St. Joseph's Day is March 19 and is
considered a special day for Italian-Americans where we dress in red in
recognition of our heritage-- much like our Irish friends do two days before
when they wear green in honor of St. Patrick. In Italy, it is the onomastico (Saint's Day-- an even more
important holiday than your own birthday in Italy) for men named
Giuseppe and it is also Father's Day. In Italian-American communities, St.
Joseph was also the patron saint of immigrants.
St. Joseph's Day festivities really began
in Sicily where, according to legend, there was a severe drought in the Middle
Ages and the people prayed fervently to St. Joseph for rain. They promised that
if he answered their prayers, they would prepare a large feast in his honor.
The rain came and caused the fava bean crop to take off. In today's St.
Joseph's Day celebrations, fava beans are still a traditional part of the
festivities. In some places, bread crumbs are placed on St. Joseph's altar as a
representation of saw dust as St. Joseph was a carpenter by trade.
Giving food to the needy is also a part of
the day's events and in the Naples area of Italy, it is customary to eat
zeppole. This custom spread throughout Italy and in Italian-American
communities. In the United States, zeppole and pizza fritta are very similar
and are oftentimes confused on menus. Pizza fritta are really a more stretched
out, thinner dough while zeppole are spooned into the fryer, making them softer
and chewier than their slightly more crispy cousins. We also discovered that the
zeppole served for St. Joseph's Day aren't even these zeppole and that the
closest thing we have to them in the United States would be a cream puff.
No matter how they are served, though, we
think most people can agree that fried dough, however it is fried, is delizioso!
And, in honor of St. Joseph, here is a
prayer that can be said on his feast day:
