Buon Natale
December 24th, 2007
Cafe Baci, Sarasota, FL.
Tonight, many of you will be celebrating La Cena della Vigilia di Natale—the Feast of the Seven Fishes. And even if not, we hope you’ll all be together with loved ones.
My family didn’t observe the tradition, probably because they were rare birds in our community of Sicilian-Americans—Methodists. When it came to religious observance, minimalism was the guiding principle. This is not to say we didn’t feast, and I hasten to add that my grandparents never lost sleep over the separation of Church and Kitchen. As a child, I could look forward to Christmas Eve treats like Schiacciatta, Baccalà, and Casatta alla Siciliana. But we were under no obligation to abstain from meat, or to attend mass of any kind, let alone at midnight.
So research on the folkloric, and possibly non-Christian, origins of the Feast has been fascinating for a non-Catholic like me. What’s remarkable is how little anyone actually knows about it. One thing is clear: the number seven has held mystical significance for millennia—even before the birth of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Some say the fish represent the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Others say it’s the seven Christian virtues, the Seven Deadly Sins, the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Others cite the Seven Hills of Rome (although most would concur that few modern Romans observe la vigilia). I’ve even seen reference to the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in Asia Minor…
There are those, like my editor, who detect more than a whiff of Saturnalia, the Pagan celebration of the winter solstice, and note similarities to folkloric traditions persistent among Muslims. (Remember that under Arab rule, Sicily’s cuisine gained ingredients and techniques that make even its contemporary food more reminiscent of North African Muslim kitchens than those of Calabria.)
Other numerals—9, 11, 13—carry additional meanings for Christians and those of other faiths. Indeed, depending on the individual family and the means and skills of its cooks, the vigilia table often includes seafood and fish dishes in those numbers, too.
Given the abbondanza Italians were able to enjoy here in America, it’s no surprise that they would demonstrate their gratitude and generosity and continue, through the decades, to add contemporary dishes to their family menus. Certainly baccalà, calamare, and eel are unshakable mainstays for traditionalists, but clams casino, shrimp cocktail, and sushi have taken their places on Italian-American Christmas Eve tables, too.
Whatever you do to celebrate this wonderful time of year, we wish you Auguri!.
Skip & Holly
P.S. We’d love to hear what’s on your Christmas Eve menu. Please leave a comment if you’d like.
Tag: Almost Italian, Italian immigrants, La Vigilia di Natale
December 12th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
[...] would be one of the dishes a skilled nonna might prepare for a holiday spread, especially for the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas [...]
December 21st, 2008 at 7:34 pm
[...] addition to the table for La Vigilia (Christmas Eve), when Italian-Americans celebrate with the Feast of the Seven Fishes. And it doesn’t hurt that the dish is red and white, garnished with green—a veritable [...]
October 11th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Over the years the menu has changed, but we always try to at least get 4-5 fishes.We have truly been blessed with our great meals.
Dinner always begins with Champagne and caviar. Then we sit down for maybe oysters or shrimp cocktail.also Scgunilli salad.. Then it’s on to Spaghetti with oil, garlic, and anchovies. Next up is the main course, which is either Baked stuffed lobster or Baked Red Snapper.
Now I have to tell you that we are down to only three people; me, my brother and my sister in law..so this is a lot of food.. Lately we don’t make it to the main course..lol
December 17th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
For my family the mainstay for decades has been a cold seafood salad including octopus, calamari, scungilli. We also partake in linguine with white clam sauce, and some years, we’ve indulged in Maryland soft shell crabs, fried oysters, and a big sushi platter. Something for everyone…Almost forgot…we do steamed LOBSTER every year too! Tutti a tavola a mangiare!
December 18th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Buon Natale, Lou! The wonderful spread you describe certainly reinforces our contention that what constitutes Italian food is ever-changing! Your New England feast shows that even the most tradition-bound people will take advantage of local products.
Turning the tables a little: we’d love to hear from Italians and Italian-Americans who happen to live in Japan. Do you include sushi in your Christmas feasts? Do you dip your calamare in soy-sauce or marinara?
November 16th, 2011 at 9:01 pm
In the days of my grandfather it was spaghetti with anchovies, baccala, fried smelts, smoked herring, eel, tuna cakes and calamari. We also had fried dough and lupini beans. Pretty much the same today except shrimp and salmon have replaced the eel and baccala.
December 3rd, 2011 at 12:23 pm
I grew up in Brooklyn. My parents were 1st generation Italian but it was what I called a mixed marriage. My father was from south of Naples (Moliterno) and my mother was from Abruzzo (North East of Rome). So we did not have the seven fishes but something in between. My mother made baccala which was my worst Christmas memory (smell) and smelts – OK. My favorite dish was the dessert – cenci or the light airy ribbons of fried dough covered with powdered sugar and stuffoli.
December 10th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Here is what we have done since the 1930s, going back to my grandmother’s time. This is the tradition from the areas of Molise, specifically Campobasso, and San Giovanni
Baccala Fritters (as the appetizer, along with the traditional cheese and roasted peppers antipasto)
This takes about an hour, then in no particular order:
Fried Smelts
Fried Shrimp
Roasted Eel
Stuffed Squid
Pasta and clam sauce (red or white), or squid sauce.
Rice salad with tuna
Baccala Salad
Scungili Salad
Vegetables, always including broccoli rabe
Dessert
struffuli, quanti (or wandis, meaning “gloves), torrone
December 10th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
My goodness, you must have one happy family on Christmas Eve. It’s lovely to hear the old traditions are being carried on.
I need to ask, though, from your email address, are you by chance from Cranston, R.I.? We feel that Cranston is home to THE best Almost Italian restaurant in America, Mike’s Kitchen at the VFW on Randall’s Ave.
Thank you for sharing your menu for La Cena della Vigilia.
Skip
December 10th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
Mike, Yes and yes. Mike’s is a classic place but I now live in Connecticut and I don’t visit as much as I should. And, Cranston is the most Italian-American city in the US as a percentage of the total population of any city with a population of over 50,000.
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:58 pm
Hello, We have something in common, though I am not Italian. My family were also Methodists in a predominately Catholic culture: Irish. They are also southern. Both my parents grew up in families where the Christmas Eve tradition was seafood. So we grew up with oyster stew on Christmas Eve. Since my grandfather was a minister and Christmas Eve was a working day, oyster stew was easy for my grands to prepare and eat quickly after church. My parents continued the tradition and added fried oysters and shrimp. Dessert was fruitcake, mom’s homemade fudge and eggnog. Since my dad passed, we go to Christmas Eve services in early evening and then out for Chinese. BTW, I love to cook and made your meatballs with marinara tonight for dinner and look forward to making more of your recipes. Buon Natale to all!
January 17th, 2012 at 11:07 am
My parents are Italian and Spanish, so Christmas Eve dishes would always have a combination of both. My favorite combo was always Seafood Paella alongside Zuppa De Pesci. They actually went together well (they would make a buffet style dinner). Getting hungry now!