BOISE, Idaho — If you ever see Tony Curcuru rolling by, you should probably follow him. Once you catch up to The Tony Cannoli cart — it’s time to order.
And yes, Tony is his real name.
"Tony Cannoli has a nice ring to it," he said.
So, the Cannoli part is made-up — but everything else about Tony Curcuru is authentic.
"I was brought-up in an Italian American family - my grandparents and dad immigrated from Sicily."
Originally from Illinois, he said good food and family are in his blood.
"I was brought up in a pizza shop," he said.
Looking to keep the family tradition going, Curcuru decided to head out on his own.
"In 2017, I decided to buy a one-way ticket to Sicily," he said.
Tony spent his time exploring his roots.
"I picked grapes, olives, ate a lot of food. A lot of cannolis," he said.
Eating the cannolis inspired him to make his own.
"It's a tube-shaped pastry. It’s fried pastry dough stuffed with cream filling made out of ricotta, garnished with different toppings like fruit, chocolate, pistachios and powdered sugar."
Tony and his wife Emma moved to Boise a few months ago, continuing the family tradition. Now, they focus on presenting the best possible product, with both locally sourced and Italian ingredients.
For anyone wanting a taste of Sicily in the Treasure Valley — roll on up to The Tony Cannoli cart and feel like family.
