St. Joseph's Day
03-18-2004, 08:38 AM
#1
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St. Joseph's Day
Here's a quick history of St. Joseph's Day (tomorrow, March 19th):
Two days after the feast of the great Irish saint comes the day of the carpenter of Nazareth, Saint Joseph, "the just man," of whom the Gospels say little but who is beloved by generations of Italians and Italian-Americans, celebrated on March 19. Though often pictured as an aged man, bearded and bent with years, Joseph has more recently been seen as younger, more fitted to his role as protector of the young Mary and her Child.
Saint Joseph is patron of many places and many trades. He is the guardian
of the spiritual home of Christians, the Church, and of the material home, too.
The tradition of a St. Joseph's Day began when there was a severe
drought in Sicily in the middle ages. In desperation, people asked
St. Joseph, their patron, to intervene. They promised, if rain came,
they would prepare a big feast in his honor. The tradition says these
prayers were answered with rainy weather. In gratitude, huge banquet tables
were set-up in public and poor people were invited to come and eat as much
as they wanted. Today, special foods, linens, flowers, and statuary adorn the St. Joseph's Altar which is built with three steps representing the Holy Trinity.
Generosity marks this day, as it did the character of Joseph himself. In many nations it's a day of sharing with the poor and needy, and nowhere is this better carried out than in the nation that perhaps loves the most: Italy. In many Italian villages, especially in Sicily, everyone of any means contributes to a table spread in the public square as an offering for favors received from prayers to this kindly saint.
The bread made for this day is often shaped like a scepter or a beard; villagers representing Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are guests of honor at the feast, and other guests are the orphans, widows, or beggars. After Mass, all go in procession to this festive table. After the priest blesses the feast, everyone shouts, "Viva la tavola di San Giuse!" then eats.
At the end of the meal every guest is given something to take home. For this feast, a unique minestrone is made; people add any vegetarian ingredients that happen to be handy to the soup. [This is the origin of a Sicilian expression minestra di San Giuse, i.e., confusion or chaos.]
Although all kinds of lentils and dried beans are eaten on Saint Joseph's feast, cheese, usually a popular a part of the Italian diet, is not served; instead of grated Parmesan, this minestrone is served with dry toasted bread crumbs.
Two days after the feast of the great Irish saint comes the day of the carpenter of Nazareth, Saint Joseph, "the just man," of whom the Gospels say little but who is beloved by generations of Italians and Italian-Americans, celebrated on March 19. Though often pictured as an aged man, bearded and bent with years, Joseph has more recently been seen as younger, more fitted to his role as protector of the young Mary and her Child.
Saint Joseph is patron of many places and many trades. He is the guardian
of the spiritual home of Christians, the Church, and of the material home, too.
The tradition of a St. Joseph's Day began when there was a severe
drought in Sicily in the middle ages. In desperation, people asked
St. Joseph, their patron, to intervene. They promised, if rain came,
they would prepare a big feast in his honor. The tradition says these
prayers were answered with rainy weather. In gratitude, huge banquet tables
were set-up in public and poor people were invited to come and eat as much
as they wanted. Today, special foods, linens, flowers, and statuary adorn the St. Joseph's Altar which is built with three steps representing the Holy Trinity.
Generosity marks this day, as it did the character of Joseph himself. In many nations it's a day of sharing with the poor and needy, and nowhere is this better carried out than in the nation that perhaps loves the most: Italy. In many Italian villages, especially in Sicily, everyone of any means contributes to a table spread in the public square as an offering for favors received from prayers to this kindly saint.
The bread made for this day is often shaped like a scepter or a beard; villagers representing Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are guests of honor at the feast, and other guests are the orphans, widows, or beggars. After Mass, all go in procession to this festive table. After the priest blesses the feast, everyone shouts, "Viva la tavola di San Giuse!" then eats.
At the end of the meal every guest is given something to take home. For this feast, a unique minestrone is made; people add any vegetarian ingredients that happen to be handy to the soup. [This is the origin of a Sicilian expression minestra di San Giuse, i.e., confusion or chaos.]
