The Feast of Seven Fishes
Every culture has it’s own traditions when it comes to winter holidays. In parts of Italy, today (December 24th) is celebrated as La Vigilia or the Feast of Seven Fishes. The traditional meal in Calabria, where my family has roots, includes such fishy delights are squid, salt cod, octopus, anchovies, eel, sardines, mussels, shrimp and oysters.
In my life, the tradition is to have dinner with the next door neighbors on Christmas Eve. I’ve often done fish in past years. This year, Christmas caught me in the middle of a pork phase so I’m roasting a ham. Sadly, it was a commercial smoked cooked ham. I washed it off, scored the skin and fat and smeared it with ground cloves, pepper and mustard. Later it got a bath with some sour orange. I’m currently
finishing it in the oven with a glaze of apricot preserves and orange juice. I predict deliciousness.
So, whether you celebrate the winter solstice, the birth of Jesus the Christ, Hanukkah, the Sapporo Snow Festival or the annual adoration of the noodly goodness, my winter wish for us all is peace and justice for all.
The stamp image is public domain. The gratituitous oyster photo is from WikiMedia Commons and is dedicated to Sean who had better come and get him some sliders.
