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 Posted By: ricksrealpitbbq 
Sep 30  # 1 of 25
Since I'll be working from home tomorrow, I figured I'd smoke a brisket. I've got a small 9.5 lb packer that I'll be doing. Of course I'll document the whole thing and post pics throughout the day :)
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 Posted By: Mama Mangia 
Sep 30  # 2 of 25
brisket on a Thursday??? mmmmmm - remember the old days in an Italian home? pasta every Thursday and Sunday....................
and on all those meatless Holy days
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 Posted By: ricksrealpitbbq 
Sep 30  # 3 of 25
Actually growing up I had macaroni quite a bit, didn't realize till I got older mom and dad were just trying to save a bit on food costs. But I thought I was eating pretty darn good and considered my self lucky :D

I never did quite understand the whole can't eat meat on Friday thing ;)
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 Posted By: Mama Mangia 
Sep 30  # 4 of 25
Pasta kept our family alive for generations. A cheap meal - flour, eggs - and most of the Italians were raising their own chickens anyway. I never thought of it as a cheap meal - I love my pasta. Probably more than Sophie Loren does!

I'd never make it on a low carb diet - I need my pasta for survival.

I'm like you - I was lucky to have such good food. I still prefer homemade pasta to any store bought - and NEVER serve me those refrigerated pastas! YUK!

The no-meat thing is a Catholic thing with the Italians - it was their way of "sacrificing" for Jesus the way he sacrificed (His life) for us. By giving up meat (a luxury) and eating fish we remember the fishes and loaves, etc. Many times it was because of droughts or years of bad crops, and they would pray to a saint for help and then would give thanks by sacrificing meat for the occasion.

Like when there was a terrible drought in Sicily in the Middle Ages and their food supply lemons, grapes, wheat, olives and fruits needed the water so that they could survive. The Sicilians prayed to St. Joseph and promised that if he would bring them rain and save their crops they would prepare a large feast in his honor. The tradition says these prayers were answered with rainy weather. In gratitude, huge banquet tables were set up in public, and the poor people of Sicily were invited to come and eat as much as they wanted.

The families of farmers and fisherman built altars in their homes to share their good fortune with others in need. St. Joseph's Day altars began as a custom and then brought to the states by Sicilian immigrants. The tradition of building the altar to St. Joseph dates back to the drought, and it served as a gift of thanks for St. Joseph. The tradition grew to a more public event on St. Joseph's Feast Day on March 19. Today, special foods, linens, flowers, and statuary adorn the St. Joseph's Altar, which is built with three steps representing the Holy Trinity.

St. Joseph's Day falls during the Lenten season - In the tradition of other towns that were closer to the sea, fish was readily available and fish dishes were used on their tables.
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 Posted By: ricksrealpitbbq 
Oct 1  # 5 of 25
You just taught me more about St Joseph's day than 8 years of parochial school did, or maybe I pay attention more now ;)