Introducing the Feast of the Seven Fishes

With a name such as this, one would assume this fishy feast is of, quite literally, biblical proportions and with a rich culinary history to match. But like many festive customs, it appears to be more of a nostalgic nod to its religious roots than a factual account. Although often credited as an Italian tradition, the Feast of the Seven Fishes seems to be more of an American invention than anything else, with Italian-American families trying to conjure up a feeling of home while adding a little ‘bigger is better’ attitude.

As with most Christmas stories, the convention for eating fish on Christmas Eve begins with religious rites – in this case, the Catholic rule of abstinence. In the Catholic church, abstinence and fasting play a key role in many ceremonies, most notably during Lent or on the eve of important holy days. Avoiding meat (and products produced by animals including most dairy goods) is the most common form of abstinence, and in strict cultures is observed every Friday. This gave birth to the custom of eating fish instead, often fried in oil to avoid the use of butter – indeed, in several cultures, Fridays are still associated with fried fish.

And so to Christmas. Christmas Eve is one of the most important dates in the Catholic calendar, and as such is a day of abstinence leading up to the attendance of midnight mass. In Italy, where the majority of people are Catholic, this tradition is particularly strong and is known as La Vigilia, or the ‘vigil’ – awaiting the birth of Jesus. A celebratory meal of fish is usually prepared and served during the evening before mass, but there seem to be no hard and fast rules on what this feast should entail, relying more on regional diversities and family preferences. Although most prevalent in the regions of southern Italy, where fresh fish and seafood from the coast are particularly abundant, the fish used can range from braised octopus to indulgent lobster throughout the country. Baccala (salted cod) is a popular choice as it’s relatively cheap and easy to find, while eel is also considered a delicacy in many parts.