Tea for One with a Zeppola di San Giuseppe

Zeppole (pl.) are Italian pastries that are sold on the days leading up to St. Joseph's Day — today, March 19th.  It's basically a light-as-air fritter, filled with custard or cream, and topped with a variety of fruit compotes, or a maraschino cherry.  

Before we moved to the 'burbs we lived in a predominantly Italian area of Chicago, and we had so many marvelous bakeries surrounding us that their loss was acutely felt when we moved to our new home.

My husband took the day off today, and drove to the old neighborhood to pick some up for us.  So this special treat deserved a proper pause in my morning to truly savor it, because after today, the zeppole will disappear until next year.