Italian Wine Dinner - Feast of the 7 Fishes

Our December Wine Dinner will be a special event - You asked for it.....so here it is! We are excited to announce the theme will be Feast of the 7 Fishes! SAVE THE DATE! Menu will be announced December 1st! What is the Feast of the 7 Fishes? A Christmas Eve tradition brought by immigrants from Italy in the late 1800s, it has evolved from an effort to abstain from meat into one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year. From its humble Roman Catholic beginnings to the vibrant culinary extravaganza it has become, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is a pillar of the Italian-American experience. And though it was once unique to home kitchens in the Northeast, a new generation is taking this beloved tradition nationwide. Whether you’ve been celebrating the Feast of the Seven Fishes since childhood or have never heard of it, we talked to Italian-American chefs from four Southern cities to help us explain this annual Christmas spectacle of seafood.The History Of The Feast Of The Seven FishesThis tradition can be traced back to Southern Italy, where it is known simply as la vigilia (the eve). In keeping with the Roman Catholic practice of not eating meat on the eve of feast days, seafood was eaten the night before Christmas. The significance of serving seven dishes is disputed, though seven is considered a divine number in Catholicism and it is repeated throughout the Bible. Despite its roots in Southern Italy, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is an American celebration. It can be traced back to the turn of the 19th century when Italian immigration to the U.S. was at its peak. Homesick transplants saw the tradition of eating seafood on la vigilia as a unique tether to Italy and began celebrating it as such. As the years went on and families grew and spread, la vigilia morphed into the extravagant Feast of the Seven Fishes we know and love today.