Swim into Christmas with the Feast of the Seven Fishes

Nothing says Noel like a great, big glazed ham — unless you’re Italian. Many Italians, especially in the south, usher in the holiday with a kind of fast anchored to the country’s Catholic heritage. The Feast of the Seven Fishes dates back to the fifth or sixth century and takes place on Christmas Eve. While some families offer multiple courses of fish — think raw oysters, followed by smoked sardines, roasted monkfish, scampi and on and on and on — busier families practice the express version, cramming seven or more fish into a cioppino or chowder (okay, but probably not Nemo. I just liked the photo.)

So why seven? For the seven sacraments, of course. Or the seven sins — or virtues. Or for the seven days God used to create the earth. Or the seven days it took Mary and Joseph to reach Bethlehem. Or…you get the picture. In a story I did a couple of years ago, I even found that some (very hungry!) families stretch the metaphor to serve nine fish (the Holy Trinity times three), 11 (the 12 apostles minus Judas), or 13 (the apostles plus Jesus). Each family has its favorites, which can range from humble smelts and baccala to lobster tail and even caviar (yes, the eggs count as fish — it’s a Catholic tradition after all.)

If you can’t get yourself invited to someone’s house for this fabulous feast, check local Italian or seafood restaurants. In Washington, DC, the sustainable seafood restaurant Hook is offering a trio of crudo, followed by smoked mussel agnolotti, langostine with chestnut risotto, John Dory with calamari in a tomato confit, and yellowfin tuna prepared with sunchokes, pancetta, hazelnuts and figs. That’s eight fishes. Because eight is enough?