October 17th, 2011
I thought it would be hard to go and review an eatery that is owned by friends. You know how it is, you are a little apprehensive. You never know how service/food are going to be on a specific day. Except at Casapulla’s the service and the food have been consistent through the years. They have plenty of experience. In business since 1956.
Luigi Cassapulla was the Italian immigrant and patriarch of this family. His story so interesting; vision, hard work, supportive wife and plenty of kids.
Luigi was Paula’s grandfather. Paula and her husband, Mike, opened in Sussex County in 1984. But, they have been at Lighthouse Plaza on Rt. 1 in Rehoboth Beach since 1997. The tel. is 302-227-7827, or, if it is easier for you to remember then, 227-subs. Website? www.casapullassouth.com.
I was thinking that subs are so versatile. They travel well; perfect for gatherings and at this time of the year; Monday Night Football.
So, I found out that subs originated in Italian American communities in the northeast; around the late 19th to mid 20th century. In the U.S. the common denominator is the bread. In all types, it is an oblong bread roll as opposed to sliced bread.
In Europe this type of sandwich is served on a baguette or a ciabatta.
Some say that the sub or submarine originated in Groton, Connecticut, where there is the largest United States Submarine factory. The sandwich was commonly eaten by workers in the naval yard.
So many terms for this sandwich, depending where you are from. For example, the term hoagie came from Philadelphia. Hog Island was a shipyard where emergency shipping was produced for the war effort. It has been said that the Italians working there during WWI introduced the sandwich. At the time it was made out of a variety of meats, cheeses and lettuce between the bread. It became known as the “Hog Island”, the “Hoagie”.
All in all, subs, submarines, hoagies and other similar ones can now be found worldwide.
I came into Casapulla’s and I found a well lit place, super clean. Ordering is done on one side of the counter with plenty of boards showing what they have to offer.
I met Tiffany. I don’t know why but I always ask…if you are here eating for the first time what would you order? She knew her menu well. She mentioned the Italian, and one of her favorites, the Chicken Cheesesteak (with fried onions), and I wanted to also try the Turkey Stuffer.
So, I had all 3. The Italian with everything on it; the works. The chicken cheesesteak was a 6 inch but the other 2 were 10 inches each.
While I was waiting for my subs to be ready I checked the store even more. You can buy deli meats (Boar’s Head) by the pound. Available are a wide assortment of chips. And, they also had pastas, sauces, and pizzelles, as well.
There is a freezer in case you just don’ t feel like cooking. It has sausage and peppers and other goodies all homemade. Some of those pastas and sauces could certainly be a great addition to the prepared food. Easy or lazy cooking, whatever you want to call it.
There was a new item on the menu this summer. It is an Italian salad which has all the ingredients of the Italian sub, except the bread.
Their menu is extensive. You can check it out on the above mentioned website. They have party platters. They also deliver lunch to your office from Monday through Saturday. For the Georgetown and Millsboro area, please call them between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. For Lewes and Rehoboth call between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Please remember that delivery charges are applicable. Again, their number is 302-227-subs.
