Luke Gangi-Wellman

Author

Canning Cantabria with Artesanos Alalunga

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on August 21, 2024

Artesanos Alalunga is the epitome of what tinned fish can stand for and the depths of precision it can embody. From ultra-transparent sourcing (information on where/when every fish was caught) to Michelin-inspired cooking techniques, each tin contains a truly unique and masterfully crafted work of culinary art. “Small-scale” doesn’t capture the magnitude of work that Alvaro and Pablo Santander put into each tin that leaves their kitchen. To have access to this level of care is the true meaning of artisanal, and to taste it an ocean away is transcendent. We are thrilled and lucky to have tins from these brothers on our shelves for all to enjoy.

“Small-scale” doesn’t capture the magnitude of work that Alvaro and Pablo Santander put into each tin that leaves their kitchen.

The Santander brothers were born and raised on the Cantabrian Sea and its many maritime bounties. Access to fresh, sustainably sourced, seasonally caught fish is abundant, and the thriving canning industry has been booming for years. After many moons traveling with successful careers across the globe, both brothers felt called back by the coast of northern Spain. Their goal in coming home was to capture the unmatched excellence of Cantabria with truly remarkable seafood dishes, available at the crack of a tin.

Their first step in achieving this level of excellence is sourcing. Most tins involve months of research and investigation to find the finest catch available, and ensure their access to it as soon as the boat reaches the dock. Each selection on offer is available only because of the masterful fisherfolk who know the deep secrets of the Cantabrian Sea, who are able to share them with Alvaro and Pablo as they craft these delicacies.

Much like fresh produce from a local market or garden, these flavors will speak for themselves and do not require addition or accompaniment.

Once they have acquired the finest catch of each day, the brothers work tirelessly to break down each fish by hand. Working with mackerel, hake, and seabass, they isolate everything from the cheeks to the loins; not to mention their intricate selection of tuna (Alalunga) cuts not seen elsewhere in the world of conservas. Their cooking techniques are designed to showcase the flavor of the fish. A quick salt brine cleans and seasons the flesh before each cut is lovingly wrapped and prepared to be finished sous vide. Once cooked, each cut is placed in a tin with its sauce (from Spicy Bilbao to Savory Pesto) and sealed. Simplicity, canned.

These are tins that can truly represent a meal with no additions. Much like fresh produce from a local market or garden, these flavors will speak for themselves and do not require addition or accompaniment. Most tins warmed in hot water and served over rice will replicate a fine dining experience found in tavernas across the coast, but from the comfort and convenience of your home. We are grateful for the work that Alvaro and Pablo have dedicated to make Artesanos Alalunga a thriving cannery, and we are excited to have them on our shelves. Indulge in the luxury of Cantabria and enjoy Alalunga today.

Olive Oil Cake with White Chocolate Ganache

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on August 8, 2024

Confessions of my voracious sweet tooth: I don’t like cake. So why am I writing a recipe for this spongy sadness if my pastry passions lie in other ovens? If you’re a Salt Lake local and you’ve experienced the inspiration for this undefinable triumph of a crumb (fine, call it a cake) from Tulie Bakery, perhaps you already understand. It turns out, when you change the focus of cake from flavorless sugar and butter to flavorful olive oil, you wind up with something far more texturally unique and deliciously satisfying.

This brings up an essentially blunt clarification: the quality of your olive oil will make (or break) this recipe. You can craft a cake bursting with subtle notes of green grass, fresh citrus, and luxurious light earthiness… or you can make it taste like burnt cardboard and sadness. The spectrum of olive oil is vast and poorly regulated (more on that here and here), and this recipe gives it absolutely nothing to hide behind. You don’t need to break the bank with our finest condiment grade olive oil, Viola Colleruita (though it would surely be delicious), but you do want to select something that craves the spotlight and knows how to put on a show.

