Italian Christmas Food
- Thread starter Juno
- Start date
My family does the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve.
We don't have a big dinner on Christmas Day because we have all the family over on Christmas Eve. We don't eat any meat on Christmas Eve, only fish. We have everything from lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams, filet, calamari and salmon.
Does anyone else do this?
We don't have a big dinner on Christmas Day because we have all the family over on Christmas Eve. We don't eat any meat on Christmas Eve, only fish. We have everything from lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams, filet, calamari and salmon.
Does anyone else do this?
Well, my grandparents were born in Italy but emigrated and as a result we had a pretty traditional Christmas with things like turkey and ham. The Italian component really came in with desserts though. Nonna would make panettone which is a Christmas Cake, and there would always be some sort of biscotti to have with liqueur or coffee.
We don't have that tradition about fish on Christmas Eve, I know my Italian grandparents used to always have only fish if it was a Friday - every week! But I don't remember them having any specific Christmas Eve traditions about fish. Sounds fun though -- my husband loves seafood so I think he would enjoy a tradition like yours!
Talking about Christmas, once I tried to make Panettone and it went horribly wrong. 
Panettone VS Pandoro - The Christmas Cakes Battle
Panettone VS Pandoro - The Christmas Cakes Battle
Yes! I know a lot of Italians (including my parents) that don't. It is my in-laws. It might be a city thing too. I love fish too. I've never heard of having it every Friday but that doesn't surprise me. Especially if she was from a fishing town in Italy. I have fish every Friday during lent
Yes! I know a lot of Italians (including my parents) that don't. It is my in-laws. It might be a city thing too. I love fish too. I've never heard of having it every Friday but that doesn't surprise me. Especially if she was from a fishing town in Italy. I have fish every Friday during lent
They were pretty strict Catholics - so I think their "fish every Friday" stemmed from that Lent tradition, just on a bigger scale!
Italians are famous for the Feast of the Seven Fishes during Christmas. Many old Italian families in the states still have this traditions and many have also adapted it as a new tradition. I think it is a wonderful idea!