The feast of San Giuseppe heralds the imminent coming of the spring, and celebrates Saint Joseph, the patron saint of the family and pastry cooks, and the unofficial saint of fava beans. His feast is, accordingly, a celebration of all three institutions. During his holiday, pastries abound in the shape of moons, stars, baskets, flowers, fruits and symbols of the holy family. The tradition follows that each family creates a huge altar, overflowing with food and garlands. The less fortunate are invited to share in the abundance. Prior to the festive day, the women will make bread all day, every day, for up to two weeks, cutting the dough into shapes, glazing it with eggs and lemons, and baking it in massive ovens.

The idea behind the celebration is one of bounty, and the table is always full. All of the food is Lenten. There is fried shrimp with lemon and bite-size pieces of fish, or gamberetti fritti and baccalà fritto. There are fried sardines dipped in flour and eggs, and stuffed calamari, fried with garlic. Vegetables include pesci di funghi - mushrooms dipped into bread crumbs and fried like fish.

At dessert, pears and strawberries go hand-in-hand with pignlate, or honey-coated fried sweet dough, and cassateddi, or fried slivers of dough filled with lemon-scented ricotta. Tortes and cannoli are at home with pesche, "peaches" made of dough filled with grated sweetened ricotta, lemon peel, and cinnamon.

Not all families go to such extremes, but there are a core set who continue the tradition. Those who do not prepare the feast themselves become welcome guests. During the dinner, the only formality is the feeding of the children. The rest of the people are free to mill around and sample the delights of the feast. But everyone must consume at least one dish with bread and one with fava beans, because they are the bearers of luck and health.

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