For this version, I selected our (no longer available) Special Reserve Caputo’s Cretan EVOO; the unfiltered version of our house classic. Notes of bright citrus and sharp pepper played perfectly with the Cayenne Veracruz Orange white chocolate from Jcoco that I used for a glaze. Would I recommend sticking to the script that I wrote here? Definitely. Would I encourage you to experiment and get creative with your own cravings? Without a single doubt. Maybe just mail me a slice so I can play too?

Best of all, this recipe is (for lack of a better phrase) easy as cake. Actually a bit easier than most cakes I’ve ever tried to make. The batter comes together in a single bowl, and the ganache whips up while the cake takes its time in the oven. Best left to sit overnight, but perfectly delicious spooned out of the pan (animalistic… who would do that?). Have your cake and eat it however you damn please!

Olive Oil Cake with White Chocolate Ganache

Adapted from Female Foodie :: Originally from Tulie Bakery

INGREDIENTS

1.5 Cups EVOO (high quality/condiment grade recommended)
3 Large Eggs
1.25 Cups Whole Milk (room temperature)
1 Large Lemon (zest and juice)
1 Large Orange (zest)
1.5 Cups Sugar
2 Cups AP Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
6oz (2 full bars) Jcoco Cayenne Veracruz Orange White Chocolate (or other white chocolate)
3oz Heavy Cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Generously grease (with EVOO!) a 9 or 10 inch springform pan on the bottom and sides
Line bottom and sides of springform pan with parchment paper and grease again
Whisk olive oil and eggs together until smooth (stand mixer helpful, but not required)
Add milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, orange zest, sugar, and whisk until smooth
Add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda all at once and whisk until barely incorporated; do not overmix!
Gently scrape all sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to fully incorporate
Place prepared springform pan on a baking sheet (catch any mess) and fill with batter
Bake in preheated oven for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted and removed from the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are OK here)
If necessary, continue baking for 5-minute intervals until the toothpick comes out clean
While cake is cooling, make the ganache
Set up a double boiler (or use the microwave, we won’t judge you) and melt heavy cream with the white chocolate, stirring continuously until combined
Allow to cool slightly, until ganache can coat the back of a spoon, but drip off easily
Spoon ganache along the edges of the cooled cake, slowly working to the center (spread with an icing spatula if desired or needed)
Tastes best the next day! But I almost never wait that long… Enjoy!

Mangalitsa Perfection with Incontro Cured

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on July 22, 2024

The world of American made salumi is woefully lacking in selection of humanely raised and traditionally crafted charcuterie. You’ll find favorites in our case already; we’re proud to offer innovative and unique cuts from a handful of other makers, but when we look for classic Italian traditionalism, our domestic options feel sparse.

Enter Incontro Cured, the only place in the United States using pasture-raised Mangalitsa pigs to craft their artisanal, traditional Italian style cured meats. The rarely bred Mangalitsa pig went “out of style” in the 90’s with fears over their high fat content, but are slowly coming back as consumers begin to appreciate the immense depth of flavor they inherently hold. Often referred to as the Kobe beef of pork, these curly haired hogs cure into marbled meat that melts in the mouth like nothing else.

The Incontro family hails from Carlentini, Sicily, and Reggio Calabria, Italy. Tony Incontro was introduced to the craft by his Nanu before he could talk, and has carried a love of all things pork since. His passion for quality has never waivered, and care for the pigs has always come first. Whether sourcing down the street from Eltee Mangalitsa’s Gourmet Pork (a family farm focused on Mangalitsa hogs since 2014), or from his own burgeoning estate, Incontro follows true old-world artisan style down to the open pastures on which his pigs roam. Combined with Tony’s deep old world knowledge, mastered from his >15 years of butchery in a plethora of highly regarded Napa Valley and San Francisco establishments, these fatty hogs are re-defining what American salumi can be.

Family style charcuterie long before it was commercially available

From classics like Antico (with red wine & garlic), to essentials like Guanciale, and family recipes for Siciliano (with peppers, oregano, & orange), Incontro Cured is bringing an exciting new depth to American salumi. Stop by in store for a sample, or order any of these uniquely delicious and timelessly traditional cuts today.

