Lakes Region Foodie — The Feast of the Seven Fishes

The custom of sitting down to a menu of seven fish dishes may seem daunting but it is rich in the culture of Italian-Americans, because it is the appropriate meal to serve at “La Vigila” or the Vigil of Christmas Eve, or keeping the Vigil of waiting for the birthday of Jesus Christ.

The absence of meat indicates a “fast” like Fridays in the Roman Catholic calendar. Its origin seems to be in Southern Italy, i.e. Sicily, Puglia, Campania, and other areas of the “Boot” of Italy.

The number 7 is significant, in that it plays in Christian history – our week, in 7 days God created Earth, 7 deadly sins, etc. The list goes on!

Often, one of the courses will be a fish stew or chowder, which will incorporate 3 or more fish (usually white fish or solid fleshed fish) followed by pasta with “Vongole” clams. And on and on!

There are 20 regions in Italy, and each one has a different specialty as far food goes, but being surrounded by the sea on 3 sides, it’s logical that seafood plays a large part in the menu of each region. From Trentino delle Adigo in the North, to the island of Sicilia in the South, no Feast of the Seven Fishes will be the same.

Buon Appetito!