I grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa, a smaller town about 50
minutes north. It was always a happy day
when one of the relatives would make the trip to the big city and come back
with the trunk full of treats. Mom
always sent for the big bags of Rigatoni, or “stovepipes” as she called
them. The kids grabbed for the colorful
candied almonds, and we gobbled up the pink and while coated bits of licorice
candy. There were the coveted breads and cheeses of course, but the all
time favorite was the pepperoni sticks.
Rumor has it that some of my relatives held these in such high regard that they even put these pepperoni sticks
in their children’s Christmas stockings.
Now that I live in Des Moines, I am a regular. I stop in whenever I need a fix. I walk
in and inhale the aroma of the spice filled air. This is my therapy. The scents remind me of my grandmother’s
kitchen and put me in the mood for some kitchen time of my own. I peruse the aisles weekly and have tried most
of the products at least once, many are staples in my pantry.Whether it is truffle oil, almond paste, fresh ricotta, or a peppery imported mortadella that you seek, you can find it here. The quality of the cheeses and meats are unmatched and once you have become used to them you will have a hard time settling for anything less.
They carry both the core ingredients for scratch cooks and some
help for those days when you just don’t have the time. The freezer section is full of premade
ravioli, pizza crusts, and readymade meat balls in a variety of sizes, that can
help any cook throw a delicious dinner together in no time at all.
The key ingredient,
and the bread and butter of the operation, is the sausage. Restaurants across the metro use Grazianos
sausage with reckless abandon. It is
hard to make a dish taste bad if you use this sausage. I kid you not.The people are as pleasing as the products. The staff is always welcoming, polite, and they make you feel as if you are among friends. The banter behind the meat counter is part of the appeal. So if you have not been there lately, stop in at Grazianos and tell them Jody sent you!
A crowd pleasing antipasti made with products found at Grazianos Brothers Italian Grocery.