Tinned Fish Onigiri

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on July 12, 2024

Tinned fish is already easy to use. Pop a tin, pair with your favorite hearty bread and a quick salad, and you have a fully balanced, simply delicious meal. Craving that simplicity, but want to indulge in a different cultural palate? Look to the culinary masters of Japan for one of our personal favorite ways to utilize your tins: Japanese rice balls known as Onigiri. Any quality tin of fish will do (the simplicity will let the flavor of your tin shine), but traditional preparations rely on tuna, or more recently, salmon. We’re lucky enough to still have a few tins of Wildfish Cannery’s Smoked Salmon Belly sitting on the shelves, and we couldn’t hesitate to let those take center stage.

Reading this while salmon belly is out of season? Try the recipe with one of these tins instead:

2024-06-25_Caputos_Blog_Wildfish_Barnacle_Onigiri_42943_For_WEB

INGREDIENTS

Rice (short grain will stick together better – Calrose is available in most grocery stores)
Salt
Tinned Fish (we used Wildfish Cannery Smoked Salmon Belly)
Barnacle Furikake and/or Kelp Flakes (we used both)
Nori (optional, and best used as a tool to pick Onigiri up without rice sticking to your hands)

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare rice (according to package directions, an online tutorial, or your Bachan/Nona/Grandma’s old world wisdom) and allow to cool to a workable (with your hands) temperature
Season rice (some recipes call for vinegar, but we recommend only using salt) to taste
Fill and form the rice balls
- Prepare a bowl of water to wet your hands before and in between each rice ball (prevents sticking)
- Scoop ~1/2 cup of rice into the palm of your hand and form a divot in the middle
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of fish into divot and cover with just enough rice to enclose
- Roll rice into a well formed ball before shaping
Shape rice balls into Onigiri triangles
- Flatten one side of your rice ball with the palm of one hand
- Use your other hand, with fingers bent ~90 degrees from your palm, to shape remaining two flat edges
- Flatten both faces of the Onigiri and repeat until desired shape is achieved
Season your Onigiri (we used a mix of Barnacle Furikake and Kelp Flakes)
Enjoy! (some recipes wrap finished Onigiri with nori, which we find dries the rice out, so we leave it off)

– Thanks to Chase Pinkney for the recipe –

Setting the Bar with Dandelion Chocolate

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on May 22, 2024

We’ve been excited about this one for a while. It’s been hard to keep the secret, but it’s finally on the shelves at our warehouse and we can finally tell you and you can finally put it in your shopping cart. Chocolate geeks, rejoice:

Dandelion Chocolate is here!

Terroir: A sense of place as it relates to food (especially cacao!)

Nestled in the heart of San Francisco, Dandelion Chocolate has become a beloved local gem and a must-visit destination for chocolate lovers from around the world. Despite their absence from our shelves, it’s been no secret behind the line that Caputo’s has a deep admiration for these iconic makers. As one of the original names in the craft chocolate industry, Dandelion has forged and nurtured relationships with their farmers, and have an intimate understanding of how to showcase the terroir of each.

Wrapped in iconic golden foil and hugged with luscious paper from recycled Indian cotton, these two ingredient chocolate bars represent a benchmark of quality in the world of craft chocolate. Yet their reach is set on something much greater than taste and aesthetics. Their standards for transparency and communication (take a deeper dive with their sourcing report) are unmistakable in each bold bite.

Always avoiding commodity cacao, Dandelion chooses to partner with farms from mid-sized production countries including Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Uganda. They also buy beans from smaller production countries such as Tanzania and Belize. Their process has been painstaking from the beginning, even when they were producing chocolate from the garage. Over the years, their spaces (and impact) have grown, but their passion remains the same. Capturing this in words, pictures, or anecdotes is near impossible, and we encourage you to taste, try, and understand the magic that goes into Dandelion for yourself.

