We celebrate St. Joseph’s Day on March 19th. He is Sicily’s Patron Saint, due to the fact that when they experienced a famine during the Middle Ages they prayed to him and it rained. They honored him with meatless dishes and desserts, lots of desserts. After all, St. Joseph is also the patron Saint of Pastry Chefs.
This made me think of pastries in general, nothing better than when I have a café au lait at Au Petit Delice in Wayne and dunk a warm, flakey, buttery croissant in it…heaven. Or how about a Zeppole from Viso’s Bakery, is there anything better? A Zeppole is a cross between puff pastry and a cream puff filled with sweet ricotta cheese and mini chocolate chips or vanilla custard. All good Italians purchase at least one zeppole on St Joseph’s Day; these little delicacies are also called St. Joseph’s Day Cakes.
Another one of my favorite desserts is a peach. The cake is moist and filled with Peach schnapps cream, and then all by hand, the peaches are colored with food coloring to resemble a peach, they even put a cute little leaf for authenticity. Isgro’s is one of the only bakeries where you can purchase these little treasures every day; they are truly worth every penny. Not only are they conversation starters, they are delectable.
There is so much labor involved in making these heavenly treats, that’s why they are usually saved for special occasions like Baptisms and Weddings. But, you can get them almost daily at places like Isgro’s.