Although all kinds of lentils and dried beans are eaten on Saint Joseph's feast, cheese, usually a popular a part of the Italian diet, is not served; instead of grated Parmesan, this minestrone is served with dry toasted bread crumbs.
03-18-2004, 02:41 PM
#7
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St. Joseph's Day Zeppole Recipe
The traditional dessert on St. Joseph's Day is the Zeppole. Zeppole is a kind of pastry ravioli that is filled with vanilla pudding, whipped cream, or sweet cheese.
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 tsp lemon peel
1 tsp orange peel
Mix together water, butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil in a pot. Sift in the flour until thoroughly mixed. Now mix in eggs, lemon and orange peel.
Grease a cookie sheet and drop dough on in dollops. Cook at 450F for about 20 minutes until golden. Cool and then use pastry bag to inject vanilla pudding into its center.
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 tsp lemon peel
1 tsp orange peel
Mix together water, butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil in a pot. Sift in the flour until thoroughly mixed. Now mix in eggs, lemon and orange peel.
Grease a cookie sheet and drop dough on in dollops. Cook at 450F for about 20 minutes until golden. Cool and then use pastry bag to inject vanilla pudding into its center.
03-18-2004, 02:46 PM
#9
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Age: 42
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Cavazune
These traditional feast day recipes were contributed by Italian-American families;
some have emphasized that these portions were meant to serve "a crowd" --
not a couple of friends.
Cavazune
Cookie Dough: Filling:
2 Eggs 1 lb. Chick Peas
1/4 Tsp. Salt 2 Cups of Walnuts
1/2 Cup Sugar 8 ozs. Seedless Raisins
1/2 Cup Oil 1/4 Cup Honey (or Molasses)
1 Tsp Vanilla 1/2 Cup Sugar
3 1/2 Cups Flour 2 Tbs Jelly (Grape)
1/4 Cup Cold Water 1 Tsp Cinnamon
Oil for Frying
Beat eggs, salt sugar, oil, and vanilla together
and work in the flour and water alternately
keeping the mixture smooth until dough is stiff.
Work more flour into the dough on a baking board,
then wrap in waxed paper and put aside to chill
while you make the filling.
Cook chick peas & its liquid 20 minutes.
Chop the nuts finely; mix with remaining
ingredients. Drain peas, work through a
grinder (use processor or blender) until
smooth. Then mix with filling.
Divide the dough into quarters and roll out
one quarter at a time, very,very thin.
Cut dough in 3" squares.
Place a teaspoonful of filling on squares,
brush edges with beaten egg and water.
Fold into rectangles, pressing edges with fork to seal.
Heat oil to 350 degrees, fry cavezunes 2
to 2 1/2 minutes or until golden. Drain.
Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
some have emphasized that these portions were meant to serve "a crowd" --
not a couple of friends.
Cavazune
Cookie Dough: Filling:
2 Eggs 1 lb. Chick Peas
1/4 Tsp. Salt 2 Cups of Walnuts
1/2 Cup Sugar 8 ozs. Seedless Raisins
1/2 Cup Oil 1/4 Cup Honey (or Molasses)
1 Tsp Vanilla 1/2 Cup Sugar
3 1/2 Cups Flour 2 Tbs Jelly (Grape)
1/4 Cup Cold Water 1 Tsp Cinnamon
Oil for Frying
Beat eggs, salt sugar, oil, and vanilla together
and work in the flour and water alternately
keeping the mixture smooth until dough is stiff.
Work more flour into the dough on a baking board,
then wrap in waxed paper and put aside to chill
while you make the filling.
Cook chick peas & its liquid 20 minutes.
Chop the nuts finely; mix with remaining
ingredients. Drain peas, work through a
grinder (use processor or blender) until
smooth. Then mix with filling.
Divide the dough into quarters and roll out
one quarter at a time, very,very thin.
Cut dough in 3" squares.
Place a teaspoonful of filling on squares,
brush edges with beaten egg and water.
Fold into rectangles, pressing edges with fork to seal.
Heat oil to 350 degrees, fry cavezunes 2
to 2 1/2 minutes or until golden. Drain.
Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
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