San Giuseppe, or St. Joseph's Day, is Italy's celebration of fatherhood. San Giuseppe is Joseph, husband of Mary, and the Patron Saint of Sicily. According to legend, during the Middle Ages, Sicily faced a terrible drought where people survived on cattle feed alone. They prayed to San Giuseppe, who brought rain and saved Sicily from famine. In celebration, Sicilians host feasts in his honour where the poorest are invited to eat first. Many towns also light large bonfires to mark the end of winter and in tribute to San Giuseppe keeping his Holy Family warm. People then collect the ashes for good fortune in the upcoming farming season.
Another way to celebrate is with Zeppole. Zeppole are a typical Neapolitan dessert made with fried choux pastry, filled with pastry cream and topped with amarena. These pastries are thought to originate from the carpenters feast held in tribute to San Giuseppe where pastries were served in the shape of carpenters tools to celebrate his profession. The name Zeppole coems from the word zeppa, which is a wooden wedge used by carpenters for adjusting the heights of furniture.
Try our Zeppole in-store at Sud Forno and Spaccio from March 14th to March 19th. Order them for pick-up and local delivery from labottegaditerroni.com now.
My parents moved from Calabria because there was nothing there. My mom family moved here when she was 12. My father was the first of his family that moved here.
Amaro Lucano is a herbal liqueur infused with the essence of more than 30 herbs. A product of Basilicata, it has been a staple in the houses of expat Italians for the past 125 years.
Dubbed the ‘diamond of the culinary world’ for their value both in terms of money and flavour, truffles have always been popular with both diners and chefs.
Every meal needs to end with a bit of sweetness. Affogato alla Crema features crema gelato which is then ‘drowned’ in hot espresso for a pick-me-up at the end of your meal.
Aperitivo comes from the Latin word aperire, literally “to open,” and in Italian you still describe the effect of something appetizing as something that “opens your stomach.”
Sustainability is an environmental concept that focuses on finding an ecological way to meet the needs of the global population without compromising the world for future generations.