Now to my tasting in the privacy of my own home. I would not have dared to sit at Casapulla’s with 3 subs. I could have encountered a friend or someone else that might have thought I was going nuts.
Sub #1 – The Turkey Stuffer – Juicy store-cooked turkey breast with creamy mayo, savory stuffing and whole berry cranberry sauce. Thanksgiving year-round.
I thought it was delicious. Who would not like this one? The combination of the cranberry, the turkey and the stuffing was perfect. I must tell you that I loved the size of their sub roll. It was not overpowering at all. You were able to take a full bite of the sub and experience everything there without spilling all over the place.
I had to open it so that you could see it better inside.
Sub #2 – The Italian – I like an Italian sub all the time. It is one of my favorites. Again, it was a good true Italian sub with all the trimmings. Genoa salami, capicola, pepered ham and provolone.
Sub #3 – Chicken Cheesesteak – Warm, cheese melting, fried onions. What can I say? Thanks Tiffany. It was definitely good.
Paula, Mike, their kids, and their entire staff are friendly….the staff saw me taking pictures and graciously smiled…probably wondering what the heck is she doing.
I almost forgot to tell you. You do believe me that I did not eat all that food. I was frantically calling my neighbors to pass on to them the other halves. Nobody was home until later. I did find takers; Bill and Sharon.
Talk to you later….if you are driving out of town….have them prepare some subs to go…easy.
P.S. Some of the information for this post was taken from Wikipedia.
October 9th, 2011
I was thinking that I know that it is October, but at the Delaware Beaches, it feels like July. All those smells that remind me of the beach and why I love to live here were there when I stepped out of the car; French fries, pizza, barbecue….it has been a gorgeous week-end; so crowded as visitors take advantage of warm days…yes, sitting on the beach and cooler evenings.
So many happenings in town, sidewalk sales, fundraising events, arts and entertainment.
This week I decided to visit J. Conn Scott in fashionable and trendy Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth. The actual address is 27 Baltimore Ave. Tel. 302-227 3780. Website? http://www.jconnscott.com.
Last year I wrote a post on its Main Showroom located at 6 East Church St. in Selbyville, DE 19975. Tel. 302-436-8205.
A lot of times when you hear about “showhouses” you probably think that it is a conglomerate of designers united for a cause, annually. That is probably true in most cases. But, at J. Conn Scott you will find a Showhouse that changes weekly. It is the work of talented designers changing the look and feel of this vintage beach house.
Because this location was an actual house, as you enter you feel right at home. It is the perfect place to get inspiration, checking out innovative designs, maybe an idea here or there. Full service design services are offered. And, Richard will be the first to tell you that everything is for sale.
A couple of new things have been added to J. Conn Scott; jewelry. The line? Catherine Canino Jewelry. The jewelry is handcrafted in New York City; sterling, brass, leather, exotic woods, fresh water pearls and hand carved lacquered mother of pearl. Lisa told me that it has been very well received. It is traditional and classic with a slight edge to it.
  
