On May 17, the people of Naples venerate Paschal Baylón, a Spanish Franciscan who lived in the second half of the 16th century and canonized a century after his death in 1592.

As he likely never travelled to southern Italy, many attribute his popularity in Naples, where numerous streets, piazzas, and churches are named after him, to the significant cultural influences resulting from centuries of Spanish rule in the area. Baylón definitely spent time in Turin, however, where his association with “female” concerns took root; in addition to his patronage of pastry chefs, Baylón is protector of women and helper to women seeking husbands— and it is here that his legendary role in the creation of the egg cream known as zabaglione (also spelled zabaione) comes into play.

While in Turin, Baylón is said to have advised women complaining of their husbands’ spent sexual desire to prepare a mixture of egg, cream, sugar, and wine. The recipe, apparently successful in stimulating the attentions of at least a few husbands, grew in popularity among Turinese women, and eventually spread to other parts of Italy. Meanwhile, its name morphed from San Bajon, the saint’s name in the Turinese dialect, to zabaglione.

Among the various competing versions of zabaglione’s origin story, a widely-held belief in its fortifying or tonic-like qualities has remained constant: beyond its reputed aphrodisiacal powers, zabaglione is also considered a beneficial nutritional boost for the weak and sickly. On his feast day, many southern Italians, mostly women, will remember Baylón by preparing zabaglione along with different types of pastries and cakes calling for an egg cream filling, while invoking the saint with a dedicated prayer: San Pasquale Baylonne protettore delle donne, fammi trovare marito, or “Saint Paschal, protector of women, help me find a husband.”