 - $12, Entrees from $12 - $16, sides from $5 - $7 and desserts are $7.50.  The menu does change, as well as include daily preparations, and the starter we had and the side were all portioned to be shared. 

There is also a new blog - www.heirloomrestaurantgroup.com/blog - Pizzeria Seven Twelve in Orem is owned by the same group.  My Mom and nephew are visiting for a few more weeks and before we were even done dinner, Mom said - "We have to come back before I leave!  and add the other restaurant to our list."  

To Communal - THANK YOU for a wonderful journey and we can't wait to see you again!

 

Oh Beehive Smashburger, Where Have You Been All My Life?

As the Queen Bee of the Beehive Blog, it was my duty to get to Smashburger and try their Beehive Smashburger ... it was a duty that I relished and I cannot wait to repeat!  We had our first of many to come visits to Smashburger at the Provo location ...

We tried several things on the super scrumptious menu:  the Beehive Smashburger, the classic Smashburger with everything and a create your own Smashburger.  We added the smashfries and the sweet potato smashfries and a grasshopper mint shake and rootbeer float.

The Beehive Burger was awesome - bacon, cheddar cheese, haystack onions and finished off with honey bbq sauce.  I did get the bbq sauce on the side but it was tasty and perfect for dipping.  The 1/3 pd burgers are big and juicy (without being greasy) and all of the flavors of the Beehive smashburger were distinct and worked well together.  Add the oh-so-frigging-amazing smashfries and I have a new focus for my cravings!

Beehive Burger

Why are the smashfries so special?  Because they are tossed with rosemary, olive oil and garlic and fried just perfectly.  New addiction ahead.  We were all a bit disappointed with the sweet potato smashfries - compared to the rest of the food, they just were not great.  The haystack onions were on my burger and would be a great complement to any of the food.

smashfries - my new addiction

Comments from the group: 

• "even though the order was messed up, it was good in the end! my favorite was the create your own burger" (see below about the order) (13 yr old Son)
• "nice view and good food - my favorite was the classic burger" (12 yr old Nephew)
• "messed the order up but they did correct it and my favorite was the rosemary fries.  I usually only eat half a burger and I ate the whole thing!" (My Mom)  

The service was good, the restaurant was attractive and not too crowded and I loved how they served the burger and fries in the baskets.  My personal fave was a dead tie between the Beehive Burger and the smashfries.


Room for Improvement:

• My son used the create your own checklist to create his burger but it still arrived incorrectly
• My Mom ordered the classic and her burger arrived incorrectly as well
• We figured out that the assembly of the burgers was the issue and the tops and bottoms were mixed up - the service person was great and brought us new toppings

Will we go back?  YES WE WILL ... in fact, as soon as possible because there is lots more to try on the menu!


Are you a Smashburger fan?  Check out my $25 Smashburger giveaway here - Enter by October 1!


What is your favorite thing from Smashburger?

Aspenwood Manor in Provo - Home away from Home

During a move locally this month, I had the opportunity to avail myself of the sumptious services offered by Aspenwood Manor - a renovated 1908 home here in Provo, Utah.  They advertise themselves as an "extended stay" and truly ... I could have stayed forever.

The Manager, Sarah was delightful and accommodating - the personalized services begin with the first phone call and last until your next visit.

The home/mansion is located right off Center Street in Provo which gives you walking access to the main part of town.  There is a glorious view of the Wasatch Mountains and stepping into Aspenwood Manor is like stepping into another world.

The original home was built in 1908 and was renovated in 2008 to current conditions:

We checked into the "French Villa" which is able to sleep up to 5 in beds.  There is a bedroom, a living room and a kitchen with an enormous closet and a little sleeping nook perfect for munchkins tucked under the stairs.  Every detail was perfect and oriented to make you comfortable - luxurious beds, flat screen tv, a fully stocked kitchen (dish and utensils) with a full size refrigerator and stove.

The unit was spotless and charming - a complete sanctuary!

The fireplace in the bedroom was a lovely addition and everything was decorated beautifully.

There are seven apartments available in Aspenwood Manor and there is a coin operated laundry on site as well.  Plenty of parking - great location and every amenity that you could think of - Aspenwood Manor is a great haven and home away from home!

The Beehive Blog think that Sarah and Aspenwood Manor are the Bee's Knees - we will not be using any other location for family and friends that are coming to visit!  Let them know that the Beehive Blog referred you!

Aspenwood Manor in Provo, Utah

The Mellow Mushroom - Delray Beach, Florida

I had occasion to go to the Mellow Mushroom with a large group (about 25) after our Worldwide Photowalk in Delray Beach. It is a true place for a Foodies Unite experience!

Our entire visit was outstanding and I have since taken my family back for a great time as well.

The staff is accommodating and everyone smiles!  Even with a large group, they were ready for us - the wait-staff was organized and the food practically flew out of the kitchen.

We munched on pizzas (House Special and Kosmic Karma being two faves), and pretzels (crunchy and soft and awesome!), and calzones stuffed with all manner of high quality ingredients.  One of the girls even ordered more of the stuffed portobellos to take home!

The atmosphere is entertaining with huge murals of the Beatles and other 60's & 70's icons.  Colorful, delightful, a taste bud treat and with a beer selection to make a connoisseur weep – the Mellow Mushroom is a hit!

Mellow Mushroom Site & Menu

Calypso - Pompano Beach, Florida

Calypso Menu

Caribbean style food is in abundance in South Florida but few places do it as well as Calypso in Pompano Beach.

Tucked away in a little strip shopping center, Calypso is cheerful and busy and the service always comes with a smile. The menu is family friendly (so are the prices) and the food is all cooked fresh.

We love the steaming plates of jamaican jerk or curry wings.and  have also  done takeout and wing orders for large parties.

For me, the favorite is the conch – conch fritters, grilled and cracked conch, conch chowder - I have had it every way at Calypso and loved it every way -  Excellent quality, tender and well-seasoned and consistently wonderful.

The kids like the fish and chips or fresh fish sandwiches but I also recommend the cutters and anything seasoned in the jerk.

Calypso is a great favorite to add to your regular restaurants!

Jaxson's Ice Cream - Dania Beach, Florida

Jaxson's has been in South Florida for over 50 years defining the ice cream experience.  They make their ice cream homemade on the premises every day as was explained to my son who was treated to a tour when he asked some questions!

No matter where we have lived in South Florida, we have made the drive to indulge in all of our Jaxson flavor favorites: bubble-gum, black raspberry, double chocolate chip, black cherry, banana – we have yet to find one that was not amazing!

If you are feeling very adventurous, try the Kitchen Sink served in a...kitchen sink!



If you can get past the ice cream, Jaxson's has good sandwiches, burgers and salads and an extensive menu.

The food is delivered with cheerful smiles and the restaurant is an explosion of vintage memorabilia, old-fashioned candy and nostalgia.

All in all – this is one of the best family dining out destinations in South Florida!

Jaxson's Ice Cream & Menu