Saint Joseph and the kindness of the bread baker

A few years ago, my wife and I received an invitation from friends to join them on March 19 to celebrate the feast of Saint Joseph. I was ecstatic to receive this invitation, as I had not celebrated this holiday in many, many years. I am sure some of you are saying he means Saint Patrick, not Saint Joseph. Well, that’s not the case. I am indeed talking about Saint Joseph, husband to Mary, father to Jesus and a carpenter by trade.

During the Middle Ages, there was a severe drought in Sicily, and prayers were offered up to Saint Joseph in hopes of relieving the conditions there. Soon afterward, those prayers were answered and a steady crop prevailed. Sicilians made Saint Joseph the carpenter, or worker as he is often called, patron saint of the island. As are most Italian customs and traditions, the day is celebrated with family and friends and often includes an entire village. Throughout Italy there are many variations on how the holiday is spent. In Sicily, followers celebrate by eating meatless meals and sharing bread with those less fortunate. A simple soup is enjoyed, using vegetables and breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs symbolize the sawdust associated with carpentry.

This custom continued with Italian or Sicilian Americans and is still, as with our close friends, celebrated to this day. The tradition here calls for a gathering of friends and family with, as expected, food being the centerpiece. Many celebrations involve pastries, and you can bet an Italian bakery will have a large inventory of Saint Joseph pastries on hand. Red wine is always served with Italian meats and sausages, a reversal from Sicilian custom. In our family, dessert always included fried dough or Zeppole. If you ever have been to an Italian festival, you know what I am talking about. Below, I have included my Aunt Anna’s foolproof, easy method for Zeppole.

Another aspect of the Saint Joseph feast, and one that my mother kept close to her heart, was the baking and sharing of bread. Like she did during Easter week, mom would bake 8 to 10 loaves of bread. She would visit friends and family in the neighborhood, offering the bread as a gift. When we returned to the house, there was always a loaf or two waiting for us by the front door. We grew up in a very mixed Italian and Irish Catholic neighborhood, with all the priests and nuns in the parish being Irish. Going to the Catholic school, we had off on the 17th for Saint Patty’s Day. Two days later mom would call me in sick so I could assist her in delivering the bread. I believe there was a little more motive for me staying home than just being her delivery boy.

We mostly delivered bread to families or neighbors that were going through rough times either financially or emotionally. This act of kindness is a tradition I hold dear and one I will never forget.

This year you can bet that I am going to roll up my sleeves, fry some Zeppole and pop open a bottle of Brunello. I encourage you to do the same.

Zeppole: I like keeping it simple, so I just buy the pizza dough at the supermarket. If you want to make your own:

1 packet of yeast

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast and water in a bowl and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the flour and beat till a soft dough forms. Knead the dough and place in a greased bowl and cover till the dough rises. In about an hour when your dough has risen (or you cut open the package from the supermarket), roll dough into balls the size of golf balls and place into a frying pan of hot vegetable oil, about one quart. Fry them in batches and pull them out with a slotted spoon once they are browned. Place on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil and sprinkle with some confectioners' sugar. Eat hot.

A Happy Saint Joseph the Carpenter’s day to you!

Mike Angarola and his wife Ann have been vacationing on Amelia Island since their daughter started attending Jacksonville University in 2012. They always knew they would retire here, and since January 2024, that's been the case. Mike is a former small business owner, having run an Italian specialty store featuring many of his mom's recipes, sauces and Italian dishes.

If you have a story you'd like to share here in the Fernandina Observer - about a neighbor or friend or stranger or business that showed kindness, or about kindness and compassion in general - please contact Peggie Weeks at pegweeks@gmail.com