Dessert from the Desert: Monsoon Chocolate

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on April 17, 2024

Monsoon believes that anything worth doing should be a challenge. Why else would they choose to make chocolate in one of the hottest places in the country? Focused on direct collaboration with their global farming partners and local ingredient inclusion, these young guns are ready to take the chocolate scene by storm. Named for the seasonal floods that feed the desert, their chocolate holds a deep connection to the earth and all the treasures there within.

“The southwest US has a deep, deep connection to cacao. That story is evolving,” says founder Adam Krantz. “For a region that maybe has the most historical context of cacao use in America, it’s now a place where the future of cacao and chocolate is being brought into that story.”

Monsoon crafts chocolate in small batches at their factory in the historic Santa Rita Park neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, using cocoa beans from all over the world. The process of making fine flavor chocolate starts long before the cocoa beans reach their factory.

Head chocolatier Athene Kline, originally Monsoon’s pastry chef when they first opened their doors, holds an intimate respect for each bean the crew sources. Their partnerships are just that – a collaboration with each farm they work with to import cacao. Once the beans are in house, Athene leads a (very small, sometimes solo) team to craft everything from chocolate bars, to malt balls, to chocolate bonbons that are (almost) too pretty to eat.

Their range features beautifully unique origins (nerds know what’s up when they see Tranquilidad), addictively delicious sweet treats (malts, brittles, and chocolate covered fruit, oh my), and a full collection of inclusions honoring their desert heritage (blue corn, mesquite, and James Beard award winning whiskey, to name a few). It’s very easy to see how Monsoon is gaining national notoriety and international acclaim. Let the storm rage on – this flood is just getting rolling.

Belly Freaks Unite!

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on April 5, 2024

Quit hoggin’ the limelight, tuna – salmon have belly, too! It only makes sense that our first tin of salmon belly comes from the kings of salmon themselves, Wildfish Cannery. With over 30 years of experience canning Alaska’s finest salmon, from coho, to pink, sockeye, and king, these Klawock kids know all the finest cuts for this prolific fish. Their deep roots in this small-town Alaskan fishing community grant them access to the freshest and often most unique morsels each season’s catch has to offer.

A rare treat typically only seen by those in the know, salmon belly is deeply marbled with fatty, omega-3 rich layers of flavor. Most fishermen keep this cut for themselves, but Wildfish has the connections needed to bring in just enough belly to share. Lovingly prepared through a process of cold smoking, raw packing, and final cooking during canning, this “salmon ventresca” is tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. No oil is added to the tin – the juices marinating the meat come straight from the source.

Adding to the spectacle of this already impressive slice of salmon is its color. White, or “ivory” kings are completely incognito until captured and cut open. The typical vivid red meat that one would expect from a king salmon is replaced by a rich, ivory hue. These metabolically challenged creatures lack the ability to process pigment of the crustaceans that comprise their diet, and are left with stark, white flesh. While white king salmon are identical in nutritional value, moisture, and fat content to their standard pink friends, their meat is more highly sought after for its rarity, with only 5% of the population exhibiting this trait.

This slice of salmon is something you’re more likely to see on a Michelin-star menu than in a tin, and that’s a huge part of what makes Wildfish Cannery so freakin’ great. Supremely succulent with a soft smokiness, beautiful brine, and luxurious, fatty mouthfeel, this is a tin that needs to be experienced to be fully understood. Sitting in Wildfish’s “reserve” line of tins means that only 50-500 cans are closed at a given time. We’ll be stocking our personal shelves deep with this one, and recommend you do the same.

Caputo’s Twelve Days of Gifting

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on December 12, 2023

Snow is falling, hot drinks are brewing, and we’re feeling festive despite the winter chill. However you celebrate, we’re happy to see your faces filling our markets to share the spirit of giving. Each year, we count down to Christmas with our very own 12 days of gifting. Whether or not you’d consider us your “true love,” we have all the gifts ready to share with you and yours.

