March 19 is the high holy day for your web host… St. Joseph’s Day and to boot on the eve of Spring.
St. Joseph’s Day (my middle name) is rooted in Sicilian peasants praying to the foster father of Jesus to end the famine. In response the rains came producing a bumper crop of fava beans, the base of maccu, a thick soup, followed by zeppole as dessert, cream/custard filled pastry, and of course washed down with espresso.
Next week Mayor Joe Ganim will submit his budget proposal to the City Council, with a promise to spend $10 million extra the next two years for education. But it’s a tricky budget because it carries per state law the revaluation of taxable property. Property values go higher, the mill rate lower and those two together will represent your tax bill for the budget year starting July 1. So, this is your day to pray to Mayor Joseph Ganim (San Giuseppe) for a saintly tax bill.
While St. Patrick dealt with snakes (wouldn’t he do well in Bridgeport politics?), St. Joseph is the patron saint of Sicily where my father was born.
So today I shall feast on fava beans and stuff myself with zeppole.
And maybe that’s why I’m a gas bag. Too much beans.
Led Zeppole