Graziano Brothers

A Brief Overview of the Italian American Cultural Center’s Museum

A family-owned business located in Des Moines, Iowa, Graziano Brothers Inc. sells five types of fresh Italian sausage and numerous Italian-style food commodities. Graziano Brothers Inc. holds membership with the Italian American Cultural Center of Iowa.

This center aims to promote and preserve all aspects of the rich Italian-American culture in an educational manner, and offers a variety of events and programs. One of the highlights of the center is the museum’s numerous displays that celebrate Italian culture and heritage. Some of the key displays at the museum focus on Italian restaurateurs, grocers, tailors, winemakers, and shoe cobblers. Many of these displays showcase ancestral photos and the types of tools/equipment used in each profession.

In addition to the displays, the museum also holds language and cooking classes, hosts traditional events, and sells jewelry, clothing, and Italian merchandise at the gift shop. The museum’s library provides several valuable resources, including customs and travel information, pictorial and oral histories, magazines, and books.

Food Network Named Iowa’s Top Bun Food Truck Among the Best in the US

An Italian delicatessen and specialty food shop, Graziano Brothers has served customers in the Des Moines area for more than 100 years. In addition to operating its specialty store, Graziano Brothers makes its own sausage and sells items wholesale to restaurants across the state, including the Italian sausage meatballs and hoagie rolls for the USS Torpedo sandwich at Top Bun Food Truck.

Opened in Des Moines in 2016,Top Bun furnishes sandwiches, burgers, and sides by entrepreneur Dave Barry, and it received nationwide attention for its offerings when the Food Network featured it in its article, “50 States of Food Trucks.” The article shared the Food Network’s picks for the best food trucks in each state, and the publication highlighted the use of local ingredients at Top Bun, describing Barry as a “proud Iowan.”

Regularly on the move, Top Bun Food Truck posts its schedule on its social media page and website. Some of its popular locations include the state capitol, office parks, public events, and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

Three Traditional Italian Desserts

A leading distributor of fine Italian food in Des Moines, Iowa, Graziano Brothers is best known for its high-quality Italian sausage. Graziano Brothers also stocks a diverse array of Italian specialties, including olive oils, spices, and pastries.

Known as ‘dolces,’ Italian desserts are among the Southern European nation’s most popular exports. Some of the most beloved pastries include:

Amaretti – A soft biscuit made with ground almonds, amaretti are typically served with coffee or liquor. The pastry is thought to originate from the 17th century and is often sold in colorful tins.

Biscotti – Unlike amaretti, biscotti are hard and crunchy due to a double baking process. They are thin and elongated, and most varieties include nuts or sweet spices.

Cannoli – Originating from Sicily, cannoli were the traditional dessert of Carnival. Cannoli are made from a deep-fried, flaky crust filled with ricotta cheese filling. These pastries may be topped with nuts, chocolate, or dried fruit.

The Basics of HACCP Certification

In business for well over a century, Graziano Brothers is well-known throughout Des Moines, Iowa, and beyond as a maker of exceptional Italian sausage. An active member of the American Association of Meat Processors and the Iowa Meat Processors Association, Graziano Brothers produces its sausage in a HACCP-certified meat processing facility.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a regulatory management system of the US Food and Drug Administration that addresses the safety of various foods and beverages. Applicable to both producers and traders of foodstuffs, HACCP stresses the examination and elimination of physical, chemical, and biological threats in industries that range from dairy processing to seafood handling.

After analyzing existing and potential hazards, HACCP-compliant regulators must identify critical control points at which they can establish safe and healthy limits to eliminate those hazards. The HACCP process continues with the systematic and precise monitoring of all critical control points, as well as the implementation of corrective actions to address any issues that arise. To maintain certification, organizations must conduct procedures to verify that their HACCP system is functioning properly and keep accurate records of its ongoing operation.