Feast of the Seven Fishes

An Italian Tradition

For a Holiday that holds high in tradition, why must we ask ourselves every year- what are we eating for Christmas Dinner? Maybe it’s because we’re burnt out on Thanksgiving must- haves like Turkey, Gravy & Stuffing (which are practically engraved in our dinner table). While some Christmas chefs may be happy to dive right back into Turkey, we deck our Christmas Eve dinner table with the most fabulous Seafood Feast, ever.

At our house on Christmas Eve we cook a traditional Italian meal called The Feast of the 7 Fishes.

Originating from Southern Italy, you guessed it, it’s a feast that includes seven different fishes. There are many hypotheses for what the number “7” represents. Seven is the most repeated number in the Bible (making an appearance over 700 times). Other theories state that the number ‘7’ represents the Seven hills of Rome that surround the city.

Whatever the seven fishes stand for, we can all agree, it’s a delicious meal. This year we prepared Baked Mussels with lemon herb butter, Calamari, Clam & Fish Chowder, Caviar en Croute, Sesame Salmon Filets and Brown Butter Scallops. Yummy!