Zeppoles in the Center

Feb 17, JD writing:

Zeppoles from LaSalle Bakery in Providence RI.

At the dialysis center at noon when I was about to drive off on some errands (IGA, Lab, Salvation Army donation delivery...) Kate’s friend Bev in the next chair over reminded us that zeppoles are now available in Rhode Island bakeries. Zeppoles are pasteries, like cream puffs, that help celebrate the Feast of St Joseph’s Day (the Joseph of Joseph and Mary...). I’m a big fan of zeppoles. I added going to Wayland Bakery to my errand list.

Saint Joseph with the Infant Jesus by Guido Reni, c 1635

When I got to Wayland Bakery and inquired, I was told that zeppoles wouldn’t be available until Friday. Ugh. But the IGA (now called East Side Market Place) does have a bakery counter, I remembered... At the IGA bakery display case I asked the girl at the counter if they had zeppoles. She said no they don’t carry those things... I looked down in front of me and saw something that looked a lot like a batch of zeppoles. I said, pointing, what are those? She said “I don’t know... they just came in today.” I said, “they look a lot like zeppoles.” She looked alarmed and turned around and asked the lady working behind her, “what are these things?” The lady thought for a second then said, “I don’t know. I’ll look on the delivery sheet...” As she studied the sheet she looked at me and said, “What did you call them?” and i said “zeppoles.” and she said yes that’s right, they’re what you said, zepoes.

“I’ll take four,” I said. The girl looked at me straight in the eye and said, “They’re two dollars and seventy five cents each...” That’s OK I said and took my successful purchase to the car and drove to the center.

Kate was about to get taken off the needles as I stood there and told her the zeppole tale. She said go to the car and bring one in for Bev! But Bev declined, as did Kate, and one of the techs, K, who said she was on a diet. But Rick, sitting across from Kate volunteered that he would love a zeppole. So Rick became the prize winner, and polished it off post-haste.

I said to Kate “They let you eat food like that in the Center?” and she said you can eat, but most patients don’t and they usually don’t let messy stuff like zeppoles in, but in this case they might get cursed if they disrespected St. Joseph and banned zeppoles.

Bottom line, yes you can eat a zeppole while being dialyzed.