The Feast of Seven Fishes

Tis’ the season for another year of Christmas Eve Italian Traditions! And let’s just say, Italians sure know how to celebrate for several reasons. Celebrating the Feast of Seven Fishes (yes… fishes) means a night full of families sitting around the table sharing stories, memories and of course, GREAT food! Plus, what fishmonger doesn’t love a family holiday celebrating with the bounty of the sea.

Although no one is quite sure on how the Feast of Seven Fishes started, it is certain that the first celebration originated in southern Italy. The reason seafood became the dish of choice originates from the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on Christmas Eve. We may have that figured out, but the biggest mystery of all… why seven fishes? There is no definite answer, but many believe that the seven fishes is a reference to the seven sacraments, the seven virtues, or even the seven deadly sins. We have also seen some Christmas Eve dinners consist of 13 seafood dishes, representing the 12 apostles and Jesus. Regardless of the number, one thing is certain…. There are no set rules on what seafood should be cooked and how the seafood should be prepared! Different families will serve different combinations, however there are some recipes that are more common than others.

So what do we recommend?
That’s easy… There are so many different options available here at Euclid Fish, all of which are pretty easy to cook. Some of our most popular traditional items include: Baccala, Squid/Calamari, Eel, Smelts, Mussels/Clams, Shrimp, Crab and Lobster, Whole Roasted Fish and Oysters.

Some items may seem strange to you, but tradition is tradition and is carried on through generations. The best part about it, you don’t have to be Italian to celebrate this delicious feast and it’s never too late to start a new family tradition!

Questions? Euclid Fish is here for any inquiries you may have! We have all of your holiday favorites, shrimp and seafood trays, plus delicious recipes available in the market. Visit our website for more information, or give us a call at 440.951.6448.

Happy Holidays, and of course, Happy Eating!

The Euclid Fish Company