The
Feast of The Seven Fishes - December
16th, 2004
Italian
families throughout the world enjoy The feast of The Seven
Fishes, on Christmas Eve. Each dish is intended to celebrate
the impeding birth of Christ.
The feast begins
with the shellfish because, in olden days, Crustaceans were
the food of the very poor and Christ's life spoke to the importance
of even the lowest of God's creatures. Clams and mussels in
white or red sauce served over pasta is a must, as is shrimp
and scallops.
Next comes baccala
(salt cured cod) in an aromatics stew. Cod, until most recently,
was the most common fish and a main stay of the diet poor.
Then there is squid
or "Calamari" as it is known in the "Cucina"
(Kitchen). Sliced into rings, dipped in egg and flour, then
deep-fried. The squid's many swirling tentacles represent
the many different directions that Christ's teachings went
throughout the world.
Eel is served lightly
dusted with flour and fried or roasted. The fast moving citizen
of the sea symbolizes the speed with which the Word of Christ
spread.
Then come the tiny
whole Smelts dipped in flour and deep fried. They signify
that the smallest and most humble of fish are pleasing God.
Served with lemon, they are most pleasing to people.
Rounding off the
feast is a good soft white-fleshed fish such as poached whiting.
Whiting has always been abundant and easily available to people.
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