We’ll roll these out on social media each day as we count down, but for the discerning reader, you can find all our true love gifts to share below. And with that…

🎵 On the first day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Fresh Truffles foraged from poplar trees 🎵

Imported from Italy by Urbani and foraged with deep care and respect for tradition, our truffles are the perfect gift for someone who already has it all. Pair a fresh truffle with a wooden truffle shaver to create drool-worthy slices to tuck into proteins, top simple pastas, and impress any guests your gift recipient may have (if they’re willing to share).

🎵 On the second day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Twenty Caputo’s Chocolates 🎵

Crafted in Berkeley, CA by Chris Blue and distributed exclusively to Caputo’s, these chocolate gems are just as stunning as they are delicious (and trust us, that’s a high bar). Chris uses chocolate from Utah maker Solstice Chocolate as a base and fills each piece lovingly with seasonal flavors before decorating the molds. Available in custom boxes of 5, 10, or 20.

🎵 On the third day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Three Festive Breads 🎵

Panforte, Pandoro, and Panettone embody the faith, hope, and charity represented by the three French hens. These festive breads are imported from Italy and showcase regional pride for you to share with your loved ones. Pandoro and Panettone are market exclusives and reasons to stop by before they’re gone!

🎵 On the fourth day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Four Catered Boards 🎵

Make like a bird and CALL to place an order for your custom board today. Party planning is stressful and we can do the busy work for you. Our market professionals start each day assembling boards that will impress and delight with both flavor and visual appeal.

🎵 On the fifth day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

4oz Platinum Caviar 🎵

Five golden rings would pale in comparison to this rare and special gifting opportunity. Available in both 1oz and 4oz sizes, our Regalis Caviar Platinum Osetra represents only 5% of the yearly harvest. Sustainably farmed from Osetra (Russian) Sturgeon, the texture of this caviar is firm with a buttery mouthfeel and tasting notes of nuts and brine.

🎵 On the sixth day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Six Festive Chocolates 🎵

Are you a silly goose who forgot to order your gifts in time to ship for Christmas? Our selection of festive chocolates make delicious gifts all winter long, and we still have plenty on the shelves if you stop by our markets in person today. Check out six selections of many here below:

🎵 On the seventh day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Seven Sea Creatures Swimming 🎵

Our Feast of Seven Fishes Gift Bundle is here to introduce Conservas Culture to this classic Italian tradition. Each can is carefully selected to span a selection of flavors and provide a unique and delicious spin on your upcoming celebration.

🎵 On the eighth day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Eight Caves a-Cheesing 🎵

Okay only two caves, but with eight cheeses each for a total of 16 house created/transformed/revived beauties for you to share with you and yours. From fresh Mozzarella and Burrata, to imported Chabrin and Taleggio, Caputo’s Cheese Caves program has all the curds you need to impress this holiday season.

🎵 On the ninth day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Nine Chocolates Dancing 🎵

Drinking chocolate bags from Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé are decorated with festive winter characters. Ready not only to make delicious and decadent drinking chocolate, but also to dance at the command of any young (in age or at heart) pilot with a good imagination and cheer in their soul.

🎵 On the tenth day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Ten Lords a-Learning 🎵

Much like the ten commandments they represent, our offering for the 10th day of gifting is meant to show you the ways… of delicious and easy snacking. Our class program covers everything from mocktails, cocktails, cheese, chocolate, and so much more. An excellent gift that can be shared remotely or in person, and purchased exactly as late as you feel like pushing your procrastination.

🎵 On the eleventh day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Eleven Gift Cards – Easy! 🎵

No matter how late you’re getting your gifting done, gift cards are always on the table. Open up access to our online catalog with an online gift card, or purchase an in-store version for all your local friends. With options form $10 to $500, you can set a stocking stuffer, or make someone’s month with a larger gift.