They have also introduced several lines of handbags which you will see throghout the Showhouse.
  
Vagabond House is new at the store. Tableware and gifts; handcrafted pewter that does not tarnish, rust or even affect the taste of food. Dishwasher safe, as well.
Lilly Pulitzer is another line that is represented at the Showhouse. For many years making a statement in designer clothing. A new line of furniture and accessories came out into the market and it is doing tremendously well.
 
There is so much to see and appreciate. Check out the “bedroom”.
   
 
I am having fun writing this post because I feel like I am “window” shopping.
We live on the beach. Of course, we have to have some of the “shell” collection on the floor. A must at the beaches.
 
 
 
Moving to the nautical room, this is what you will find.
 
If you are visiting the Delaware Beaches and see something that you might like from J. Conn Scott, please be informed that they do deliver. Customer service is one of their big strengths. Once you become their customer they want you to remain a friend.
On my visit to the store I first talked to Richard and Lisa. Later on, when I actually came to take the pictures and see what changes Richard had made in the individual rooms, I then met Jeanne. Thanks Jeanne for taking care of me.
The Showhouse has so many nice gifts, whether for housewarming, wedding or just for yourself.
     
If you stop on Tuesdays, I believe, that’s where you will see Richard changing the look and feel of the Showhouse. Here are my last pictures. I hope something caught your eye.
J. Conn Scott opens 7 days a week, so just stop by and introduce yourselves.
Remember that all those sidewalk sales are still going strong in Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach and Rt. 1 outlets. Enjoy the super weather we are having……talk to you later.
September 26th, 2011
I almost forgot to tell you about my casual lunch at BruLe, which is a bistro and a wine house in the Pineapple Grove Art District of Delray Beach.
It was in July and Rosalyn and I had just returned from the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach, where an Exhibit called Out of This World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television was underway until 9/11/11. It was great.
The Norton Museum of Art is located at 1451 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Tel. 561-832-5196. Website? www.norton.org.
Another Exhibit was From A to Z: 26 Great Photographs from the Norton Collection is still going on until October 16th. That was great too.
Also, until October 9th is Striking Impressisons: European Prints from the Museum Collection.
And, The Art of War in East Asia will be on exhibit until November 13th.
It was hot and we were hungry. I had not had lunch at BruLe, so, why not? The address is 200 NE 2nd Ave. Right at City Walk in Delray. The tel. is 561- 274-2046. Website? www.brulebistro.com.
In the above mentioned website you will be able to check their menus. They open for lunch and dinner.
They had a great selection of wines being that it is also a wine house.
We ordered 2 salads. Rosalyn ordered the Arugula Salad with candied pecans, green apple, bleu cheese and red onion and a house vinaigrette.
I ordered their Market Salad which had baby greens, assorted veggies and a white balsamic vinaigrette. Then, to finish it off I topped it with grilled chicken.
Both salads were delicious on such a hot day.
I think BruLe has a very diverse menu that will agree with most of its customers. Can’t wait to have dinner next time.
Order at the counter, take a seat and they will bring your order to your table.
Note: Carryout is available. But, if you would like delivery, then call The Delray Delivery Dudes at 561-900-7060. Visit their website, www.delraydeliverydudes.com. Their hours for delivery are: Sundays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m.
Have a great day!! Talk to you later…
May 13th, 2010
“Gourmandise is an impassioned, rational, and habitual preference for all objects that flatter the sense of taste.” From The Physiology of Taste
On that same train of thought I wonder, what is a delicacy? Is it a cultural thing? Or is it because of the unusual flavors, charasteristics or, really, because it is rare? I think it is a combination of all those things.
Visiting Boulder gave me the opportunity to try different cuisines. Some of them I blogged about, just like this post and some I just kept to myself. Boulder has cuisine from all over the world, and I was ready to try it all.
After visiting the Boulder Beer Company, we decided to eat some Tibetan food. The Tibet Kitchen was our choice. They are located at 2359 Arapahoe Ave., Tel. 303-440-0882. The website is http://tibetkitchen.com. They deliver, have party trays and do catering. You may eat in or out, in their courtyard.
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north of the Himalayas. Average elevation is 16,000 feet, therefore it is the highest region on Earth. Considered to be the “Roof of the World”. Tibet is part of the People’s Republic of China and it is a land of contrasts.
It is important to know that the most important crop is barley. Dough made from barley flour called stampa, is the staple food of Tibet. It is rolled into noodles or made into steamed dumplings called Momos. That is exactly what I had for lunch at the Tibet Kitchen. These dumplings are considered a national dish. The shape of the dumpling is symbolic of the coming together after a long interval. At the Tibet Kitchen, they are made fresh every single day and we had a combination of the vegetarian, chicken and beef, accompanied with a hot sauce. They were absolutely delicious.
 Momos We also had the Jhasa Shamdah, which is a chicken curry, marinated in home made yogurt and potatoes. Delicate flavors and spices. Very good.
