A seven-fishes story (Italian Christmas Eve Tradition)

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 12/17/09 | Elisa Ludwig

[Kid Shelleen]

--snip-- The seven-fish tradition that still lives on in Italian American households can be traced to Catholics in southern Italy, where families would eat a "lighter" meal before attending midnight Mass. The fish repast, a.k.a. La Vigilia, came out of the tradition of abstaining from meat or butter on holy days.

The symbolism of seven is connected to the seven sacraments, or possibly the seven days of creation. The fish feasts still abound on Christmas Eve - but many Italians scoff at the number.

"Seven?" asks David Faenza, the chef-owner of local restaurants Salento and L'Angolo and a native of Puglia. "We always had 10 or 15, and it would go from 7 p.m. to just before midnight."

[La Lydia]

Great. Now I’m starving.

[KosmicKitty]

One very vivid memory from my first marriage was eating Baccala (dried cod fish) on Christmas Eve.

Sorry, it wasn’t a fond memory (ICK!!! )

[mickey finn]

Baccala looks and sounds a hell of lot better than lutefisk. Actually the baccala recipe from the article sounds great. I love seafood and crab season is on here in the PNW. I will keep my eyes open for the next sale and make crab cakes.

[KosmicKitty]

While I’m 1/2 Scandinavian, I don’t d lute-fish either!!

I love seafood, just not dried or icky!

[fanfan]

Fish food ping

[fanfan]

Did you go to the link? Icky doesn’t begin to describe it.

Octopus meatballs???

LOL, no way! Not me!

[KosmicKitty]

No, I confess, I skipped the link. Had enough reality for the 7 years I was married to husband #1.

My ex-father-in-law loved serving soufritte and then making you guess what it is. And soufitte isn’t nearly as bad as baccala!!!

Now, my Christmas Eve is lobster & steak, thank you very much! (It’s my birthday, so I splurge a bit)

[DCPatriot]

We always had that celebration every Christmas Eve....had octopus fixed 2 ways...Smelt...squid...Cod..Haddock...Shrimp...Scallops..

I miss Grandma Teresa!

[fanfan]

Happy Birthday next Thursday, and Merry Christmas!

[KosmicKitty]

Thank you!!

And a most Merry Christmas to you too!!

[fanfan]

Thank you. :-)

[Gone_Postal]

been doing that tradition all my life...and will continue

[fanfan]

There was a thread the other day about true love, and how young kids would describe it.

Your post would have stood up against any of the responses there.

*smiling at you*

[fanfan]

I forgot to mention how beautiful she looks in that picture.

I could hug her, and I don’t even know her.
:-)

[Clemenza]

Best Christmas tradition, along with the Polish Three Kings day parties. Of course, I am biased.

Anybody else having any marizipan fruit?

[kalee]

We always had Hangtown Fry when I was growing up. I have no clue where my father got the idea or the recipe.
Now we always go to Red Lobster as a family then go to church.

[fanfan]

Anybody else having any marizipan fruit?

Oh, blech.

;-)

[LibFreeOrDie]

Same thing for Polish Wigilia (Christmas Eve dinner).

Although I don’t think the Italians include the oplatek (Holy Communion wafer)...

[Eaker]

Octopus meatballs???

Yum!