🎵 On the twelfth day of gifting, Caputo’s gave to me…

Twelve Months of Goodies 🎵

With our Culture Club subscription boxes, your loved ones can receive curated boxes with reminders of your love all year long. Sent out every two months and purchasable in month-to-month, 6-month, or full year subscriptions, Culture Club is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

Hot Drinks Are For The Belly

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on December 9, 2023

Shorter days are here, the snow is accumulating, and it’s feeling more like winter with each passing day. Nature is encouraging us to take a reset and frankly, we’re ready for it. It’s times like these that we reach for sturdy mugs filled to the brim with rich, creamy, uniquely flavorful and expressive Drinking Chocolate. Haven’t had a sip of the goods yet? Read/Watch on to learn how to make your own!

History of Drinking Chocolate

Drinking chocolate carries a much deeper history than the humble chocolate bar. For thousands of years, ancient central American tribes have been consuming this ritualistic beverage with spices, masa, and little to no sweetening added. It wasn’t until the age of colonization when chocolate was brought over to Europe, that sugars and fats were introduced to this sacred substance. With ready access to milk and cane sugar, the advent of drinking chocolate as we know it today was born.

The first chocolate bar was produced in the 1840s and we’ve never looked back, but we’ve been drinking it all along. Take a journey with us to find out all the unique ways we can make drinking chocolate today.

Drinking Chocolate Styles

Most hot, liquid chocolate can be divided into two distinct categories: Hot Cocoa and Drinking Chocolate.

Hot cocoa is what we remember from childhood. It’s made with cocoa powder, milk powder, sugar, and is by far the easiest to make. It drinks the thinnest and expresses the least terroir (a sense of place through flavor), but will always transport you back to days when the snow was regularly taller than your view of the world. Goodnow Farms makes an excellent selection of cocoas that will leave you nostalgic while sending your tastebuds around the world.

Drinking chocolate is defined in its name: chocolate broken down for ease of emulsification. Whether it’s shredded, ground, chopped, or otherwise prepared, these selections are prepared to melt and dissolve in whatever milk, water, or alternative you’re using as a base. Ritual Chocolate makes a delicious range of single origin drinking chocolates that are reflective of the same regions their bars come from.

Both styles prioritize less time whisking over your stove in favor of more time getting cozy in your PJs with a cup of the good stuff. Taste for beverages that express the same as your favorite single origin chocolate bars, dial your prep with our tips below, and let yourself slip into the indulgence.

All About That Technique

The beauty of drinking chocolate is that with enough determination, you can make any chocolate deliciously drinkable. Purpose made mixes (hot cocoa, drinking chocolate) are easiest, coarse ground bars (think Taza, Cuna de Piedra, and Sabadi) involve a bit more labor, and with enough elbow grease, any chocolate can be whipped to liquid luxury. Whichever difficulty level you choose here, any technique below will work. With increasing levels of difficulty come richer levels of texture, flavor, and overall enjoyment.

Technique 1: Frothing
Have a milk steamer or an electric frother? You’re in luck and your drinking chocolate is almost ready. Combine your milk, water, or alternative, blitz with your magic wand until frothy and emulsified, and settle into your coziest chair to indulge. While this technique will result in a well combined drink, it may quickly lose its body and become thin again. Doubtlessly delicious, but not nearly as viscous and satisfying as the other options below.

Technique 2: Whisking
Spoons, forks, knives, whisks, or whatever other cutlery you have laying around will always work in a pinch. Simply add chocolate to your warmed milk, water, or alterative and whisk away until the mixture is thick, foamy, and no chunks remain. This may produce less foam than frothing, but the thicker body will last longer for consistently textured sips throughout.

Technique 3: Molinillo
This ancient tool has been used to make drinking chocolate for hundreds of years. It’s tried, tested, and true. You’ll need an oversized vessel to hold your chocolate and your liquid, unless you really WANT to make a big mess (we won’t yuck your yum). Twisting the molinillo between your hands will naturally froth the entire drink at once, both emulsifying and thickening the body to your desired consistency. This is the go-to technique if you’re using a chocolate bar, and can even create a drink thick enough to add a shot or two of booze without fret.

