A Reminder to My Italian Friends

It's all fish on Christmas Eve. My Mom loved baccala salad..I'm not a big fan.....pass me the stuffed calamari.

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This is something I found that may shed some light....

Feast of the 7 Fishes
It is tradition that Italians have a 7 fish dinner on Christmas Eve. Some think that it is perhaps one representing each day of the week, but most traditions come from the observance of the Cena della Vigilia, the wait for the miraculous birth of Christ in which early Christians Catholics fasted on Christmas Eve until after receiving communion at Midnight Mass. In later years it became a penitential day, meaning that all foods except meat were allowed. Other theories include are that there would be served three fish dishes representing the three Wise Men or the Holy Trinity while in some there may have been as many as thirteen, one for each of the apostles plus one for Jesus. Each family and each sect of the Italian culture is different, (the fish they say is from a tradition those from Naples brought over), it also depends on what was available in various parts of Italy. In most of the southern coastal regions in Italy, seafood was abundant and so the perfect opportunity to work fish into the menu for this festive day. Others have 9 Fish, and yet others 12 types for the representation of the original 12 apostles. In any case, its all fish, don't forget that.

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We made Yenta an honorary Italian back in August, so you need to tutor her on the rituals of her first Italian Christmas.

Oy, Yenta, your mother would kill us!

That's very.........continental.

AHHHHHHHhh us Italians now know to eat. Let's see Baccala, stuffed calamari, fried shrimp, lobster, crabs etc. Also, spaghetti with olive oil and anchovies on Christmas Eve. Christmas-- manicotti and veal parmigiana among other things. Always, Chistmas morning those zeppoles and/or eggs with Pannetone.

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Updated On: 12/16/05 at 09:19 PM

Specialmente per voi,
un salute gentile
per gioia alla festa di Natale
e nel tutto l'anno prossimo.

Buon Natale e Buon Capo d'Anno!

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Mille grazie!

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For Christmas Day I'm trying my hand at Pheasant--not very Italian.

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Chita, I have absolutely no idea what that means.

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Boobies,
That sounds incredible. I think I was switched at Birth.
I was meant to be Italian.
That sounds like so much fun.
I LIVE FOR SEAFOOD.

What is pulpo and how do you prepare it?

I'm actually a very good cook. But cooking for one is no fun.
When I was living with Tom, I cooked for him all the time.
Asian cooking is my gift.

I can make a mean Zuccini flower and Chicken Piccata though.
And I adore Vitello Tonato in the Summer.