In Providence, Rhode Island, zeppole are serious enough that the Department of Transportation has to warn motorists not to speed just to get them.

Sunday was the Feast of St. Joseph, also known as St. Joseph’s Day. It is in recognition of Joseph, the husband of Mary and the legal father of Jesus.

It is celebrated every March 19, and Providence is one of the cities that really focuses on the day, in part because of its large Italian population.

Getty Images via Canva
Getty Images via Canva
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Zeppole, an Italian pastry, are considered a traditional food as part of the celebration.

For those unfamiliar, a zeppole is a fried dough ball topped with powdered sugar, and usually filled with something, whether it be cannoli cream, custard, jelly or other goodness.

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Erica Sloan of Seekonk was heading to Gregg’s for dinner when she was taken aback by a traffic sign on Route 195 that read “There are plenty of zeppole left. Slow down.”

Courtesy Erica Sloan
Courtesy Erica Sloan
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“Being the Irish person I am, I had completely forgotten about St. Joseph’s Day, but when we saw the sign we definitely had a laugh,” Sloan said. “There was someone with a Pennsylvania license plate in front of us and we said to each other, imagine how confused people from out of state would be?”

However, Sloan and her husband did make sure they grabbed some zeppole at Gregg’s after dinner, she said.

Rhode Islanders will argue as to who has the best zeppole, and they are available year-round at most places, not just on St. Joseph’s Day – although some spots may only prepare them on certain days.

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