A note on alt milks: Oat mixes well, almond has more texture, soy will be watery, and water still works but won’t be as thick. Use what you’d like; it’s chocolate and it’s going to be tasty no matter how you mix it!

What We’re Giving – 2023 Edition

by Luke Gangi-Wellman on December 8, 2023

It’s giving season, which means lots of planning, shopping, and stressing over what goodies to share with your seemingly endless lists of naughty and nice. This year, don’t get trapped in analysis paralysis: take notes from one of your favorite Caputo’s players and show the holidays who’s boss.

Don’t see your favorite monger here? Drop by before the holiday—we’re open through the afternoon of Christmas Eve—and ask them for their personal recommendations. We’re certainly not lacking in opinions around here.

So, here you have it. Our gift picks for 2023 are below!

Matt Caputo
President

Tony’s Flowers – A tribute to his father, our namesake, and the set of ethos that we’re proud to hold and share. A labor of love from the pressing of curds to the adorning of flowers around its subtly funky rind, this cheese represents more than just the deliciousness that it holds.

Yelena Caputo
Vice President

Güeyu Mar – “Fresh caught and chargrilled a la brasa, these fishes are prepared the same way for lunch service at the esteemed Asturian Restaurante Güeyu Mar as they are for each individual tin. This summer, we had the honor of visiting the Asador (grill master), Abel Alvarez, in real life and experienced the magic of his beachside restaurant and cannery. Having the opportunity to gift Güeyu Mar’s preserved morsels of tinned fish, expertly gift wrapped as-is, will inevitably be the highlight of my gift giving season!”

Adri Pachelli
Senior Manager & Director of Education

Mocktails Class – New (next) year! We love inviting friends to share their mixology knowhow, but have always lacked an option for those looking to avoid the hard liquor. New for 2024, we’re sharing new ways to capture your creativity without a painful wakeup the next morning.

Jamey Chelius
15th & 15th General Manager

Panettone (In Person Exclusive) – “It’s one of my favorite holiday treats. In my house, we like to have it on Christmas eve. Whatever’s left, we turn into French Toast in the morning!”

Austin Shimada
Holladay General Manager

Ramen Noodles + Broth – “A nice steaming hot bowl of delicious ramen on a cold winter day. Enough said.”

Alicia Konzen
Downtown Market Manager

“We all need a little more excitement, so this year, my theme is ‘Now you can be a fun-gi too!'” Featuring Regalis Winter Black Truffle Honeycomb, Raaka Cocoa Magic Mushroom Blend, and Naive Porcini Dark Milk Chocolate.

Antonia Horne
Lead Affineuse, Caputo’s Cheese Caves

Daphnis & Chloe Mediterranean Essentials Spice Set – “I chose Daphnis & Chloe seasonings because I hope that each dish they’re used in reminds my loved ones that I care. And I use these herbs every day, so I want my family to be just as spoiled as I am!”
Set features:
– Oregano from Taygetus
– Fragrant Fennel Seeds
– Rosemary Leaves
– Selected Bay Leaves
– Smoked Bukovo Chili Flakes
– Wild Thyme Flowers

Christian Birch
Downtown Deli Manager

Noord Hollander – “It’s my favorite cheese to snack on, it’s crunchy, and has a complex almost nutty flavor. I wanna have it all the time!”

Marian McKenney
In-house Pastry Chef

Caputo’s Olive Oil – “During the holidays there is plenty of sugar to go around. I love to give olive oil as a practical gift. This bottle will last longer than a sweet treat, but can be used in so many applications from Christmas dinner to new years, sweet and savory. I absolutely love giving this to people who don’t know what good olive oil is. My favorite dessert to use this in during the holidays is olive oil cake.”