The Palm Deli features breakfast all day, flavorful sandwiches, and prepared meals for dinner at home
The Glaum family is adored for their locally fresh cage-free eggs. For the past year, these eggs have been served in breakfast burritos and sandwiches at the Glaums’ new deli where Piggie Market has nurtured Redwood Village neighbors for 25 years.
The central, thatched-roof, hexagonal open kitchen mimics the unusual shape of the extensively renovated building. Textured stone flooring winds around the kitchen, leading to an extensive wine selection. From the wall of refrigerators you can still pick up your milk and eggs, as well as beer, numerous brands of beverages, and locally made Massimo gelato.
For breakfast, which is served all day, there are pastries and coffee for a quick stop. The fillings for breakfast burritos ($3.95 to $6.45) range from simple egg and cheese to the works, with bacon, sausage, potatoes, black beans, peppers and cheese.
I enjoyed a Mexican Breakfast Sandwich ($7.50). Stacked between two pieces of white toast was perfectly soft, well-smoked bacon, a thin omelet, cheddar cheese, a spicy sausage patty, roasted green chilies and salsa mayonnaise.
The selection of made-to-order cold sandwiches includes the Hawaiian Heaven ($6.95) with ham, pineapple chutney, sweet hot mustard, and Swiss cheese. California Dreamin’ ($6.95) combines hummus, cheese, cucumber, avocado, tomato and sprouts. Thanksgiving Every Day ($7.50) featured layers of thinly sliced turkey roast and slivers of ripened Brie cheese with cranberry mayonnaise between large, soft slices of sourdough bread.
A special hot sandwich ($8.50) is offered every day. Muffaletta on Sundays pairs ham, salami and pastrami with olive tapenade and melted provolone cheese, while on Wednesdays you’ll find pulled pork in spicy barbecue sauce. One Tuesday I enjoyed an enormous, juicy Pesto Chicken Heaven, or rather, half of it. A huge toasted roll was stuffed with sliced chicken breast, sweet, crunchy Marsala-grilled red onions, tomatoes and lettuce with melted provolone and rich, basil-infused pesto mayonnaise.
Prepared dinners to go, ready for you to heat at home, included spaghetti and meatballs, and beautiful chicken pot pies, whose crusts act as their own edible cooking containers.
The Palm Deli celebrates its first birthday on Saturday August 7 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy wine tasting from numerous vineyards as well as food and other beverages.
The Palm Deli, 3000 Valencia Ave., Aptos, 688-DELI (3354). Rio del Mar exit, north of Highway 1. Beer and wine. Open Monday through Saturday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit thepalmdeli.com ★★★
Watsonville’s Civic Plaza will be the site of this year’s 16th annual Strawberry Festival. In addition to celebrating our local crop of luscious berries, the lengthy international food line-up includes kabobs and skewers, beef and lamb gyros, falafel, jambalaya, bacon-wrapped jalapeños, egg rolls and fish tacos.
There will also be plenty of activities. Enjoy classic cars, a carnival, musicians and dancers. You’re also invited to sign up for a hands-free pie-eating contest at the festival’s information booth.
Watsonville Strawberry Festival at Monterey Bay, 350 Main St., Watsonville, Saturday July 31 and Sunday August 1st, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free admission. Parking available at the Civic Plaza parking garage on Rodriguez St. Visit mbsf.com.
