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EAT THIS: THE FULL MONTE AT DELUXE FOODS OF APTOS
As a food and drink reporter, I believe it’s critical to dig into the immediate and systemic issues facing our local food and beverage industry and the people within it. But I also appreciate the simple enjoyment of food, and its ability to comfort and soothe the rough edges of life.
There is an important election coming up in a few days, and it’s pretty much impossible to escape the poll numbers, media maelstrom and generally heightened sense of anxiety. But for the past two weeks, I’ve swung my beat in the opposite direction, into the joyful and frivolous side of my reporting. I’m scouring Santa Cruz County looking for the best sandwiches with the intention of creating a guide to the greatest local creations offered between two slices of bread.
Is there a higher purpose to this kind of story? Yes and no. I don’t think this story, when it comes out next week, will rally anyone toward greater civic engagement. But I do hope that it will inspire readers to go out and experience something new within their own community, have an interaction with an actual human being, and hopefully eat something that brings a smile to their face.
Which brings me to my point: I think I found the best classic deli sandwich in the area at Deluxe Foods of Aptos, a grocery store on Rio Del Mar Boulevard.
The Full Monte ($15.99) – named after the Monte family that founded the store 40 years ago – is an absolute unit of a sandwich, weighing in at nearly 1.5 lbs. Within this 6-inch-tall banger, there’s turkey, provolone, ham and tons of fixins, including sprouts, pepperoncinis, pickles, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and red onion, with a squirt of Italian dressing and a swipe of mustard, all skillfully layered to prevent slippage, even if its height means you have to come at it from the side.
Will a sandwich change your life? Probably not. But the weight of the world’s problems seemed a little more manageable with a full belly.
783 Rio Del Mar Blvd., Aptos; 831-688-7442.
BEST OF THE WEEK AHEAD
Below, find a curated list of the best food and drink events in Santa Cruz County for the coming week. At the top, I share my picks of unmissable local happenings.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
ICYMI – here are the food news stories from Lookout that you might have missed, plus important news from beyond our borders picked by yours truly.
- Buzzy Santa Cruz business district aims to rebrand as Westside Marketplace (Lookout)
- Brew Cruz hits brakes after decade of Santa Cruz County craft brewing tours (Lookout)
- Italian market Bottega del Lago brings paninis, fresh pasta and gelato to Live Oak (Lookout)
- A third straight year with no California salmon fishing? Early fish counts suggest it could happen (CalMatters)
