About Us

Touch of Italy was born out of two Italian family traditions that trace back to the late 1800’s. Two families, the Curzi’s and the Ciprietti‘s opened Touch of Italy in the fall of 2010 in Lewes, Delaware. Touch of Italy is a tribute to our ancestors, who imparted to us a love of food and family.

The Curzi Family

The Curzi Family traces its roots to the Marche Region of Central Italy. The Marche Region is known for a mountainous terrain flanked by the Apennine chain and an extensive system of hills descending towards the Adriatic Sea. The culinary heritage of the Marche Region is deeply rooted in peasant tradition - the use of fresh, top quality ingredients assembled with the minimum of fuss.  The rural setting of the Marche Region yields food gathered from the wild; funghi, game, nuts, field herbs and greens and a little treasure called truffles.

The Curzi Family is inspired by the love of family tradition passed down from Giovanna and Giuseppe Luigi Curzi.  Giovanna and Giuseppe Luigi took great pleasure foraging for dandelion greens in the springtime, which grew in fields near her home in Pennsylvania. Giovanna would wash and cut the greens and boil them forever it seemed. She served them hot with olive oil drizzled over the top. Their sharp flavor was a good contrast to the mild veal that she served for Sunday dinner. The center of the Curzi home was the kitchen. Giovanna spent her days baking bread and cookies, drying pasta on old wooden racks, and chopping fresh vegetables from her garden. Fond memories of Giovanna, stirring the sauce with the same wooden spoon that belonged to her mother, will be in our minds forever. Giuseppe Luigi left the cooking to Giovanna, but always stayed close by to taste the bread once out of the oven. Like clockwork, he would tear off the heel of the bread, and retreat the dining table where he would play cards, sip red wine from a short glass and eat aged provolone cheese.  The Curzi Family shares Giovanna and Giuseppe Luigi’s love of Italian food and is proud to bring it home to Touch of Italy.

The Ciprietti Family

The Ciprietti Family traces its roots to the Abruzzi (or Abruzzo) Region of Central Italy. The Abruzzi Region is a rugged and mountainous terrain, fronting the Adriatic Sea. The hallmark of Abruzzo cooking is simplicity. Excellent raw materials have always characterized the local farming and fishing traditions that create the genuine and refined cuisine found in the Region. Deep traditions of making wine from black cherries fermented under the sun and annual May Day food celebrations are central to life in the Region.

The Ciprietti Family is inspired by the love of family tradition passed down from Italian immigrant Grandparents and a large number of Aunts and Uncles who lived in New York.  Best loved for her devotion to her Italian heritage was Aunt Ada. Aunt Ada hosted the Sunday family ritual in her Manhattan apartment every week, without fail. Climbing the steps to her apartment was a feast for the olfactory senses. She affectionately greeted the family at the door, wearing her well-worn smock over her signature black dress. In broken English she commanded the family to the table. She returned to her tiny kitchen and later emerged with steaming bowls of freshly made pasta, the most amazing rosemary chicken, little crocks of grated Italian cheese, and platters loaded with sausage and peppers. Aunt Ada topped off the meal with Italian rum cake, cookies, candied fruit and cannoli. The dining table was a place of family togetherness, lively conversation, and sensational food. The Ciprietti Family shares Aunt Ada’s love of Italian food and is proud to bring it home to Touch of Italy.