 Jhasa Shamdah (Chicken Curry) It was a cool day but the sun was strong. As we sat outside in this courtyard you could not help to look at the decorations. They all had meaning. I really did not know what it all meant so I started searching for some information.
The irons perfectly placed in pyramid form; the same with the CDs and other figurines. They had to have symbolism.
The Tibet Stupa is called a Chorten in Tibetan. It means “basis of offering”. The Chorten is a statue or monument, often pyramid shape in structure.
The Chorten reminds those who encounter it to focus on their path to enlightenment. The ways in which your eyes travel from its base to its dramatic crescent at its top, reflects the transition to an enlightened state.
We had such a nice lunch in this garden, taking it all in; the mountains, the beautiful weather, the clean air, happiness, the food but most of all the company. Perfect!!
Talk to you later….
Note: Information for this post was taken from www.tibetway.net, www.crystallinks.com/tibet.html, www.ackland.org.
February 6th, 2010
“Palm Trees, Ocean Breeze
Salty Air – Sun Kissed Hair
that Endless Summer
take me There….
While preparing for the impending blizzard, I decided that having lunch at Surf Bagel would be the thing to do on a gray day like Friday. You could feel it in the air. Groceries stores were packed; customers buying the necesssary staples for a snowed in week-end.
I only found out about Surf Bagel this past December when one of my sons got a bagel sandwich for breakfast. It was delicious, so I put it on the back of my mind for a future post on this blog.
Back on October 25th, I wrote about Ocean Side Pizzeria in Fenwick Island, and the substance of the blog, besides that establishment, was that all coastal towns have beach eateries. They are dependable and we all love them. In that same post I mentioned a few of the other beach eateries that I have enjoyed in the past. For example in Ocean City, Maryland you will find Tommy’s Sub on 28th St. and Coastal Highway, also in Ocean City there is Anthony’s, and how can I forget the hamburgers and milk shakes at Hodad’s located on Newport Ave. in Ocean Beach, California. Growing up in Puerto Rico the place to go was El Gaucho Burger on Ashford Ave. Their Cubanos and Media Noches were tremendous.
So, to that group of beach eateries, I have to add Surf Bagel.
Surf Bagel is located at 17382 Coastal Highway, Lewes, DE. It is at Five Points, between Best’s Ace Hardware and the Rock Pile. The tel. is 302-644-1822. The website is www.surfbagel.com. Hours of operation are weekdays from 6:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., Saturdays from 6:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 7:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
It is a colorful place greeting everyone with that big surfboard displaying their name. Surf Bagel? The Vitella brothers are natives. Dave combined his love for surfing and bagels and the rest is history. He then invited his brother, Tom, and this beach eatery has continued to thrive.
During the so many years of surfing, a constant has been bagels; fuel for the body. You know a bagel is a bread product, usually shaped by hand into the form of a ring. It is first boiled for a short time in water and then baked. It comes out dense, chewey, with a doughy interior and sometimes a browned and crispy exterior.
The basic roll, with a hole design is hundreds of years old and besides providing for a more even cooking and baking of the dough; the hole is used to thread string or dowels through groups of bagels, allowing for easier handling.
It was invented before 1683 in Poland, for Lent, and in the 16th and first half of the 17th centuries it became a staple of the Polish national diet.
Surf Bagel is bigger than you think. Plenty of seating to eat in but they do a big business with their carry-out service. They offer business deliveries to lcoal establishments in the Lewes area, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., but only during the week. You may fax your order to 302-644-8214. There is a $25 minimum. Another service they provide is catering and you may call ahead for a variety of party trays.
Surf Bagel is very involved in the community, sponsoring sports events; the wall pictures and trophies can attest to that.
Bagels are only part of what you can get in this beach eatery. There are breakfast sandwiches, subs, cheese steaks, pastries, wraps, salads, daily soups, all natural smoothies, coffees, and even a kid’s menu.
Today I chose one of their Tubular Wraps; the Flyin’ Hawaiian Wrap, which had grilled chicken, onions, pineapple and peppers, sauteed in Surf Bagel’s own Teriyaki BBQ sauce, topped with tomatoes and their 3 cheese blend.
While I was waiting for my wrap which really took no time at all, customers kept coming in. A gentleman was sitting by himself enjoying his lunch and I started talking to him. His name was Tom Vitella, one of the owners. He was so nice and gracious and he told me that they had been in the business for about 6 years. Where have I been? Too many places to discover in all these beach towns.
My wrap arrived and I will tell you that it was a messy one but it was worth it. Come on, some things like this wrap, or corn on the cob or ribs you have to get your hands dirty. Look at the picture. I hate to admit it, but I ate the whole thing. The sauce was not too thick and not too thin, perfectly seasoned.
 Flyin' Hawaiian Wrap Inside the restaurant I felt like it was Summer, but then I opened the door and reality set in.
It reminded me that I still needed to get some salt for the driveway….Talk to you later….
Note: Information on Bagels was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagel.
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