What is the Feast of the Seven Fishes?
Have you ever heard of the Feast of the Seven Fishes? Have you wondered what exactly is this celebration and why are we feasting on fish? If you have ever heard of this feast and you wanted to know what it is and when it takes place, we have you covered.
As someone who grew up with this “feast” as part of our holiday celebrations, there is something to be said for learning more about where this idea comes from and what exactly it is. Basically, it is a meal that happens on Christmas Eve, and it is less of a holiday feast and more of a large meal in honor of the holiday. It’s also an Italian-American tradition, which means it’s not exactly called this over in Italy.
In a sense, this is a fasting of sorts without actually fasting. Think of this as an avoidance of meat until the actual Christmas dinner. In our modern day setting, there are typically seven seafood and fish dishes that are made as part of this “feast.”
And while the dishes are yours to choose from, there is often a salted cod on the table when taking part in the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
How to enjoy the Feast of the Seven Fishes
When it comes to actually taking part in this tradition, there is no right or wrong way to do this. The only real note that people follow with this is the no meat, only fish. And even if you don’t end up with seven fish or seafood dishes on the table, there is nothing wrong with that at all.
That being said, there are a number of fish options out there for us to enjoy if you want to take part in this pre-Christmas celebration.
This year, we have added Blue Circle Foods to our table with the help of their wide range of seafood products. (And yes, they are going to be a permanent addition to our table after this too.)
Not only does Blue Circle Foods offer a seafood box that can be delivered on your schedule, but it is even shipped for free! But of course, you can also choose a few pieces to have delivered to your door if a box seems like a lot.
So what exactly did we add to our Feast of the Seven Fishes from Blue Circle Foods? Our feast will include their Classic Roasted Salmon, a Peppered Roasted Salmon, Wild-Caught Atlantic Cod, and their Cooked Pacific White Shrimp. All four of these options are delicious and satisfying, adding exactly what we need for our Christmas Eve dinner.
An added bonus of Blue Circle Foods is that they do have some products in stores, so even if you are doing a last minute grocery run, you may be able to find some of their seafood and fish in a grocery store near you!
This year, we are also trying something new and maybe even a bit unique with the help of Genova Premium Seafood. Thanks to their cans of both Albacore and Yellow Fin Tunas, we are giving a recipe for Spicy Tuna Wonton Cups a try that they shared on their website. In fact, you can find the recipe here if you want to try it for yourself.
On top of making the Wonton Cups, we have also decided to use their canned tuna as part of a cracker topper, which meant getting fancy with their already high quality tuna. While Genova has a recipe on their site for a Tuna Crostini, if you need more guidance, we are keeping things simple and going with crackers and the tuna mixed with a little oil and onion.
Will there be other fish and seafood on the table? Of course! Luckily, we have ALDI to make sure that we also have more salmon, clams, and other seafood items on our table too. And if a lobster happens to end up in the mix, who can blame us.
Honestly, Christmas Eve is as much a celebration of the holidays as Christmas Day, and with a meal like the Feast of the Seven Fishes, that is exactly how we honor it. We make it a celebration that includes not just a special meal or dinner, but also our loved ones.
So whether there is one fish on the table or seven, these fish options feel like a great choice for anyone looking to get their own feast on the table.
Next. Infuse your house with the smell of Maine Lobster with this candle. dark
Have you celebrated the Feast of the Seven Fishes before? What do you do to make Christmas Eve special? What are your must-haves for the holidays? Let us know in the comments below.