Saint Paschal Baylon, the Patron Saint of Cooks and Pastry Chefs

Protector of unmarried women, Saint Paschal Baylon was a shepherd before becoming a friar. Though illiterate, he became a theologian of the Eucharist and gifted the world with an unrivalled dessert: zabaglione.

Saint Paschal Baylon was a religious figure of Spanish origin who lived during the second half of the 16th century. He belonged to the Order of the Alcantarine Friars Minor, the strictest branch of the barefoot Franciscans founded by Peter of Alcántara. Born into a humble family, he was unable to study formally but showed a strong religious calling from a very young age. Employed by his family as a shepherd, he nonetheless managed to be accepted as a novice by the Friars Minor and took vows as a lay brother. That is, he was a member of the order and wore the religious habit but was not ordained as a priest.
Working as a porter in various Spanish convents, he taught himself to read and write using prayer books, to the point of writing a collection of reflections on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. He travelled through France, which at the time was torn by religious wars and the Calvinist Reformation.
Devoted to mortification of the flesh and frequent fasting, he died at the age of 52 and was beatified a century later.

For his love and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, Saint Paschal Baylon is often depicted adoring a monstrance—the sacred vessel used to display the consecrated Host for veneration by the faithful. There are also depictions of him with a flock of sheep, recalling his past as a shepherd, or with Saint Peter of Alcántara in adoration of Our Lady of the Well, whose devotion was entrusted to the Alcantarine friars.

We’ve already mentioned Saint Paschal Baylon in an article dedicated to patron saints of women. But why should this particular saint be especially dear to women? The legend behind this special connection is indeed quite… sweet. It involves an ancient and timeless dessert, used worldwide to fill cakes, biscuits and pastries, but also served as a spoon dessert or a comforting and invigorating drink, especially in the colder seasons. We’re talking about zabaglione.

There are various, more or less fanciful, stories about the origins of this delicacy. Likely already known and enjoyed in the late Renaissance, it is said that a mercenary captain, Giovan Paolo Baglioni, was the first to mix eggs, sugar, and wine—the only provisions his soldiers had managed to find—to create this nourishing treat. Since his men called him Zvàn Bajòun’, it’s possible that the name zabaglione stems from that.
However, the name of Saint Paschal Baylon may also have been altered over time to Sambayon and then zabaglione. Indeed, it seems the saint lived in Turin for a time, and in the Piedmontese dialect, zabaglione is still called sanbajon. But Saint Paschal is credited not only with the name of the dessert, but with the very recipe itself!

He was known for his kindness and willingness to help everyone, so much so that many sought his advice. Among the faithful who came to him most often were women who could not find a husband and others who, though married, suffered from their husbands’ lack of vigour.
Thus, for his merits as a matchmaker and counsellor to struggling couples, Saint Paschal is the patron of women, particularly unmarried ones, and for his invaluable contribution to the art of pastry-making, he is also regarded as the protector of cooks and pastry chefs.

Prayer to Saint Paschal Baylon

In Naples, during Spanish rule, a rhymed prayer soon became popular among unmarried women, who recited it to Saint Paschal, asking for his help in finally finding a husband:
Saint Paschal Baylon, protector of women,
help me find a husband,
fair, rosy and full of colour,
just like you, exactly so,
O glorious Saint Paschal!

The Church of the Forty Martyrs and Saint Paschal Baylon, located in the Trastevere district of Rome at Via di San Francesco a Ripa 20, is still known today as the “Church of the Spinsters”.

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The base has a marble finish. The eyes of the statue are made of crystal and the halo is made of brass.

The Recipe for Zabaglione

But what was this miraculous recipe that Saint Paschal Baylon recommended to his followers, and which rekindled their husbands’ passion in the bedroom? It was a rich, almost liquid cream made of eggs, sugar, and sweet Marsala wine.
In a previous article, we discussed how sweet fortified wines have been elevated over the centuries to the status of ideal Mass wines, and the differences between Mass wine and vin santo.

Here’s a zabaglione recipe you can try at home, using any of the many sweet fortified white wines available in our online shop—perhaps enhanced with some extra-dark chocolate from the Trappist monks of Frattocchie, for an even more irresistible variation.

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Sweet, soft and full-bodied taste, ensuring high quality and absolute genuineness. Produced, bottled, and sealed according to the precepts of Canon Law.

Let’s see how to prepare zabaglione. You’ll need:

4 egg yolks

8 tablespoons of Marsala or another fortified wine

60 g of sugar

80 g of dark chocolate (optional)

Place the egg yolks and sugar in a saucepan with a thick bottom and beat them with a whisk or electric mixer until the mixture becomes pale and frothy. Gently add the wine in a thin stream while mixing. Then place the saucepan over a bain-marie (hot water bath), making sure the water doesn’t boil, and stir for 10 minutes. You’ll obtain a smooth cream.
If you’d like to try the chocolate version, chop the chocolate and add it along with the Marsala before heating.
Pour into dessert glasses and serve warm.