Authentic Italian

Graziano Family Brings a Taste of Italy to Iowa

By Darcy Dougherty Maulsby | Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

Can a childhood trip to the local market influence the rest of your life? If the store is Graziano Brothers in Des Moines, the answer might just be yes.

“Growing up Italian American means food is a big part of your life, and Graziano’s was my favorite family field trip,” says George Formaro, a chef and restaurateur behind some of Des Moines' most successful eateries, including Centro, Django, Zombie Burger and Gateway Market. “I was mesmerized by the sights, sounds and smells of the store, which still feels like home to me. Trips to Graziano’s helped shape me into who I am today.”

Chefs and home cooks alike rely on Graziano’s best-selling medium-hot sausage and other handcrafted sausages to elevate the flavor of their favorite dishes, from pastas to pizzas. The shop also carries a wide variety of Italian classics, including San Marzano tomatoes, imported Italian cheeses, pasta sauces, cured meats like pancetta and coppicola, plus a variety of sweets, including biscotti and cannoli. From the outside, Graziano Brothers’ corner store looks much like it did when brothers Francesco (Frank) and Luigi (Louie) Graziano opened the business in 1912 on South Union Street.

“People look at our storefront and think we’re still a small mom-and-pop shop,” says Frances Graziano, who is the third generation of her family to run the business. “While we’ve expanded the business to include food manufacturing, wholesale distributions and retail sales, we still maintain a small, local family feel.”

Frances Graziano continues the family tradition of sausage making.

SAVORING THE AMERICAN DREAM

The story of Graziano’s reflects the American dream. Frank and Louie Graziano, who were born in San Morello in the Calabria region of southern Italy, began their lives in a loving but impoverished family. By 1903, the two brothers immigrated to America. After Frank, age 21, and Louie, age 17, made their way to Iowa, they found jobs with the Great Western Railway.

Railroad work was tough, but it helped sustain the brothers, who settled in an Italian neighborhood in the “South Side Bottoms” south of downtown Des Moines. Never afraid of hard work, the Grazianos were entrepreneurs at heart. In 1912, Louie started a corner grocery in “Little Italy,” while Frank continued working for the railroad until the new business was established.

The Graziano brothers quickly became known for their homemade sausage, which they based on flavors they enjoyed growing up in Italy. “Graziano’s sausage is iconic in Iowa,” Formaro says.

As the brothers’ business grew, their shop became interwoven into the community. “School, church and my family’s store were all part of our community’s circle of necessities,” Frances says. Her grandfather and great-uncle, and later her father, Mike served their friends and neighbors through good times and bad.

“Extending credit to customers during the Great Depression almost broke the business, but we still have descendants of those people who patronize our store and tell us how much that generosity meant to their family,” she says.

She didn’t realize how unique it was to grow up Graziano in Des Moines until she left home. “It was only when I was in college showing my ID to a cashier when I realized the influence of our family business,” says Frances, who earned her degree in music education/ music therapy from the University of Iowa. “The cashier asked if I was part of the Graziano family who makes the famous Italian sausage. I was dumbfounded. How did she know about us?”

IT FEELS LIKE FAMILY

For generations, customers have loved Graziano’s homemade, Old Worldinspired foods. Spicy, savory aromas greet visitors as soon as they step inside the shop. Many customers stop by to purchase Italian sausage made from high-quality pork and Italian seasoning. No preservatives are added to the sausage, which is sold in link, bulk and patty forms, with sweet, Andouille-style Cajun, garlic and extra hot flavors.

“Iowa farmers produce the best pork, which is one of the reasons our product is superior to other sausages,” Frances says.

Graziano’s products are available in Fareway grocery stores in Des Moines and surrounding areas. A number of Hy-Vee meat departments throughout Iowa carry Graziano’s medium-hot sausage. If you can’t find Graziano’s sausage at your local Hy-Vee, speak to the manager and request these products, Frances suggests.

During cooler months (September through April), Frances and her team of 15 employees ship products directly to customers. “We’re just a phone call away,” she says. “I also have some customers who use us as an excuse for a field trip to Des Moines to get their ‘Grazi fix!’”

Frances relishes the relationships she has formed with her customers through the years. “I feel privileged to be part of their lives. They’re like family,” she shares.

Chef George Fomaro has loong been inspired by visits to Graziano's.

That family includes Formaro. “I can’t imagine life without this place,” he says. “Graziano’s preserves our heritage, it’s an anchor to Iowa’s Italian community, and it can be enjoyed by everyone who loves great food.”

Graziano Sausage Burgers

• 4 Graziano sausage patties or links

• 2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into large sections

• 1 onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rings

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

• 4 hamburger or brat buns

• 4 slices provolone cheese (or 1 cup freshly shredded)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Add sausage patties or links. Add peppers and onions to grill, turning occasionally. Add butter to bun sides and sprinkle with garlic salt. Toast buns over grill until golden. Set aside. Remove patties or links along with peppers and onions. Slice peppers into strips and separate onions into rings. Keep warm. To assemble: Add warm Graziano sausage patty or link to the toasted bun. Then, add 1/4 of the pepper and onion mixture. Top with provolone cheese and bun top.

Servings: 4

Source: Frances Graziano